THE EXCELLENCE OF EUROPEAN D.O. CAVA AND JAMÓN CONSORCIOSERRANO
Crafted in Spain, perfected by time
In a world that often prioritizes speed over substance, there remains proof that good things, and excellent taste, take time. D.O. Cava and Jamón ConsorcioSerrano are two such treasures, each representing a unique blend of Spanish tradition and taste created with time and perfected over centuries.
Cava has earned its place among the world’s finest sparkling wines, yet it remains wonderfully versatile. Whether paired with a simple salad, a casual meal or a celebratory toast, Cava brings a touch of elegance to every occasion. What makes Cava de Guarda Superior unique is that it is produced using the traditional method where secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle.
This meticulous process, lasting a minimum of 18 months, is carefully overseen by the D.O. Cava regulatory body, ensuring that each bottle upholds the highest standards of quality and authenticity. Made from organic vineyards that are over 10 years old, Cava de Guarda Superior reveals its craftsmanship with every pour. As the delicate, harmonious bubbles rise to the surface, you can truly appreciate the time and care it took to perfect them!
Similarly, Jamón ConsorcioSerrano is more than just a drycured ham. This exquisite product is made using traditional curing
methods which takes a minimum of 12 months to deliver a delicate and rich flavor. Each production is upheld to the rigorous standards of the Consorcio del Jamón Serrano Español, which ensures that every piece of Jamón ConsorcioSerrano bearing the seal is of exceptional quality. Like Cava, Jamón ConsorcioSerrano is not merely an accompaniment to festive tables; it is a versatile delight that can elevate everyday meals with its complex flavors and delicate texture.
Both Cava and Jamón ConsorcioSerrano are perfect examples of how time-honored craftsmanship, underpinned by the European Union’s commitment to quality and tradition, creates products that are unmatched in their category. They are not just crafted in Spain; they are perfected by time, offering a taste of excellence that is both accessible and extraordinary. Whether enjoyed on a special occasion or as part of your daily life, Cava and Jamón ConsorcioSerrano bring the best of Europe to your table.
Learn more on our website
Some of the best art in the world was made during the Renaissance, a period of time in Europe between the 14th and 16th centuries, when painters like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael were creating the masterpieces we still love today.
These artists are famous; they are the names we know and the people we revere. But behind every famous painter, sculptor, writer or musician, there was often a very wealthy person who was financing all of that amazing art. These were the patrons, the rich merchants or powerful politicians who commissioned the art and sometimes employed the artists as full-time, in-house creators. While the fame and glory went to the artists, it was the financial backing of the patrons that made the whole system work.
I bring this up now, as we release our first-ever Live Local Guide, because the residents of Western North Carolina are being called on to act as patrons of our local small businesses right now—to become dedicated supporters of not just the independently owned restaurants, breweries and art galleries we love, but also the locally owned accounting firms, web designers and hair salons.
This does not mean I assume everyone is in a position to spend big money. Some of us are in the position of needing help—not giving it. But as we emerge from the devastation caused by Helene, we are also awakening to the deep economic damage the storm has wreaked, and will continue to cause. Asheville’s tourism economy suffered a whopping 70% decline in the fourth quarter of 2024, a loss that has widespread ripple effects, which is partly why FEMA says that 43% of small businesses affected by natural disasters go out of business. 43%. Out of business.
So in the coming months, as our region goes through the proverbial process of picking itself up and dusting itself off, it is crucial that we act as patrons—to act with intention and purpose every time we spend money, to whatever degree we can.
Much like the patrons of the Renaissance, the role is partly charitable in nature—fueled by a desire to help someone else succeed. Mostly, though, it is an act of self interest. If you have a job or a business in Western North Carolina, if you are a homeowner or have children who attend school here, if you enjoy the coffee shops, late-night bars or concert venues, then it is in your best interest to prop up our local small businesses.
This is the sole purpose of this issue: to help you “live local.” If you’re looking for specific suggestions on how to do that, pop over to our month-by-month guide for advice. If you’re planning a dinner out, please flip through the pages of our Independent Restaurant Directory, published with the support of Delta Dental of North Carolina. And if you’re looking to support our local farmers, take a look at our recipes, all of which are built around seasonal ingredients regularly offered by growers in our region.
This is a situation that requires all hands on deck. For some, this will mean changing where you get your morning cup of coffee; for others, it will mean writing a check to a local performing arts center or buying a handcrafted dining table. Our individual contributions will be different, but they are all equally important and, together, we will get through this.
Tennille T. Legler
Publisher
Live Local 2025 Vol. 10 | No. 1
Publishers
Tennille T. Legler
Errin Tracy
Features Editor
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Recipe Editors
Terri Terrell
Michele Gentille
Copy Editor
Doug Adrianson
Design/Layout Editors
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Tina Bossy Freeman
Advertising Designers
Matthew Freeman
Tina Bossy Freeman
Cat Kahnle
Director of Advertising & Marketing
Christine Priola
Distribution Coordinator
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The Black Forest Cake at Old Europe (above); local business owners Jael Skeffington, Katie Button and Jess Reiser (right); diners raising a toast at Tall John’s restaurant (bottom right); and a hot cauliflower dip (below).
Photo
THE WINE REGIONS of North Carolina
Six federally designated “ American Viticultural Areas ” are reviving the state’s historical tradition of growing grapes and making fine wines.
1 UPPER HIWASSEE HIGHLANDS
Winding rivers and tree-covered mountain slopes are home to vineyards producing distinctive high acid dry and off-dry style wines.
2 CREST OF THE BLUE RIDGE HENDERSON COUNTY
Warm days and cool nights during the growing season produce ideal conditions for cultivating European vinifera and French-American hybrid grapes.
3 APPALACHIAN HIGH COUNTRY
Vineyards planted at elevations between 2,290 and 4,630 feet create the conditions for unique benefits amid the mountainsides.
4 YADKIN VALLEY
Home to dozens of wineries that enjoy moderate elevations and a proximity to the Yadkin River that allow a variety of grapes to thrive.
5 SWAN CREEK
A specific microclimate makes unique grapes while the nearby Brushy Mountains create a scenic backdrop and provide a distinct mineral-rich soil known for its ability to retain nutrients and water.
6 HAW RIVER VALLEY
Rich soil and a long growing season are perfect for both the grapes and wine lovers who enjoy sipping at their favorite wineries nearly year-round.
Contributors
Erin Adams - Photographer
Erin Adams is an Asheville-based food and lifestyle photographer. In addition to Edible Asheville, her work appears in a variety of publications, including Our State, WNC Magazine, Southern Living, and Garden & Gun She shoots commercially for Biltmore Wines, The Biltmore Estate restaurants and many small businesses in the area.
Brook Bolen - Features Editor
Born and bred in WNC, Brook Bolen is a writer, editor, home cook and ravenous eater. Her work has appeared in Salon, VICE, WNC magazine, and more.
Michele Gentille - Recipe Editor
Michele Gentille grew up in food-diverse Toronto, received a culinary degree from La Varenne in France and moved to the WNC countryside in 2012. She works as a food stylist, recipe developer, and baker. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times Style Magazine, among others.
Moriah House - Contributor
Moriah House is a freelance writer born and raised in Asheville, NC. Her work has appeared in The Assembly, Business Insider and more.
Chris Smith - Contributor
Chris Smith is executive director of the Utopian Seed Project, a crop-trialing nonprofit working to celebrate food and farming, and co-host of “The Okra Pod Cast.” Smith’s book, The Whole Okra, won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2020. In 2023, he received the Organic Educator Award from the Organic Growers School and was named a Champion of Conservation by Garden & Gun
Terri Terrell - Recipe Editor
Terri Terrell is the culinary director for Utopian Seed Project, a groundbreaking non-profit that cultivates, researches, and celebrates resiliency in food and farming via crop diversity. Through innovative practices, education, and collaboration, she is responsible for creating and maintaining a cohesive culinary vision across the Utopian Seed Project landscape.
René Treece - Photographer
René Treece is an Asheville-based portrait photographer specializing in nature-inspired children’s, family, and women’s portraiture, fine art printing, and branding photography. René’s narrative-driven approach seeks commonality in story, archetype, and emotion, creating images that stir the soul.
Kristina Valdiviezo - Photographer
Kristina Valdiviezo is an award-winning photographer, and talent behind Fraiche Photography, celebrated for her expertise in product, food and lifestyle photography. Combining editorial finesse with commercial appeal, she has earned acclaim for her ability to elevate brands.
Kay West - Contributor
Kay West covered food and restaurants for over 30 years in Nashville and, since 2019, in Asheville— where she now lives. She is the author of five books, including Around the Opry Table: A Feast of Recipes and Stories from the Grand Ole Opry.
Seizing the Opportunity
Josh Waters
AAS, Culinary Arts (2021)
AAS, Baking & Pastry Arts (2023)
When James Beard Award–nominated chef Ashleigh Shanti invites you to help cater an event for world-renowned musician Yo-Yo Ma, you don’t just say “yes.” If you’re up-and-coming star chef Josh Waters, you say “Absolutely, yes!”
It’s just this type of mentality—a willingness to embrace opportunities presented to him and to then, more often than not, exceed expectations—that has come to define Waters’s own swift rise to success.
Within just a few years, Waters has gone from washing cars as a young high school graduate to being hired as executive chef of the 215-acre retirement community Givens Estates, overseeing four different restaurants and a staff of more than 60 chefs, servers and bartenders.
Along the way, the 24-year-old has received not one but two degrees from A-B Tech—one in culinary arts and one in baking—and competed in highly demanding cooking competitions on both the national and international level. He’s also worked in popular local restaurants, sharpening his skills for a career path that he hopes will eventually lead to his own restaurant.
