Hello Buncombe County!
Most shops make you choose between browsing and lingering. Downtown on Page Avenue, across from the Grove Arcade, Wylie & Co. hands you a drink first. It is a menswear store with a beer and wine bar, a green velvet lounge and a lot of local art, run by Jeff and Kelly, who moved to Asheville in 2017 and now live in Weaverville. The name belongs to a black cat who lived 18 years and moved with them through six states. We asked them how it came together.
Tell us the story behind your business. What inspired you to start it, and how did it all begin?
A highly curated menswear store was a wild dream of ours for years, inspired by the men's boutiques we loved in Europe. When we moved to Asheville almost ten years ago, we thought the concept would work well here.
We envisioned a whiskey lounge connected to the shop, along with gifts and art, so people can sip a beverage, shop and relax. Jeff was also looking for a change after several years running a cabinet business.
We wanted a space that is masculine but inclusive, committed to sustainability, and full of local art and products. Luxurious and comfortable, both at once.
Why Buncombe County? What made you choose this area to plant roots?
We moved to Asheville in 2017 when Kelly took a job teaching at UNCA. We had lived all over, mostly in the Midwest, and had never even heard of Asheville. Then we fell for the mountains, the food and the arts scene.
We live in Weaverville now, and through the pandemic and Helene we have felt a close bond with our neighbors.
What's something about your business that most people don't know?
The shop is named after our late black cat, Wylie. He lived 18 years and traveled with us to Minnesota, South Dakota, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and finally North Carolina.
Jeff made every display table and the cabinets himself, and Kelly makes the candles, soaps and beard balm we sell in the shop.
What's been your biggest challenge as a small business owner here?
Opening logistics. Permitting delays pushed our timeline back more than once.
We had a lot of help from friends and from the team at Intrinsic Construction, our contractor, and we are grateful to all of them.
What's been your most rewarding moment so far?
The love and support from locals and visitors alike.
It is a joy to watch people fall for the space, the products, the curation or the colors.
What's next for you? Anything exciting coming up that readers should know about?
Events, special experiences and package deals, including wine tastings, styling sessions, trunk shows and bar takeovers. If you are planning a private event, email us at [email protected].
When you go What: Wylie & Co., menswear, bar and lounge Where: 29 Page Ave., Asheville, across from the Grove Arcade Also: Wine tastings, styling sessions, trunk shows and private events Private event inquiries: [email protected]
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Downtown has plenty of places to buy a shirt and plenty of places to have a drink. Wylie & Co. is one of the few where you can do both in the same chair, surrounded by things made by people down the road. Stop in for one or the other and see which one wins.
Find them at wylieandcoavl.com | @wylieandcoavl
Three ways to support them:
Stop in for a drink and browse the local art and makers on the shelves.
Follow @wylieandcoavl for tastings, trunk shows and other events.
Email [email protected] if you are planning a private event.
See you Thursday for events around the county, plus another One to Know.
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Have an event you want to feature or want to advertise your business to our readers in Buncombe County? Drop us a line here → [email protected]
