🌱 Two years after Helene: who's back

Happy Tuesday, Buncombe County!

Two years ago this week, Helene sent the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers through some of the places we love most. A reader wrote in asking for an up-to-date list of the businesses that have come back since, and the ones that closed and aren’t coming back. So we built one.

It covers the three areas the water hit hardest: the River Arts District and Woodfin’s riverfront, Biltmore Village, and Swannanoa and Black Mountain. Every business below comes from a dated news report or the business’s own site, and we only list a place as closed for good when the owner has said so publicly. It isn’t every business, and some of this will change, so if you know one we missed, hit reply and we’ll update the web version.

The best thing you can do with this list is use it. Pick one you haven’t been back to since the storm and go this week.

— Sean Kolina

The district is coming back one building at a time. The River Arts District Artists keep a directory of which studio buildings are open, worth a look before you go.

REOPENED

Ginger’s Revenge
Hard ginger beer · 829 Riverside Dr. · Tasting room back November 2024

NC Glass Center
Glass studio and gallery · 140 Roberts St. · Listed as open

Hi-Wire Brewing RAD Beer Garden
Brewery · Lyman St. · May 2025

Foundation Woodworks
Woodworking co-op and gallery · 17 Foundy St. · Worked out of a tent in 2025, now listed as open at its Foundy St. address

High Five Coffee
Coffee · Riverside Dr., Woodfin · Reopened July 2025, lost the building to a fire in May 2026, back in a trailer on site since September

Local Cloth
Fiber arts studio and shop · River Arts District · August 2025

Zillicoah Beer Co.
Brewery · 870 Riverside Dr., Woodfin · August 2025

The Bull & Beggar
Restaurant · 37 Paynes Way · Rebuilt and back by the one-year mark

Marquee
Art, antiques and vintage market · Just off Lyman St. · September 2025

Wedge at Foundation
Brewery taproom · Foundy St. · October 2025

Summit Coffee
Coffee · New spot at 37 Paynes Way · April 2026

MOVED TO A NEW HOME

Village Potters Clay Center
Ceramics center · Now at Westgate shopping center · April 2026

Silver River Center for Chair Caning
Chair caning studio · Now at 32 N. Main St., Weaverville · Soft opening February 2025

NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Cultivate Climbing
Bouldering gym · Foundy St. · Opened November 2025, after the flood hit it before its first day

Joyful Noise
Listening lounge and kitchen from the Hi-Wire owners · 37 Paynes Way · May 2026

STILL REBUILDING

Salvage Station
Music venue · Rebuilding on Lyman St. after a fire in April 2026 · No date yet

Riverview Station
Studio building · Bought by new owners in 2026, who say they would support tenants who want to return · No date yet

CLOSED FOR GOOD

Vivian
Restaurant · Owners decided to close, citing financial damage from the storm

Bottle Riot
Wine bar · Last night was November 2024

12 Bones Smokehouse (River Arts District location)
Not rebuilding on Foundy St. · Still open in Arden

Last summer the Historic Biltmore Village Association said nearly 70% of pre-storm shops would return. This month its team says the village is “not quite yet back to pre-Helene numbers,” with three new businesses opening within six weeks.

REOPENED

J.W. Bell
Menswear · 1 All Souls Crescent · April 2025

New Morning Gallery
Craft gallery · 7 Boston Way · May 2025

Monkee’s of Biltmore
Women’s boutique · 2 Swan St. · June 2025

Antique Tobacco Barn
Antique mall · 75 Swannanoa River Rd. · June 2025

Zen Skincare & Waxing Studio
Spa · 25 Reed St. · Back by July 2025

Corner Kitchen
Restaurant · 3 Boston Way · August 2025, and a 2026 SBA Phoenix Award for the comeback

Gardener’s Cottage
Home and garden store · 34 All Souls Crescent · September 2025

Finch Grocery
Groceries, beverages and gifts · 10 All Souls Crescent, in the cottage on the same property · October 2025

White Lotus Boutique
Women’s fashion · 10 Brook St. · November 2025

Village Antiques
Antiques · 755 Biltmore Ave. · Fully restored by March 2026

MOVED TO A NEW HOME

Andaaz
Indian restaurant · Now at 15 Page Ave., downtown · July 2026

COMING BACK SOON

Wink Salon
Hair salon · Same spot in the village · Reopens October 6

NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Village Artist Market
Gallery for artists who lost studios to Helene · 32 All Souls Crescent · Opened July 2025

Gemelli + Affogato
Italian restaurant and gelato · 28 Hendersonville Rd. · April 2026

Chemist of Biltmore Village
Distillery · Historic Biltmore Village post office building · Opening within the next six weeks

STILL REBUILDING

Ichiban
Japanese steakhouse · Moving to 34 Tunnel Rd. · Earlier target was 2026, no confirmed date

Village Wayside Bar & Grille
Restaurant · Moving to Grovewood Village · No confirmed date

Casablanca Cigar Bar
Rebuilding its Biltmore Village location · Selling from Wall Street Market downtown in the meantime

Ole’s Guacamoles (Asheville)
Moving to 4 Sweeten Creek Rd. · No confirmed date

CLOSED FOR GOOD

The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village
Restaurant · Reported in January 2025 that it will not return

Well-Bred Bakery & Cafe
Bakery and cafe · Owner said in January 2025 it is permanently closed

Along US 70, the rebuild looks like new neighbors alongside returning ones, especially around Beacon Village.

REOPENED

Alpha Stone
Stone fabricator · Swannanoa · Reopened about a month after the storm

Good Company Pizza
Pizza · 2334 US 70, Swannanoa · About two and a half months after the storm

Swannanoa Flower Shop
Florist · Swannanoa · Back by March 2025

Athens Grille
Formerly Athens Pizza · 2345 US 70, Swannanoa · 2025

Asheville East KOA Holiday
Campground · 2708 US 70, Swannanoa · Grand reopening October 2025

Okie Dokies Smokehouse
BBQ · 2375 US 70, Swannanoa · December 2025

Ole’s Guacamoles (Black Mountain)
Mexican · On Flat Creek, Black Mountain · December 2025

MOVED TO A NEW HOME

BoxDrop Mattress
Mattress store · Now at 104 Eastside Dr., Black Mountain · February 2025

Zella’s Deli
Deli · Now at 611 Tunnel Rd., East Asheville · September 2025

Beacon Veterinary Hospital
Vet clinic · Now in Black Mountain · April 2026

NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Short Sleeves Coffee
Coffee · 222 Whitson Ave., Beacon Village · May 2025

The Rite Buy Grocery
Grocery · 106 Alexander Place, Beacon Village · December 2025

Town Hardware & General Store
Hardware · 119 Alexander Place, Beacon Village · Spring 2026

Papaw’s Place
Seed, feed, produce and more · 2632 US 70, Swannanoa · March 2026

STILL REBUILDING

Ingles, Swannanoa
Grocery · A larger store is planned for the US 70 site, with demolition under way in January · No date yet

CLOSED FOR GOOD

Eye for Detail
Car detailing · Swannanoa · Reopened late 2024, owners announced the closing September 15 after 16 years

Ledford’s Produce
Produce and feed stand · US 70, Swannanoa · Owner David Ledford is retiring

📣 Know one we missed, or something that’s changed? Hit reply. We’ll keep this list updated on the web as businesses come back.

As always, we read every reply and truly appreciate hearing from you. If there’s something you’d like to see more of locally, let us know. Thanks for being part of the Buncombe County Digest community.

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