“It’s interesting,” Waters says. “When I think about it, there have always been people in my life who saw potential in me that I didn’t see.”
by
Photo
Erin Adams.
Waters will tell you that cooking is in his blood. Decades ago, his maternal grandfather worked as a cook at a now-closed restaurant on Long Shoals Road in South Asheville, while his maternal grandmother routinely made food for friends and family in the Asheville community of Montford she called home.
His mother also prioritized home-cooked meals, creating beloved dishes that Waters recalls with fondness. “I remember her chili and cornbread. As soon as they hit the table, I knew it was my favorite time of year. That meant it was getting colder and it was hoodie season.”
The idea that Waters himself could become a professional chef started in high school, at T.C. Roberson, where a home economics instructor taught him and other students how to make popular dishes from scratch, giving Waters a sense of independence. After graduation, while pursuing a degree in special education and working at a car wash to make money, his interest was immediately piqued when he learned about a job opening at the former Italian restaurant Chiesa in Asheville.
“The job opening was for a dishwasher, and I showed up to the interview ready for a corporate job,” Waters says. “I wore khaki pants and a nice button-up shirt, and they were, like, ‘What are you doing?’”
On the third night of the dishwashing job, a busy Saturday evening, Waters found himself drowning in dirty plates and glasses and decided to come up with a system for keeping up. He created a new streamlined method for washing the endless piles of dirty dishes—an often-overlooked part of professional kitchens—and attracted the attention of head chef Sam Greco, opening the door for a new opportunity.
“After a few months, Sam asked me if I wanted to come into the kitchen and make the special one day. They started me off with a bolognese—Sam gave me a recipe and I made it—and the people responded positively to it. They really liked it. And so now, it’s at that point, I’m in love with cooking,” Waters says.
Waters quickly advanced through the ranks at the restaurant, rising from dishwasher to sous chef in just three years. At the same time, he enrolled in the culinary program at A-B Tech and formally pursued cooking as a career.
“This is where I learned from some of the best chefs,” Waters says. “A-B Tech is one of the best programs out there, but what makes it one of the best programs is that they teach you everything. It’s very demanding.”
While at A-B Tech, Waters stood out for his dedication to hard work and budding leadership skills, earning a spot in 2021 as captain of the team of students participating in the American Culinary Federation’s esteemed cooking competition.
“I didn’t see the potential they saw in me as a person, as a leader,” he says. “But I was learning patience and honesty, learning how to speak up for myself. Learning how to be a leader among leaders is kinda weird.”
“A-B Tech is one of the best programs out there, but what makes it one of the best programs is that they teach you everything. It’s very demanding.”
Waters also took the somewhat unusual step of pursuing a second degree, earning an associate’s in baking in addition to one in culinary arts, hoping to become more well-rounded as a chef. “They’re different,” Waters says. “Cooking is about intuition and taste; baking is science.”
While enrolled at A-B Tech, Waters worked at several local restaurants, learning different cuisines and different approaches to managing a kitchen. When an instructor at the school told him that Ashleigh Shanti, owner of the popular Good Hot Fish eatery in Asheville and a semi-finalist for the 2020 James Beard Award for “Rising Chef of the Year,” needed help with an event she was catering for celebrity cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Waters jumped at the chance.
“After meeting her, I knew I had to do the best job I could to make sure I could work for her again,” Waters says.
Waters now counts Shanti among his trusted mentors and has joined her team for at least half a dozen events. He credits her—and her fusion of Southern flavors with Black Appalachian, or “Affrilachian,” cuisine—with playing a big role in his own approach to food. “I often ask myself, ‘How would she approach this dish?’”
Now at Givens Estates, which he joined in June, Waters is once again taking advantage of an opportunity afforded to him and living up to his potential as a leader that others have long seen in him.
In October, Waters traveled to Singapore to compete at the Global Vegan Chefs Challenge as assistant to A-B Tech Chef-Instructor Chris Bugher, where they went toe to toe with other chefs from around the world with flavorful vegan dishes.
“I have a lot of different routes I can take with my life, and so the question is always ‘Where do I want to go now?’”
A Year-Round Guide to Local Living
Every season presents unique opportunities to invest in your community. By becoming a thoughtful consumer, you can support your neighbors while also engaging in some of the most fun local experiences, collecting some of the most beautiful gifts and treasures and enjoying some of the most extraordinary local food and drink. Check out our month-by-month suggestions for inspirational ideas— and pledge to live locally for the year.
JANUARY
Mark Your Calendars
Welcome the new year by creating a calendar of birthdays, anniversaries and graduations in 2025—leaving space for happy surprises like the arrival of a new baby or a housewarming party. Make a pledge to purchase gifts for these occasions at local boutiques and galleries, and create a list of at least six retail locations that you like, making it easier to find the right gift when the time comes.
FEBRUARY
Celebrate Your Loves Celebrate love—for spouses and partners, friends and family. Book your dinner reservations early at a local and independently owned restaurant—check out our Restaurant Directory on page 23—and perhaps meet for drinks beforehand at a local bar within walking distance. Consider thoughtful gifts from one of the many local jewelry designers or artists and remember to tuck the artist’s business card in the gift, so the recipient can learn more about them.
MARCH
Sign Up for CSA Shares
Now is the time to research shares in community-supported agriculture (CSA) harvest subscription programs, which guarantee you a season or two of the region’s freshest fruit, vegetables, herbs, meats, cheeses and flowers. Apart from the fun of regularly receiving a box of locally grown goodies, shares in CSAs deliver valuable financial support to local farms, providing a steady stream of income and the confidence to plan for another season of growing. Keep an eye out for the CSA Fair hosted by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, usually held in March, which allows you to meet the local farms offering CSAs.
APRIL
Plan a Spring Break Staycation
Families with children will be looking for fun ideas for Spring Break. Instead of planning a vacation away, consider a “staycation” that takes advantage of local adventures. There are, of course, amazing programs at the Asheville Art Museum, NC Arboretum and WNC Nature Center, (check for opening dates), and you can also splurge at the Asheville Pinball Museum, Retrocade, Asheville Adventure Center or one of the escape rooms offered around town. Consider also treating young ones to a facial or a foot soak—or look for cooking schools that welcome children to prepare a dish or meal. Check out the 1.7-mile Asheville Urban Trail (stopping by a downtown restaurant for lunch) or grab a picnic to-go from a local deli and hit the trails for spring hiking.
MAY
Visit Local Farmers Markets
Many local farmers markets are in full swing by now, so start planning for the coming months of bounty and harvest. Explore several markets to find your favorites and make note of the dates and times they’re open. It’s smart to have a strategy for shopping at farmers markets. Some folks prefer to walk the aisles of vendors and wait for inspiration, opting to build meals on the spot around the seasonal produce or a beautiful cut of locally raised meat; others prefer to know in advance what will be offered and show up with a shopping list. FYI, many farmers markets will provide details of their weekly offerings in newsletters or social media posts.
JUNE
Host a Summer Vacation
As summer unfolds, you might be looking to connect with family and friends who live outside of Western North Carolina—and now’s the perfect time to invite them to visit you on your home turf. Woo them with a carefully planned itinerary of the regional highlights. Start with a tour of George Vanderbilt’s famous Biltmore House and follow up with dinner and drinks on the Sunset Terrace of Omni’s Grove Park Inn. Schedule time for shopping in Asheville’s downtown and the bustling South Slope, as well as the River Arts District, where several portions have reopened. Plan a day trip to one of the many cities in surrounding counties— where downtown strolls through Hendersonville and Brevard are easy wins, as is a day trip to Hot Springs, with a hike around Lover’s Leap and a soak in the natural hot springs. Don’t forget to squeeze in a hike or a fun adventure like zip-lining or white-water rafting.
JULY
Attend Live Music Concerts
The weather is warm, the beer is cold and the music is lively. Check out the region’s legend-making music venues for their summer lineups and invite your buddies for an afternoon or evening of jams. Check out Rabbit Rabbit, The Grey Eagle, The Orange Peel and the Wortham Center for Performing Arts—and don’t forget all of the local brewpubs, including Highland Brewing and Sierra Nevada, that host live music on a regular basis. Many of the venues offer newsletters to keep you up to speed on upcoming shows—popular headliners sell out fast—and make sure to show extra love for local acts.
AUGUST
Plan a Day of Pampering
As summer starts to wind down, it’s time to take a break and plan a day (or days) of pampering. Gather your pals and schedule a spa day. Look for locally owned businesses that offer facials, massages, foot soaks, manicures and pedicures, or perhaps indulge in a salt cave or one of the hot-cold therapy saunas around town. Consider also splurging on an item you wouldn’t normally get for yourself. Look for a handmade vase by a local artist and buy yourself a colorful bouquet of flowers or indulge in a handmade scarf, wrap or hat.
SEPTEMBER
Visit a Farm for Apple Picking
While many people associate apple picking with the chilly weather of fall, the apple harvests in Western North Carolina actually begin in August and September. Check out the orchards in Henderson County, one of the most prolific apple-growing regions in the country, and plan a U-pick trip for family fun. In addition to offering ripe fruit for the picking, many orchards host food trucks and offer tractor rides and kids’ games, while also selling a variety of apple products like turnovers and cider. Once the kids have had their fun, don’t forget to check out the wineries in the area, as well; more than half a dozen wineries are in this federally designated wine-growing region known as Crest of the Blue Ridge. We like Marked Tree Vineyard in Flat Rock, which also has a tasting room in downtown Asheville.
OCTOBER
Give Your Home a Fresh Update
As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to give your home a fresh little update and prepare for the family and friends who might be visiting. Check out local stores for handmade throw blankets, pillows and locally poured candles. Visit local galleries, like Grovewood Gallery, for new serving platters or cheese boards, or perhaps a set of cloth napkins or candlesticks, and prints from local artists that can be framed by independent framers. Check out local nurseries for houseplants that add life to any space.
NOVEMBER
Prepare for a Thanksgiving Feast
There are several farms that offer locally raised turkeys, and they start to accept reservations for the birds several weeks before Thanksgiving. So in this case, the early birds get… well, the early birds. And just about every other component can be purchased locally, as well. You can visit your tailgate markets for sweet potatoes, greens and winter squashes; go to a local bakery for baguettes and bread rolls; and connect with your local dessert shop for cookies and pies. For local herbs and seasonings, check out Well Seasoned Table or The Spice & Tea Exchange in downtown Asheville. For the wine, check out the local wineries—there are seven in our region—or a local distillery for spirits. Oak & Grist in Black Mountain makes whiskey and gin.
DECEMBER
Buy Local Gifts & Stocking Stuffers
This is an easy win for local shopping. Make a list of everyone you’ll be shopping for—including friends, family, coworkers, neighbors and perhaps the invaluable folks who make your life easier, like landscapers, house cleaners and postal workers—and plan a day of local love to one of the neighborhoods that offer clusters of retail stores and galleries. In Asheville, there’s the downtown area and River Arts District. And there are also plenty of options in Black Mountain, Hendersonville and Brevard, along with other towns in Western North Carolina. As always, make sure to grab the business card of the artist or store you’ve purchased from, and include it with your gift!
My Money’s On the Farmer
As WNC farmers rebuild from Hurricane Helene, it’s vital to support them
WRITTEN BY CHRIS SMITH
Our Blue Ridge Mountains are all nooks and crannies. Winding country roads lead to hidden hollers where animals graze steep hillsides. Gated and graveled tracks open onto farms bordered by woodlands.
The landscape’s natural diversity is part of the reason why farming in this region is so special and so resilient. Another part is the community that supports them.
Farming is physically and emotionally hard. It relies on high upfront investments to get crops in the ground, with a paycheck riding on the hopes of a successful harvest. The arduous work is intensified by our warming climate: 90°+ can be downright dangerous.
Recent years have seen storms with golf-ball-sized hail that shredded crops and damaged greenhouses; extended droughts stunted growth; extreme temperatures, both low and high, that impacted harvests. Cold springs, late frosts, mild winters, polar vortexes.
Then there was Helene, a hurricane powerful enough to erase entire farms from the landscape. Given the chaotic climate we’re living in, farming can feel like a game of dice. But there comes a point when we need to understand that the dice are weighted, with outcomes often working against the small local farmers, and climate change is a present and ongoing disaster.
In the weeks after the hurricane, I was reminded that our farmers are amazing people. Tough, for sure, but also kind and community focused. We saw impromptu farmers markets erected in parking lots
We should all be very proud of our farmers and attempt to support them all the time, and not just when the latest disaster has disrupted the normal channels for buying food.
and fields. Farm stands displayed “pay what you can” signs. Grassroots networks directed food to the local chefs leading relief efforts to feed our community. So much good happened amidst the devastation.
We should all be very proud of our farmers and attempt to support them all the time, and not just when the latest disaster has disrupted the normal channels for buying and securing food.
I know time and money are big factors in most people’s lives. I’m certainly operating on a budget and I’m not above a quick frozen pizza for dinner. But in 2025, I’m recommitting to developing easy and affordable ways to invest in our local foodway, and I hope that you can, too.
Here are the places where I’m pledging to buy food in 2025:
Farm Stand: Gaining Ground Farm has a farm stand that I drive past on the way to school drop-off. It’s stocked with beautiful seasonal veggies and the prices are often actually cheaper than my nearest supermarket.
Where’s your closest farm stand? Do you have a local U-pick? Consider a weekly CSA box or find a local community garden.
Farmers Market: Leicester (where I live) has two farmers markets. I’m committed to taking my daughters to at least one of them each week. I’ll give each daughter $20 to buy a small treat (it’s got to be fun) and the rest on healthy things they’ll eat for dinner.
How much of your weekly food budget can you pledge to a farmers market? Did you know that many farmers markets accept SNAP, and some offer Double Up Your Bucks?
Local Grocer: Grateful Roots Market and Deli is a locally owned store that stocks numerous local products. They are my go-to for bread and milk. The bread is baked by Sisu Bread using North Carolina–grown organic flour and it’s only a couple of dollars more than a loaf at the supermarket. The milk is thick with cream from North Carolina cows.
Do you have a local food co-op or grocery you can support with some regular purchases, even if it’s just a few things every week? Think about the vendors who buy from local farmers: soaps, teas, spices, etc.
We’re actually spoiled for choice in our region. To find farm stands, U-pick opportunities, community-supported agriculture (CSA) harvest subscription programs and farmers markets, check out the Local Food Guide, published annually by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). The guide also includes listings for restaurants and artisans that source from local farms.
I feel lucky to live in a region rich in agriculture. My responsibility as a community-focused person who appreciates local food is to keep it thriving.
Left to Right: Jael Skeffington of French Broad Chocolates; Jess Reiser of Burial Beer; and Katie Button of Cúrate.
A Q&A with Jael Skeffington, Jess Reiser and Katie Button
A collaborative trio, the co-owners of three of Asheville’s most iconic businesses, represent the city’s unique spirit and resilience in the wake of Hurricane Helene
WRITTEN BY BROOK BOLEN | PHOTOS BY RENÉ TREECE
AQWhen it comes to the pantheon of local female entrepreneurs (or what the young folks might refer to as baddies), three women come to mind—Jael Skeffington, Katie Button and Jess Reiser, the co-owners behind some of Asheville’s most beloved and iconic businesses: French Broad Chocolates, Cúrate and Burial Beer, respectively.
The women formed a bond in 2019 while helping to organize Asheville’s inaugural Chow Chow food festival and then went on to develop a friendship that has since led to multiple collaborations (and no shortage of casual gatherings filled with laughter and encouragement).
The creative partnerships abound, and you can often find the flavors of each company being shared: Burial Beer in the sweet treats of French Broad Chocolates, and the cocoa nibs from French Broad Chocolates brewed in Burial Beer. And when Skeffington released a special collection of bonbons in 2024, one delightful set featured Cúrate’s sangria roja.
The connection between the three women runs even deeper, though, into shared commitments to community. When Button, for example, organized a fundraising dinner last year for Haywood Street Community Development, a planned 41unit affordable housing project, she quickly called on Skeffington and Reiser to help support the endeavour with donated food and drink.
We decided to feature these women in our inaugural Live Local Guide in part because they fuel the creative power behind three of Asheville’s most successful businesses; but also because they illustrate the resilience, joy and fierce dedication to community that have defined the area’s response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.
Edible Asheville: We often see the three of you working together. Did the projects you do as a group start as collaborations between friends or between business owners?
Jess Reiser: We knew each other more casually as local business owners and then the three of us all became founding board members of Chow Chow: An Asheville Food Festival. That was the jumping off point.
Katie Button: The relationship definitely started initially just as respect for one another running our businesses in Asheville. As we got to know one another, we started finding time to meet up to support one another through the challenges of running our businesses. From there our bond has grown, and our support for one another has grown from initially just business-focused to now whole-life focused.
“The mutual respect we have—not just for each other, but for each other’s businesses—drives us to honor one another through our collaborations.”
—Jael Skeffington
Jael Skeffington: In addition to how Jess and Katie described the evolution of our relationship from a business support network to trusted friends, I’ll speak to the collaborations between us. Our shared values, especially in how we manage our businesses, align so well that collaborating feels natural. We trust each other to always bring our best— whether it’s in flavor, quality, ingredient sourcing or relationships.
Edible Asheville: What is the dynamic between y’all—and how do you think that dynamic influences how you work together?
JR: The dynamic between us is very uplifting. The amount of laughter we exchange is so incredibly good for my mind and soul! We are in genuine and consistent support of one another as full human beings. Therefore, collaborating together feels natural and inspiring at the same time!
KB: We listen to one another intently, and we laugh, nonstop. It’s the true understanding and acceptance that we have for one another that is beautiful and allows us to break into laughter about life, ourselves, pretty much everything.
JS: I wholeheartedly echo the love and inspiration that Jess and Katie have shared! Beyond that, the mutual respect we have—not just for each other, but for each other’s businesses—drives us to honor one another through our collaborations.
Edible Asheville: What has impressed you the most about the way our community responded in the wake of Hurricane Helene?
Left to Right: Reiser, Skeffington and Button
JR: The response was almost immediate. I think once we all realized how catastrophic the damage was to our area, those of us who could mobilized.
KB: I saw the heart and philosophy of hospitality really peak during this time in response to the crisis. Hospitality is more than just dropping a plate or taking a drink order; it is a human way of being—it is a means of connection and relatability no matter your background. Ultimately we were all experiencing a collective heartbreak, which brought us closer together as a community.
JS: I am inspired by both Katie’s and Jess’s response to the crisis, from Cúrate’s immediate mobilization of World Central Kitchen to Burial’s hosting of chefs from the region, who volunteered to cook for our community. I had a few hot meals at their locations and I was struck how much these gatherings facilitated connection and empathy within our community. Our local government’s response also impressed me. Buncombe County Emergency Services set up a distribution hub in the building where our Distribution Center is located. This was one of many demonstrations of mutual support in the community, as we provided them hot coffee, use of our office space and our box truck for deliveries, while they facilitated internet service and provided hot meals for our team.
KB: I am endlessly grateful for this incredible community that I get to call home. While I am still grieving the change, loss and devastation that we are facing and still have yet to fully realize, at the same time, over the past two months, I have witnessed beauty, resilience, community, love and care in a way that I never would have experienced. Our community collectively, in both big and small ways, jumped into immediate action to help and support each other. It was the fast opening of hearts and resources, time and care that surprised me most. I have also been in awe of the way the community has shown up to support our businesses as we began to reopen. In any way that they can, it feels like each and every person in WNC is pouring whatever they can back into this community and each other.
Supporting Beekeepers On Their Journey
Edible Asheville: What are your own favorite places to eat/drink/shop locally?
JR: I am constantly inspired by our small-business community so I like to get out and about on a regular basis. Therefore, the real list is way too long for this article. For this moment in time, I love Farewell for coffee and plants, Mother Bakery for wine and lunch, OWL Bakery for Cardamom buns and baguettes, Anoche for cocktails, Bull and Beggar for dinner and elevation, Jettie Rae’s for seafood towers and martinis, East Fork for milestone gifts, Flora for everyday gifts for myself and others, Wake Foot Sanctuary for a much-needed pause and self-care products, Chai Pani for spice and a colorful atmosphere, Wedge Brewing for craft and community.
ble burger; Contrada, which might be my favorite place on earth for perfect pizza with elevated sides; and Sauna House, one of my favorite places to go and talk shop with Jess and Jael while sweating it out in the sauna and then supporting one another as we each tackle our individual cold-plunge challenge.
Edible Asheville: What do you love most about living in WNC?
JR: I LOVE our food and beverage community. I LOVE our small-business community. And last but not least, I LOVE our mountains—they give me a connection to the earth; they give me peace and keep me grounded. When I first landed in Asheville, I remember sitting at Wedge with my husband and 1-year-old son. I could recognize almost instantly that the people who live in WNC deeply and truly want to live in WNC. They are here because the place means something to them, it’s bigger than them—it’s community. That type of energy is one that I did not experience while living in bigger cities.
JS: There are far too many incredible places to do this question justice. That said, I’ll add a few other favorites: Leo’s House of Thirst, a lovely space for gathering; our amazing network of farmers markets; Horse & Hero, showcasing fantastic local art; and Table, a downtown classic. I also feel a deep responsibility to support as many of our local restaurants and shops as possible during this challenging time. Our small businesses are the heart of Asheville’s culture, shaping it into the place we all love. With tourism at a low point, this is a unique opportunity for the local community to rally around and sustain their favorite local businesses.
KB: I third all of the places that Jess and Jael have mentioned and will throw in the bar at Tall John’s also for a Martini and an incredi-
JS: When the effects of the hurricane began to unfold, I experienced a clear and visceral thought: This is home. I didn’t want to escape the disaster; I wanted to stay and be a part of the rebuilding. There is so much I love about living here. The mountains and forests provide a spiritual connection to nature, a playground for adventure and a place for physical exercise— whether hiking or mountain biking—while offering endless opportunities to experience beauty. I am deeply connected to our small-business community, which gives me camaraderie, collaboration, friendship and unwavering support. And yes, I truly love the incredible places to eat and drink here.
KB: When I first drove through Asheville in 2008 as we were looking for a spot to open our first restaurant, I fell in love at first sight. I was blown away by the natural beauty, the rolling mountains and flowing rivers, but what impressed me most was discovering what makes Asheville and Western North Carolina unique: It’s a vibrant region full of creative, passionate people who live here because they couldn’t imagine themselves living anywhere else and so they pour their heart and soul of their craft into this community by doing what they do best, whether that is making chocolate, or beer, or tapas, or cheese, or charcuterie, music, pottery, fine art, incredible fresh beautiful produce, etc. This is why our region is special: the people who live here and the gift of love and passion that they give to this community.
Eat Local Restaurant Directory
Presented by Delta Dental
With over 100 independently owned restaurants, Asheville offers truly inventive cuisines and dining experiences, where talented chefs allow seasonal, local ingredients to take center stage.
DOWNTOWN
ASHEVILLE
67 Biltmore
67 Biltmore Ave
Asheville Chocolate 25 Broadway St
Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co
77 Coxe Ave
Asheville Proper
1 Page Ave, Ste 151
The Bier Garden 46 Haywood St
Biscuit Head
417 BIltmore Ave, Ste 4F
The Blackbird 47 Biltmore Ave
Bone and Broth 94 Charlotte Ave
Botanist and Barrel 32 Broadway St
Bouchon 62 N. Lexington Ave
Burgerworx
1 Page Ave, Ste 132
Café Bomba
1 SW North Pack Square
Capella on 9 10 Broadway St
Carmel’s Kitchen and Bar
1 Page Ave, Ste 129
Chai Pani
22 Battery Park Ave
Chestnut 48 Biltmore Ave
The Chocolate Fetish 36 Haywood St
Cúrate 13 Biltmore Ave
Daddy Mac’s 161 Biltmore Ave
Dilbar 5 Biltmore Ave
Early Girl Eatery 8 Wall St
Farm Burger 10 Patton Ave
Farm Dogs
56 Patton Ave
French Broad Chocolate Lounge 10 S. Pack Square
Green Sage Cafe 5 Broadway St
Hemingway’s Cuba 15 Page Ave, 4th Floor
High Five Coffee 190 Broadway St 13 Rankin Ave
Huli Sue’s 1 Page Ave, Ste 150
Isa’s French Bistro 1 Battery Park Ave
Jack of the Wood Pub 95 Patton Ave
La Bodega 32 S. Lexington Ave
Laila 77 Biltmore Ave
The Laughing Seed 40 Wall St
Limones 13 Eagle St
The Lobster Trap 35 Patton Ave
Mamacita’s Taqueria 77 Biltmore Ave
The MarketPlace 20 Wall St
Mëhfil 5 Biltmore Ave, Ste B
Mission Pizza
101 S Lexington Ave
Modesto Trattoria
1 Page Ave, Ste 138
Montford Rooftop Bar 199 Haywood St
Mother 244 Short Coxe Ave
Mountain Madre 13 Walnut St
Old Europe Bistro 18 Broadway St
Pack’s Tavern 20 S. Spruce St
Pie.Zaa 46 Millard Ave
Plant 165 Merrimon Ave
Posana Cafe 1 Biltmore Ave
Red Ginger 62 Patton Ave
The Rhu 10 S. Lexington Ave
Rhubarb 7 SW Pack Square
Roman’s Deli 75 Haywood St
Salsa’s 6 Patton Ave
The Social Lounge 29 Broadway St
Sovereign Remedies 29 North Market St, #105
Strada Italiano 27 Broadway St
Table 18 N. Lexington Ave
Thirsty Monk 92 Patton Ave
Tupelo Honey Cafe 12 College St
Twisted Laurel 130 College St
Well Played 162 Coxe Ave Ste 101
White Labs Kitchen & Brewery 172 S Charlotte St
Wicked Weed Brew Pub 91 Biltmore Ave
Zambra 85 W. Walnut St
EAST ASHEVILLE | SWANNANOA
Black Bear BBQ 800 Fairview Rd
Copper Crown 1011 Tunnel Rd
Creekside Taphouse 8 Beverly Rd
Okie Dokies Smokehouse 2375 US Hwy 70
RendezVous 184 New Haw Creek Rd
WoodFire Bar & Grille 1450 Tunnel Rd
Yum Poke Spot 45 Asheland Ave
Zella’s Deli* 2372 US-70, Swannanoa
MONTFORD | NORTH ASHEVILLE
828 Family Pizzeria 946 Merrimon Ave
All Day Darling 102 Montford Ave
Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co 675 Merrimon Ave
Blue Ridge Dining Room at The Omni Grove Park Inn 290 Macon Ave
Cecilia’s 870 Merrimon Ave
City Bakery 88 Charlotte St
Del Vecchios 333 Merrimon Ave
Edison Craft Ales & Kitchen at
The Omni Grove Park Inn
290 Macon Ave
Green Sage Cafe
633 Merrimon Ave, Ste A
The Hop 640 Merrimon Ave, Ste 103
Jettie Rae’s Oyster House 143 Charlotte St
Little D’s 952 Merrimon Ave
Luella’s Bar-B-Que 501 Merrimon Ave
The Madness 1020 Merrimon Ave
Mother Ocean Seafood 640 Merrimon Ave
Nine Mile
233 Montford Ave
Plant 165 Merrimon Ave
Pulp + Sprout
233 S Liberty St
Root Down Kitchen* 466 Riverside Dr
Rye Knot 868 Merrimon Ave
Sunset Terrace at The Omni Grove Park Inn
290 Macon Ave
Taco Temple
132 Charlotte St
Tall John’s 152 Montford Ave
Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian 641 Merrimon Ave
Vue 1913 at The Omni Grove Park Inn 290 Macon Ave
RIVER ARTS DISTRICT
French Broad Chocolate Factory
821 Riverside Dr
Grey Eagle Taqueria 185 Clingman Ave
12 Bones Smokehouse
Apollo Flame Bistro 1025 Brevard Rd
Baked Pie Co
4 Long Shoals Rd, Ste A, Arden
Biscuit Head 1994 Hendersonville Rd
Bistro at The Biltmore Estate 225 Winery Rd
The Cantina* 10 Biltmore Plaza
Cedric’s Tavern at The Biltmore Estate
1 Lodge St
Corner Kitchen*
3 Boston Way
Deerpark at The Biltmore Estate 65 Deer Park Rd
Del Vecchios
1854 Hendersonville Rd
Dining Room at The Inn on The Biltmore Estate
1 Antler Hill Rd
Farm Burger 1831 Hendersonville Rd, Suite 100
Fig Bistro* 18 Brook St
Fioreously Delicious 3871 Sweeten Creek Rd
Fork Lore 43 Town Square Blvd
Green Sage Cafe 1800 Hendersonville Rd
Hillman Beer 25 Sweeten Creek Rd
Ichiban* 2 Hendersonville Rd
Luella’s Bar-B-Que 33 Town Square Blvd
Red Fiddle Vittles 1800 Hendersonville Rd
Red Stag Grill* 11 Boston Way
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack 3749 Sweeten Creek Rd, Arden
South Paw AVL 1996 Hendersonville Rd
Stable Cafe at The Biltmore 1 Approach Rd
Standard Pizza 755 Biltmore Ave
Thirsty Monk 2 Town Square Blvd
Tupelo Honey Cafe 1829 Hendersonville Rd
Village Pub 100 Fairview Rd
Village Social at The Biltmore Estate 445 Winery Rd
Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian 1981 Hendersonville Rd
WEST ASHEVILLE
Biscuit Head 733 Haywood Rd
Botiwalla 697 Haywood Rd
Gan Shan West 285 Haywood Rd, Ste 20
Gemelli 70 Westgate Parkway
Haywood Common 507 Haywood Rd
Jargon 715 Haywood Rd
Pizza Mind 285 Haywood Rd, Ste 10
Regina’s 1400 Patton Ave
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack
1455 Patton Ave
Sage & Spice Catering 1056 Patton Ave
Sand Hill Kitchen 491 Sardis Rd
Sunny Point Café 626 Haywood Rd
Taco Billy 201 Haywood Rd
Tastee Diner 575 Haywood Rd
WALK
401 Haywood Rd
The West End Bakery 757 Haywood Dr
West Village Market 771 Haywood Rd
Wicked Weed West 145 Jacob Holm Way
OUTSIDE OF ASHEVILLE
Blue Mountain Pizza
55 N. Main St, Weaverville
Glass Onion
18 N Main St, Weaverville
La Guinguette
105 Richardson Blvd, Black Mountain
Louise’s Kitchen
115 Black Mountain Ave, Black Mountain
Salt Face Mule Brewing Co 450 Weaverville Hwy
Twisted Laurel 10A South Main St, Weaverville
Troyer’s Country Amish Blatz
14 Bonn E Ln, Fairview
The Village Porch
26 N Main St, Woodfin
Well Bred Bakery
26 N Main Street
*The list has been compiled with help from the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association and the Asheville Chamber of Commerce.
Please check the websites or social media accounts of individual restaurants, as Hurricane Helene has inevitably disrupted the operating status of some businesses.
THE ULTIMATE SEAFOOD EXPERIENCE
The Black Forest Cake at Old Europe
A storied German dessert offers a symphony of textures and flavor
There are many m ilestones to celebrate throughout the course of a year—from birthdays and anniversaries to holidays and housewarmings— and the Black Forest Cake from Old Europe can take center stage at all of them.
The origins of the cake stretch back centuries to the Black Forest in Germany, a mountainous region near the border with France where cherry trees thrive. Locals there created a dessert of cooked cherries and rich cream, topped with a brandy made from morello cherries, and this delighltful treat has become the cherished Black Forest cake we enjoy today.
The cake is similar to other European desserts in that it tends to be less sweet than its American counterparts. It has a light texture from three layers of a well-crafted chocolate sponge, filled with creamy layers of chocolate ganache and freshly whipped cream, with cherries and a hint of kirsch (a clear spirit made from distilling cherries).
Founded in 1994, Old Europe is one of Asheville’s most cherished dessert shops, with a menu of cakes, pastries and custom sweet treat creations. But the Black Forest Cake—or Black Forest Gateau—is a particularly beloved treat for owner Melinda Vetro, who immigrated to the U.S. from Hungary in the early 1990s.
“The cake has a symphony of textures and flavors,” says Old Europe manager Abby Schrupp, “and always brings people back for more.”
by
Photo
Kristina Valdiviezo
Sugar Hollow Solar
WNC’s largest locally owned solar company offers eco-friendly back-up power
In the days and weeks after Hurricane Helene, when downed power lines knocked out electricity for tens of thousands of homes, many residents sought help from neighbors with backup generators who had working refrigerators and spare outlets.
In the Olivette Riverside Community, just north of Woodfin, one of those homes became a so-called “resilience hub,” with people dropping by to store insulin or charge their phones. But here the power wasn’t provided by a generator burning gas; it came from a row of solar panels on the roof, generating electricity with each day of sunshine and charging a battery for consistent use.
Once life had normalized, the owners of that home asked Sugar Hollow Solar—the Asheville-based solar company that installed their panels—to attend a luncheon at their home and speak to friends and neighbors who had discovered a newfound interest in solar energy.
There has been a surging interest in solar, in part due to Hurricane Helene, which along with winds and rain brought with it a heightened concern about climate change.
Photos courtesy of Sugar Hollow Solar.
The employees of Sugar Hollow Solar agreed to go, expecting a handful of people to be there, but 35 local residents showed up. “A lot of people these days are thinking about alternative ways to create power,” says Sugar Hollow Solar owner Doug Ager.
Solar power is indeed on the rise, and in a very significant way. U.S. solar installations have jumped 400% in the last eight years, going from 1 million installations in 2016 to 5 million in 2024. By 2050, solar power is expected to be the largest source of generating capacity on the U.S. grid, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
In Asheville and surrounding cities of Western North Carolina, there has been a surging interest in solar, in part due to the hurricane, which along with winds and rain brought with it a heightened concern about climate change. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind replace electricity generated by burning coal and natural gas, which emit the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
All of which to say, the phones at Sugar Hollar Solar have been ringing off the hook.
Founded in 2010, Sugar Hollow Solar is the largest locally owned solar company in Western North Carolina. It oversees about 250 residential projects per year, with an additional dozen or so projects at larger commercial facilities, including the popular Oak & Grist Distillery and Dynamite Roasting Co.
Ager’s enthusiasm for solar energy sprouted from a deep appreciation for conservation, specifically for the land of Western North Carolina. His great-grandparents first settled in the area in 1916, building a farming cooperative from their home in Fairview that relied on responsible stewardship.
Doug Ager’s roots in the community contribute to the company’s reputation and its 50-plus local employees, and is one reason homeowners often choose to hire Sugar Hollow Solar. Given that solar panels have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, they represent a major investment of both time and money—ideally with a company that will be around for just as long.
“We’re here for the long haul, and we’re doing a lot to build up the servicing part of our business to be available for future needs,” says Chief Operating Officer Clary Franko. “That’s actually quite unique among solar companies.”
Later generations of Agers, still living on the same plot of land— near a gently winding road known as Sugar Hollow Road—carried the torch for conservation, with his grandfather serving as a U.S. congressman dedicated to sustainability and his father upholding the same ideals as a representative in the North Carolina legislature. His mother, meanwhile, started the first recycling center in Fairview, and his brother Jamie and his wife now operate the family farm, Hickory Nut Gap Farm, with a renewed focus on regenerative agriculture.
“It goes back generations,” Ager says. “Taking care of the land has always been a part of my family’s legacy.”
Interestingly, solar panels can often be good for both the planet and the pocketbook. Homeowners are often surprised to discover they can receive lucrative tax credits and low-interest loans to pay for their panels—which means they often swap out their monthly utility bill for a solar loan payment. And because the loans have fixed rates, those monthly payments will stay the same even as electricity bills increase.
“As utility rates continue to climb—Duke Energy is saying a 15% increase over the next three years—these homeowners will see even more of a savings,” Franko says.
Sugar Hollow Solar is booking projects for 2025 and currently has a three-month waiting period between booking and installation. For a free consultation and price estimate, call them directly.
Layla Neuroth
Owner of Farmesé Cocktail Lounge
With so many amazing restaurants in downtown Asheville, why not create a cocktail lounge that matches the caliber of their food and specializes in a menu of pre- and post-dinner drinks?
That was the thinking behind Farmesé (pronounced pharmacy), a new cocktail lounge on Biltmore Avenue opened by Layla Neuroth and her husband, Justin.
The Neuroths moved to Asheville from California in August, setting down roots in Fairview with their middle-school-aged daughter. They were drawn by what Layla describes as a culture that aligns with their own. “We came to visit Asheville for a year before moving here,” she says. “And every time we came, everyone was so friendly. That had not been our experience in other places.”
In opening Farmesé, the Neuroths bring over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. The couple opened a successful bar called The Whiskey Tip in northern California before selling that business and moving to Idaho to explore other ventures. After returning to California they set their sights on the East Coast, in part to be closer to family in Virginia and New York.
“I started off bartending at the age of 16—back when that was a thing,” Layla says. “And for me, the bar and restaurant industry is just something I always came back to.” In between jobs in the fields of computer science, veterinary medicine and real estate, she always found herself back behind the bar. “At some point, about 15 years ago, I was, like, ‘This kinda feels like my career.’”
Farmesé will offer a curated menu of cocktails, with a list of specials highlighting different techniques—smoky, carbonated or clarified cocktails, for example—as well as classics and an impressive list of non-alcoholic drinks.
The lounge offers a classy vibe, but stays grounded with a relaxed, earthy touch. “It’s not the place for a rowdy crowd looking to do shots,” she says. “It’s sophisticated but comfortable. If you were to come hang out, you’d want to stay for a while.”
Photo by Kristina Valdiviezo
Michaela Kascak Owner of Rose Rooted Elixir Bar
Michaela Kascak was living on an island in Thailand when she saw a friend walk through the jungle, pick a variety of herbs and leaves and then drop them into a jar of alcohol for a healing swig as the night unfolded.
Kascak herself isn’t a big fan of alcohol—“I usually realize I don’t feel very good after drinking, so I’m, like, ‘What’s the point?’” she says—but her experience with this folk elixir marked the unofficial beginning of her business, Rose Rooted Elixir Bar. Sans alcohol, of course.
Rose Rooted is riding the wave of popularity around alcohol-free cocktails, but with a twist. Her seasonal menu of elixirs offers the elevated flavors of mocktails, but without processed sugars or harmful ingredients. Instead, they often use raw local honey as a sweetener, as well as a mix of dried and fresh herbs known for their ability to help support the nervous system, elevate the mood and convey energetic properties of healing and positive vibes.
“I use different ingredients that support the reasons why someone might reach for an alcoholic beverage,” she says. “But I want to make sure I’m enticing all of the senses.”
With a background in culinary nutrition and herbalism, Kascak moved to Asheville from Portland in 2024, leasing a space in Curve Studios in the River Arts District with plans to open her elixir bar in the fall. When flood waters from Hurricane Helene damaged the studio, with the nearby French Broad River swelling to the top of the roof, the trajectory of her plans changed. But they still included Asheville.
Kascak opened a pop-up bar at the Herbiary in downtown Asheville, serving a menu of effervescent elixirs and signature herbal lattes, inviting folks to experiment with the ways herbs can address stress and other modern challenges.
Her elixirs are served in 12-ounce cups and she invites a conversation with all customers to discuss the areas in which they may need support. The popular “Luna” elixir is one she describes as “deeply relaxing, for those who dare to dream,” featuring chamomile, California poppy, mugwort and oat tops, with flavors from almond extract, orange juice and local raw honey. Other drinks often feature lemon balm, lavender, rose and mint, and lesser known herbs like yaupon holly.
While the hurricane threw her a curveball, alongside many other entrepreneurs, Kascak said she still plans to open a brick-and-mortar space in Asheville and set down roots—a plan fueled in part by the recent discovery that her ancestral line includes early European settlers in the Appalachian Mountains.
“As humans,” she says, “we’re drawn to certain places for certain reasons. And why, for me, was it here? Maybe because after this hurricane, people are going to need more support.”
Visit Rose Rooted at the Herbiary through March and then check her website for future details.
As a jeweler who specializes in custom designs, making one-of-a-kind pieces for clients who want fine jewelry as wearable art, Jeffrey Burroughs is uniquely aware of the need to find the right fit.
For Burroughs, personally, that meant leaving a bustling life in New York in 2020—where their pieces were regularly featured in magazines and on fashion runways—for an equally rewarding path in Asheville, where they quickly established roots in the city’s arts community.
Professionally, it has meant finding new sources of inspiration for their collections and, more recently, discovering ways to steer the future of the city’s art scene as president of the River Arts District Artists, a role that is equal parts rewarding and daunting in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
“But to me, success is whether I’m happy with what I’m doing. And right now, it’s about our community.”
—Jeffrey Burroughs
After Helene tore through portions of the River Arts District, leaving hundreds of artists stranded and dealing with a crippling loss of valuable artwork and revenue, Burroughs shifted into overdrive to help prop up their fellow artists. They promoted online sales and an expansion of markets, while leading the charge for a two-day pop-up market in November known as RAD Fest, offering a lifeline to many artists who lost their studios and marking the official reopening of the northern part of the district.
These days, they are investing time in the future of the RAD, envisioning a district that is perhaps bigger and even better—a place that could be used for festivals and gatherings, with green spaces and ample parking and, of course, would serve as the working home to Asheville’s artists.
Meanwhile, at Burroughs’ own eponymous gallery in the RAD and the downtown gallery they co-own, Gallery Mélange, they are looking for ways to scale operations to meet a growing demand for their award-winning rings, necklaces, ear- rings and bracelets while also maintaining creative control of the art.
“For me, it’s easy to make beautiful things. I try to bring functionality and wearability to my work,” Burroughs says. “But to me, success is whether I’m happy with what I’m doing. And right now, it’s about our community.”
Photo by Anastasiia Ostapovich
The Places We Go to Celebrate and Relax
The Barrel House (left) is a popular event venue with capacity for 250 guesets; the Brew Pub at Wicked Weed includes a full-service restaurant, as well as wine, cocktails and, of course, beer. Photos courtesy of Wicked Weed.
We will always have the need to gather together—to swap stories, share a laugh and mark special occasions with family and friends. Wicked Weed offers two locations in Asheville to celebrate and relax.
The Barrel House
147 Coxe Ave, Downtown Asheville
The Barrel House at Wicked Weed Brewing (at left) is one of Asheville’s premier event venues. With space for up to 250 guests, it has become a go-to venue for wedding receptions, corporate gatherings and community events and features a warm and inviting interior.
The Brew Pub
91 Biltmore Ave, Downtown Asheville
The Brew Pub at Wicked Weed, meanwhile, is a bustling spot for families and friends. With great beer and equally good food, it has a taproom with a rotating menu of Wicked Weed’s award-winning brews, a full-service restaurant (with a family night where kids eat free) and two dog-friendly patios.
2025 Live Local Gift Guide
The milestones in life are so much richer when celebrated with family and friends—and gifts, both big and small, are easy ways to mark the occasions.
Fortunately, the Asheville area is home to dozens of beautiful stores and galleries that are locally owned and independently operated. Check out the following locations to find your next treasure, whether for birthdays, anniversaries, housewarming parties or baby showers.
EAST FORK POTTERY
15 W Walnut St, Asheville
East Fork Pottery is a beloved Asheville success story, with the company’s ceramic dinnerware generating a cult following across the U.S., and yet it remains one of the best places for locals to buy gifts throughout the year. Their downtown store is a beautiful light-filled space, welcoming gift givers with seasonal colors and special releases. The East Fork mug is consistently a top seller, with the company’s signature contrast rim and speckled surface (coming from the use of ironrich clay, sourced from the Southeast), while an oval platter makes an ideal buy for housewarming gifts and host/hostess “thank you” treats. East Fork is growing quickly and just opened a new store in Brooklyn, NY, but it remains headquartered in Asheville, with all manufacturing operations happening here, and it routinely supports local organizations.
FLORA
428B Haywood Rd, West Asheville
This delightful plant and flower boutique in West Asheville is a goto favorite among locals, with an inventory of special things that are good for both the planet and the soul. Core offerings include potted plants, custom floral arrangements and dried and fresh flowers by the stem—perfect for just about every occasion in the year, including Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day—but there are also a variety of terrariums (an especially popular gift) and classes on how to maintain them, along with zero-waste home products like plastic-free sponges and brushes and wool dryer balls. Check out local spices from Well Seasoned Table and teas from Asheville Tea Co., along with locally made jewelry, perfumes and candles.
GROVEWOOD GALLERY
111 Grovewood Rd, Suite 2, Asheville
GROVE ARCADE
1 Page Ave, Asheville
With several independent shops and stores in one beautiful location—a historic building that was one of America’s first indoor malls—it’s a breeze to find something for everyone. For those looking for home decor treasures, check out Mountain Made for original artwork and Mission at the Grove for cute seasonal finds. The popular Razberry Threads has a wall of funky socks, as well as wraps and scarves and adorable baby clothes, while Enter the Earth is a trove of stunning gems, minerals and fossils. And don’t forget the Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar, which has thousands of new and used books, as well as a café with wines and champagnes and a menu of local dishes and snacks, where you can end your shopping trip with a relaxing treat.
The Grovewood Gallery offers a stunning collection of hand-crafted dishware, furniture, textiles, jewelry and artwork—representing more than 350 craftspeople from Western North Carolina and the broader U.S. Founded in 1992 and located in a historic building near the Grove Park Inn, the gallery is a go-to favorite for locals who seek out oneof-a-kind gifts for the special people in their lives. It’s ideal for birthdays, anniversaries and the holidays, with two floors of unique finds. Check out the popular “wind sculptures” by Utah artist Lyman Whitaker, which you can find dotted throughout Asheville’s neighborhoods, or the elaborate animal wire sculptures by local artist Josh Coté. And if you have the time, you can “make a day of it” with a trip to the nearby antique car museum and restaurant.
HONEY & THE HIVE
23 Merrimon Ave, Weaverville
This adorable store in Weaverville is one-stop shopping for all gift givers looking to delight the beekeepers in their lives, as well as fans of local honey and regional pollinators. It’s a veritable hive of honey love! If you’re looking for gifts for novice or experienced beekeepers—or even folks who might be interested in building an apiary—you’ll find the lineup of necessary supplies, from frames and smokers to supplements and mite treatments, in addition to educational classes from the region’s best bee experts. Honey & The Hive is also the go-to spot for local honey, carrying products from within 100 miles of its shop, including basswood, wildflower and the regional favorite sourwood. And don’t forget the store’s own hand-poured beeswax candles, as well as syrups, natural remedies and household goods.
HYGGE MARKET
188 Coxe Ave, Ste B, Asheville
New on the scene is Hygge Markets, a specialty food store in downtown Asheville with a bodega vibe. Named for the Danish concept of comfort and coziness, the store is a collection of local and imported goodies. Check out a variety of packaged foods and drinks—all of which can be assembled together for a thoughtful gift basket, including gift cards from Infuso and Yalla—as well as meal kits with ingredients ready for dishes prepared by local chefs. Both the food baskets and meal kits make perfect gifts for new parents, college students studying for final exams, or first-time homeowners. And while you’re there, don’t forget to check out the clothing, jewelry and framed photo prints from local artists displaced by Hurricane Helene.
Fresh From the Farm
WORDS, RECIPES AND STYLING BY TERRI TERRELL AND MICHELE GENTILLE
PHOTOS BY ERIN ADAMS
“A trip to the tailgate market is both heart-swellingly inspiring and a fun way to run into friends and neighbors.”
Here in Western North Carolina, a region lush with agriculture and creative makers, a trip to the tailgate market is both heart-swellingly inspiring and a fun way to run into friends and neighbors.
The name “tailgate market” comes from a feature of the wooden wagons of the 1800s, which were built with a rear gate that opened to the side, causing it to wave back and forth like a tail. Farmers and entrepreneurs sold their goods out of the tailgate, and could also use the wagon as a living-sleeping-dining space. Today, the term still refers to a place where goods are exchanged, or a space to be in community, usually involving food, while on the move.
In the Asheville area, we are fortunate to have wonderful tailgate markets offering farm-fresh foods. They open from April through November, covering the abundant seasons of spring, summer, and autumn. The luxuriant produce and provisions offered are best enjoyed very simply, however, on occasion we do like to gild the lily—so we offer these dishes for each growing season. When shopping, please support our local farmers and makers … supporting our neighbors supports you too!
Spring
Fresh Strawberry Dressing On Salad Greens
Serves 6
Dressing:
8 ounces strawberries, hulled and rinsed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon organic sugar
½ cup olive oil
Salad:
6 handfuls mixed salad greens
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ cup strawberries, quartered
½ cup toasted slivered almonds
Put all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. This should make about 1½ cups. Add about half of the dressing to the greens, onions and strawberries, and gently toss. Garnish with almonds on top. Serve with extra dressing on the side.
Summer
Mexican-Style Corn With Creole Aioli
Serves 6
6 ears of corn, husked
6 tablespoons Creole aioli (recipe below)
½ cup cotija cheese, finely crumbled
2 fresh limes, quartered
4 green onions, chopped finely
Bring a large pot of vegetable stock or salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the ears of corn and cook until tender, about 6–8 minutes.
Coat the corn ears generously with a thin layer of Creole aioli. Place the finely crumbled cotija cheese on a plate and roll each corn cob to coat well.
Serve garnished with green onions and lime wedges.
CREOLE AIOLI
1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
1 teaspoon roasted garlic paste (available at specialty markets or home-made)
2 teaspoons harissa paste (available at specialty markets)
1½ teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1½ tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
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Autumn
Hot Cauliflower Dip
1 medium head cauliflower cut into
½-inch clusters, approximately 4 cups
2 tablespoons good olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Baguette for dipping
Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cauliflower clusters with the oil, salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast for about 25 minutes, until they start to brown a little. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Coat the inside of a 1-quart ovenproof dish or cast-iron pan with 1 tablespoon softened butter. In a bowl, combine the cooled roasted cauliflower, mascarpone, shredded Gruyere, garlic, lemon, nutmeg, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Place mixture in the prepared ovenproof dish and sprinkle the parmesan on top. Dot with bits of the remaining butter.
Bake until bubbly and brown on top, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately with a crusty baguette.
Familiar Faces & Favorite Places
Enduring relationships are the foundation of Asheville’s favorite local restaurants
WRITTEN BY KAY WEST
Diners raise a toast at Tall John’s in Montford; a table of food at Tall John’s (opposite page).
Photos courtesy of Tall John’s.
When chef Trevor Payne opened the popular bistro Tall John’s in 2022, he made clear he did not want to take reservations. Service was first come, first served—and the reason was simple: Reservations in a town like Asheville, which attracts millions of tourists each year, could be filled by visitors who plan their trips weeks in advance, making it difficult to build a connection with local customers.
“It will be the traveling community who snags the reservations and locals will be locked out,” Payne says now. “We stuck with no reservations for 14 months and it really built and encouraged our incredible repeat business.”
That repeat business has created a strong base of regulars for Tall John’s—the folks who show up, come hell or high water—an increasingly important segment of business for restaurants in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Among the customers delivering repeat business is a local resident, Chris, who has eaten at Tall John’s hundreds of times and prefers a favorite seat at the bar. “We documented him coming in 204 times as of September, but we believe it’s at least 300,” Payne says. “The staff notices right away if his seat is taken when he arrives and do what they can to get him there.”
There’s also a local couple, Judy and Aaron, who almost always
stick with their favorite order—mussels with dry toast—while Marie and Roy always sit at the kitchen bar, drink Old Fashioneds, order the Parker House rolls and roast chicken. “Lately they’ve been venturing into the pork chop, which has stunned the staff,” Payne says with a laugh. Shawnie and Willie Gruber, meanwhile, owners of the nearby 1900 Inn on Montford, are what Payne calls “bullhorn supporters” of Tall John’s and are big fans of the Steak Diane.
Then there’s Laurie Crosswell, co-owner of Hole Doughnuts in West Asheville. “Almost since day one, as soon as the door opened on Tuesday afternoons, she was there with friends, every Tuesday. She almost always gets a Martini, steak tartare and mussels. She has probably brought more people into Tall John’s than anyone.”
Judy and Aaron, Marie and Roy, Laurie, Chris, Shawnie and Willie—these are the coveted regulars who are devoted to places “where everyone knows their name.” Many eateries in Asheville and Western North Carolina try desperately to cultivate these relationships. But the regulars have become a lifeline for restaurants in the weeks and months after the storm forced tourists to cancel their trips—and their dinner reservations.
“We reopened [after the storm] on November 1, and less than 10 minutes later we were completely full,” Payne says. “There were 20 people waiting to get in, primarily regulars. The energy was incredible. And Chris has been there nearly every day.”
A PLACE YOU ARE KNOWN
The French restaurant RendezVous, located in Asheville’s Haw Creek neighborhood, reopened its doors on October 19, similarly counting on regulars to show up despite a lack of potable water in the taps.
“I knew everyone in the dining room the night we opened,” says owner and long-time Asheville restaurateur Michel Baudouin. “People wanted a place to be social with people they knew and tell their stories. We have all been through so much, it helps to be in a place that is comfortable, and you are known.”
Located in a residential neighborhood, far from the cluster of hotels, RendezVous is Baudouin’s second restaurant in Asheville. The first one, Bouchon, is located on the bustling Lexington Avenue in Asheville’s downtown district and was one of the city’s first dining hotspots. But when Bouchon first opened in 2005, Asheville did not yet have the swells of tourists it does today, and Baudouin found himself wooing locals with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Clockwise from left: the dining room at Tall John’s (photo courtesy of Tall John’s); a popular dish at The Admiral in West Asheville (photo courtesy of The Admiral); the mussels at RendezVous in Haw Creek (photo courtesy of Haw Creek).
“It was like ‘Cheers’ some nights,” he remembers fondly.
Shortly after he opened Bouchon a big snowstorm moved through Asheville, quickly blanketing the street with layers of white powder. “We ended up having a snowball fight between staff and customers right out on the street,” Baudouin says. “I knew we would make it then.”
But as the downtown area transformed and tourism exploded, something was missing: Baudouin began to see less of his people. “We started to be on a wait at 5pm, which was great for business but I wasn’t seeing my regulars, and I didn’t like that,” he says. “I was losing them because of the wait; they didn’t want to deal with downtown and the lack of parking.”
One night after cheffing a private dinner in the Haw Creek neighborhood, he spotted a For Sale sign in front of a former church; the expansive parking lot got his attention. When he saw the interior, he immediately envisioned where every part of his future new restaurant would be. He bought and renovated the property, installed a pétanque court and opened RendezVous in 2019.
While training a new staff and counting on the former Bouchon regulars to find their way there, he warned his employees that the customers might know the menu better than the servers. “A few days later a waiter came to me and said he had never seen anything like it,” Baudouin says. “A few weeks later he asked me if there was anyone I didn’t know.”
Establishing a relationship with regular customers is key, Baudouin says. When the owner greets you by name and the staff remembers the wine you prefer and brings it to your table without asking, it builds loyalty. “Everyone wants to be recognized and feel special.”
REGULARS FROM THE START
Shortly after Drew Wallace and his partner Jonathan Robinson opened The Admiral in West Asheville, they discovered an easy way to remember the names of a growing list of regulars. Using a Sharpie, they’d write down the names on the inside of a cabinet behind a bar. “Those little things mean so much,” Wallace says. “That we knew them, even as we were getting busier and busier.”
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Wallace and Robinson opened The Admiral in 2007, transforming an old cinder block building on Haywood Road formerly known as the B&D Bar. “The B&D was a video poker, slot machine, thirdshift bar when we got it,” Wallace remembers. Even after scraping multiple layers of linoleum off the floor and painting the nicotine-stained ceiling tiles, there was still the perception the place was a dive bar.
“The bar drew people in at first, and we had regulars right from the start,” Wallace says. There was no call or need for reservations then. But soon, they talked chef Elliott Moss—who they had worked with at Robinson’s bar, The Whig, in Columbia, South Carolina—into taking over the food side.
“Elliott was obsessed with the food and word started to get out around Asheville,” says Wallace. “We began to see nicer cars parking outside, people coming from other areas of town. Hospitality people downtown were sending people here, like, ‘You have to go, it looks like a gas station and eats like fine dining.’”
Subsequent glowing reviews and national media attention brought calls for reservations from distant area codes. “We were over the moon, like we had really made it,” Wallace says. “But some of that I regret, because it changed things. I live in West Asheville and ran into people we used to see all the time who said they stopped trying to get in. When we added reservations, we thought it would help locals, but it turned out to be the opposite.”
About 10 years in, they turned what was a roofed outdoor waiting area into full-service enclosed dining, complete with a fireplace. During the early days of Covid, Wallace flipped the small parking lot into al fresco dining, adding six tables with umbrellas, and welcomed people with dogs.”That’s where a lot of our regulars with kids and dogs prefer to sit.”
The patio is always walk-in, as is half
In a rapidly changing and growing city—one struck by an unimaginable disaster that stopped everything in its tracks—the ties that bind are familiarity and comfort: at the door, working the floor, in the kitchen and on the menu.
the bar and a couple of tables in both dining rooms. “We don’t ever want to lose the people who have been with us from the start,” Wallace says. “There is great satisfaction in seeing familiar faces.”
THE UNTOUCHABLE DISHES
In a city like Asheville, where there are dozens of amazing dining options, restaurant owners and chefs are constantly asking themselves what keeps customers coming back for more. What’s the secret to repeat business when diners are often drawn to “the new” and “the now”?
Relationships are no doubt important, and regulars like to feel valued, but the food is an equally powerful magnet. For this reason, many local restaurants feature signature dishes that can’t and won’t be touched, in part because they risk mutiny from their regulars if they do.
At Tall John’s, it’s the glazed beets and goat cheese, roast chicken, steak tartare, and Parker House rolls (created for Payne by Heidi Bass of the local bakery Mother’s).
At RendezVous and Bouchon, it’s the restaurants’ famous frites, the deep bowls of mussels Parisienne, steak au poivre and roasted half duck.
The Admiral recently brought in a new partner and executive chef, Austin Inselman, who spent four years as executive chef at Wallace’s other West Asheville restaurant, Leo’s House of Thirst.
Inselman will introduce new dishes, but for now he will fine tune and put his spin on the signatures, which include arugula salad, beef tartare, mussels and a big burger.
In a rapidly changing and growing city—one struck by an unimaginable disaster that stopped everything in its tracks—the ties that bind are familiarity and comfort, at the door, working the floor, in the kitchen and on the menu.
“I love to take chances and let chefs run with things,” Wallace says. “But I also know what works here and why: classic, craveable and comfortable.”
A popular roast chicken dish at Tall John’s (photo courtesy of Tall John’s).
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Shopping Our Way Back
What a Scoop of Ice Cream Tells Us About the Power of Buying Local
WRITTEN BY MORIAH HOUSE
The Hop is a thriving ice cream business with four locations in Asheville and Black Mountain. Founded in 1978, it has been run by current owners Greg and Ashley Garrison for the past 16 years, earning a reputation for high-quality treats with unique flavors that are often created with ingredients from other local businesses.
Just a few weeks ago, The Hop released a new persimmon ice cream flavor, featuring ingredients from two other local businesses: a jam made with Japanese Fuyu persimmons from Lee’s One Fortune Farm—a family-owned farm in Marion, about 30 minutes east of Asheville—along with a warm blend of cinnamon and Appalachian spicebush berry from Candler-based Well Seasoned Table.
If you happened to purchase a scoop of the persimmon ice cream, you’ll be happy to know that your dollar traveled a long journey through the community, weaving in and out of the pockets of several local residents.
Some of your money, obviously, went to Greg and Ashley, who started off as employees at The Hop while attending school at UNC Asheville and now live in the area with their family; some of it also went to their employees, who number in the dozens and are often local college students themselves. Still more of your money went to the Lee family of Lee’s One Fortune Farm, a beloved operation
A special ice cream flavor from The Hop featuring ingredients from Lee’s One Fortune Farm in Marion (photo courtesy of The Hop).
“Right now, the impact of supporting local businesses is going to be far greater than it normally is.”
—Greg Garrison, co-owner of The Hop Ice Creamery
whose produce is found in several award-winning restaurants in the area, as well as to the owner of Well Seasoned Table, Sarah Wickers, whose family has owned the land on which she grows herbs and spices for well over a century, and also to her employees.
Then, for their part, all of these people turned around and used that money to pay other local residents. Perhaps they paid rent to a local landlord or hired a local painter to pretty up a house. Maybe they left a generous tip to a local restaurant server or bought a bracelet from a local jewelry designer. And so on and so forth.
This is what economists call the “local multiplier effect.” That’s a fancy way of saying that every time you buy something from a local business, you create a little micro-explosion of economic activity. “It just increases the impact of every cent per dollar that stays within the local economy,” says The Hop co-owner Greg Garrison.
Individual acts of buying and spending locally, repeated over and over again, create a beautiful beehive of financial health, especially for relatively small towns like Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard and Black Mountain. And this financial health is what keeps us all
afloat, attracting more talented people to the area—from chefs to doctors—and helps to maintain the value of homes. It also builds a strong tax base for things like parks and schools, firefighters and librarians.
THE DOLLARS AND SENSE OF LOCAL
Research from the American Independent Business Alliance shows that about 50 cents of every dollar spent at a local business is plunged right back into the local economy, circulating through wages, suppliers and other small businesses, and ultimately generating several more dollars in economic activity for the community. That’s compared to just 14 cents invested back into the local economy for brickand-mortar chains and far less for online markets such as Amazon.
“Those dollars are a direct infusion into the local economy, supporting the business, its workers and all the different vendors of that business,” says Kit Cramer, president of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s an economic ecosystem that is improved when people buy local.”
Even before Hurricane Helene, there was a steady drumbeat of “buy local” support in Asheville and other cities in Western North Carolina. But following the devastation of the storm, the request took on a more serious tone as businesses scrambled to make up for lost revenue and a dramatic decline in tourism. It became less of a bumper sticker slogan and more of a rally cry for help and survival.
“These aren’t just businesses you’re supporting; they’re friends,” Garrison says. “It feels good to support your friends, to stand by them and help them out. I definitely feel that sense of loyalty to my friends who are business owners and will make that extra effort to support their businesses because it’s such a tight community.”
The Buncombe County Tourism Development Agency said in November that the so-called visitor economy will have suffered a 70% drop in the fourth quarter of 2024, translating to more than $584 million in lost revenue for restaurants and breweries, hotels, stores, art galleries and music venues.
Looking ahead to 2025, the agency is also forecasting a multimillion-dollar decline in tax revenue coming from hotel bookings, which forces it to cut back on some of its own local investments.
In order to bolster the local businesses while the city gets back on its feet, residents are being asked to support their community in a renewed way and double-down on their commitments to buying local. And the business owners, for their part, are thinking up creative new ways to encourage that, with local trade organizations—from the
Asheville Downtown Association to the River Arts District Artists— hosting events to attract local buyers.
“When residents make purchases locally, especially at one of Asheville’s unique small businesses, they’re investing in the shortterm and long-term success of that business,” Cramer says.
EXPLAINING THE HIGHER PRICE POINT
When consumers are asked why they don’t shop at small local businesses—even though they appreciate the neighborhoods and communities that have them—they often cite the higher price of goods or services as a primary reason. And it’s true, small businesses often have to charge more than large national and international chains.
At the time of this writing, for example, a popular ceramic mug being sold on Amazon had a price tag of $9.99. It comes in five solid colors and can be delivered to your doorstep in three days. It’s made in China and appears to have a fairly delicate construction, with the website advising buyers to wash the mug by hand and use it for cold beverages only. But again—$9.99, three days.
A similar-sized mug, offered at the popular Grovewood Gallery in Asheville, costs $40. It’s handcrafted by Weaverville-based artist Julie Covington and looks delightfully perfect for a cup of tea or a glass of red wine. Because of the quality of its construction, it can be put in the dishwasher and used for whatever beverage you’d like— probably for several years—and the design is unique with several stacked layers of brown and teal stripes. It tells a story.
Going back to the fancy words used by economists, there are lots of reasons for this price discrepancy but it often boils down to COGS, or “cost of goods sold,” and the fact that small businesses often have to pay more for just about everything they use. For a mug, this includes the price of materials like clay and paint and equipment like kilns. Other expenses include building leases and worker salaries.
To be sure, online retail giants like Amazon can and do outprice small businesses, which is why “buy local” advocates urge consumers to act more with intention and purpose when making purchases—to view their buys as investments, and not just an acquisition of goods at the cheapest price.
“Next time you’re about to click ‘buy now’ on Amazon, consider whether there’s a local store that offers the same product,” wrote Kate Assaraf, CEO of a small New York–based beauty company, Dip, in a September article in Forbes
“Supporting local businesses,” she summarized succinctly, “becomes an investment in the place we call home.”
As for the hand-crafted mug at Grovewood Gallery, we’re delighted to say it’s currently sold out. But other versions are available.
Adding additional pressure on small-business owners are rising wages. According to Just Economics of WNC, the living wage rate in Buncombe County has nearly doubled in the last decade, going from $11.85 in 2013 to $22.10 in 2024—more than $5 higher than the North Carolina average and exponentially higher than wages in manufacturing hubs like China and Vietnam—which is a cost that is inevitably passed to consumers in the form of higher prices.
While living wages have popped higher in Buncombe County than other
places, it’s a common problem around the country. In fact, more than 80% of small businesses responding to a survey by Fed Small Business, an organization that features the research of Federal Reserve banks, said that the rising cost of goods, services and wages was their top challenge of 2024.
“Because the living wage is so high in Asheville, we have to pay our staff much higher, which means we have to have prices that can sustain that,” Garrison explains. “We are not trying to shortchange the people that are working. We’re trying to make sure that this can be a sustainable scenario for them.”
Looking ahead, as the region continues to gird itself for a temporary loss of tourism dollars, Garrison says he believes the local community is capable of rallying around small businesses in a more significant way and propping them up.
“With the lack of tourism, we really are depending more on the local population to keep businesses afloat,” he says. “Right now, the impact of supporting local businesses is going to be far greater than it normally is.”
For special occasions and every day!
A popular mug by artist Julie Covington, sold at Grovewood Gallery in Asheville.
Our founder, Robert Ingle, saw a need to invest in smaller towns and rural communities throughout the Carolinas that were being unsupported by large grocery chains. So, he opened the first Ingles supermarket in Asheville, North Carolina in 1963 working primarily with local farmers to get their product into the hands of consumers.
Today, we continue building on our founder’s ambitious dreams of supporting underserved and local communities, farmers, and producers. Together with our customers we proudly provide assistance to more local children and families, schools and universities, athletic and arts programs, and those hungry and in-need than any other grocery store in the southeast.
