Western North Carolina shops and restaurants could use our help from afar — here’s how
When it comes to birthday, holiday or “just because” gifts (one of my best friends calls them “happy presents”), we often want to support local shops, restaurants and other businesses.
And after Hurricane Helene hit and devastated so many of our mountain towns who rely on tourism, especially right near the peak of leaf-changing season, supporting these businesses feels more critical than ever.
Officials have asked us not to travel to Western North Carolina for fun right now, and many of these shops were absolutely devastated, so there would be no place for us to visit even if we could get there.
So, how can we help support from afar?
Local shops and restaurants that were affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and are beginning to offer ways to support them online, including making purchases and supporting fundraising efforts. One business suggested including a note stating “Ship when the time is right” with your purchases, and that’s probably a great idea for all of these places.
In addition to ordering material items from retailers, another idea is to book a rental or a session with a place that you don’t plan on using, so the business is able to pocket the money. This may help hospitality folks who can’t work during this time.
If your favorite mountain spot isn’t on this list and you think our readers would like to know about it, please send us an email to charlottefive@charlottefive.com and we’ll get it added. And keep checking in with your favorite spots — many of them are still trying to get their bearings after so much devastation. And so many of them need our help.
Here are a few to get you started — and if this isn’t enough, refer to this list of Western North Carolina businesses started by an Asheville local and added to by the businesses themselves:
Ashe County Cheese
Location: 106 E Main St, West Jefferson, NC 28694
Ashe County Cheese is back open after Hurricane Helene: “We are okay, but our community has been devastated,” the West Jefferson cheese shop posted on Facebook. Ashe County was hit especially hard by Helene and needs all the support it can get. “Please let people know about the Ashe County Cheese factory as an alternative,” a reader emailed me on Tuesday, “when it comes to shipping cheese, wine and other regional treats such as jams, jellys, apple butter and more.” I think that is a wonderful idea: With the holidays coming up, cheese is always a great gift.
Black Mountain Cider & Mead
Location: 104 Eastside Dr #307, Black Mountain, NC 28711
Black Mountain Cider & Mead’s building was flooded and damaged, and the cidery lost equipment, supplies and product. “The timing couldn’t be worse. October is usually our busiest month, when tourists flock to the area for leaf-peeping season,” the meadery posted on Instagram. Additionally, local apple and bee suppliers were also damaged. As it tries to figure out how to stay afloat, you can donate to this business via Venmo or its Go Fund Me. “Without running water anywhere in Black Mountain/Asheville, our hands are tied,” Black Mountain Cider stated. “Running a fermentation business depends on clean, reliable water, and we’ve been told it could be months before it’s restored.”
Burnsville Candle Company
Location: 132 W Main St, Burnsville, NC 28714
Burnsville was devastated by Hurricane Helene, with many roads and businesses completely gone. Burnsville Candle Company’s physical location is closed, but you can still order candles online. “In a time when, at least for those of us in WNC, things have gotten pretty dark, we all need a little love and light in our lives,” wrote owner Kem Muller on Facebook.
Cedar Mountain small businesses
Location: Greenville Hwy, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
Cedar Mountain is personal to me (family has a house near Caesar’s Head State Park), so to see the businesses suffering that I’ve visited over the past couple of decades has been difficult. Many of the businesses here along Little River were flooded, some with up to four feet of water. In the meantime, residents were trapped for days on the mountain, as the roads were damaged leading into both Brevard and Greenville, S.C. The restaurants and stores pulled together resources and have been feeding hundreds of people a day, even with all the damage. A Go Fund Me has been set up to help these businesses recover and the funds will be split among all of Cedar Mountain’s businesses.
Chimney Rock Brewing Company
Location: 461 Main St, Chimney Rock, NC 28720
Mars Hill-based Mars Theatre Brew Co.’s sister brewery, Chimney Rock Brewing Company, is gone after Hurricane Helene. There is nothing left where the brewery once stood. Owner Scott Spruill has posted a Go Fund Me, with hopes of setting up a new model that could help save the company. Mars Theatre has reopened, but “without them (Chimney Rock Brewing) it will be difficult to continue without your help,” he wrote.
DT’s Blue Ridge Java
Location: 169 Locust St, Spruce Pine, NC 28777
DT’s Blue Ridge Java was completely ruined when Hurricane Helene made its way to Spruce Pine. The coffee shop was faced with 10 feet of rushing water, and the space for community gathering was destroyed in an instant. The coffee shop owner’s daughter has launched a Go Fund Me to help rebuild the space. Any additional funds will be given to the local community, others on Lower Street and in downtown Spruce Pine.
Euda Wine
Location: 164 Commerce St Suite 10, Old Fort, NC 28762
Euda Wine’s winery and inventory suffered major damage when the hurricane came through Old Fort. A home washed up to the winery from across the street. Euda asks that your donations first go to help the town, region or wider area. “And after that if you still want to support Euda then you can buy wine online or join our wine club,” the winery posted on Instagram. “We have been able to salvage some bottles and are continuing to examine the rest of our inventory. We don’t know exactly when it will be shipped, but if you buy it, we will ship it to you once we are able.” You can also purchase a gift card.
French Broad Chocolate Factory & Cafe
Location: 821 Riverside Dr #199, Asheville, NC 28801
You can still purchase chocolate online at French Broad Chocolate Factory & Cafe. Inventory is constantly being updated, but the Asheville chocolatier has items like hot chocolate, bars, merch and more that were housed in its warehouse. The storm caused flooding outside of the shop during the storm and it was left without water and power. It could take weeks before the team can start making chocolate again. The store also has an online fund.
[WHAT’S NEXT? After Helene, can NC businesses and tourist sites restore ‘the magic of Asheville’?]
Folkwear Patterns
Location: 1185 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview, NC 28730
Folkwear Patterns has a studio in Asheville’s River Arts District that managed to stay dry and with power during Hurricane Helene. The staff is all safe, but many at home are without water, power or internet. The team is unable to get back to the studio to fulfill orders, but in the meantime, you can purchase digital pdf patterns from Folkwear’s online store.
Headwaters Outfitters
Location: 25 Parkway Rd, Rosman, NC 28772
Headwater Outfitters kept people in the Rosman area informed leading up to the storm, including regular monitoring of the Upper French Broad’s water levels. Then the shop and Forks of the River Taproom were affected by flooding and damage to the retailer’s compound. The store is closed, paddling trips have been canceled and its campground is closed for the rest of the year. Team members have pivoted to helping those in the community, including with free hot meals. In the meantime, you can shop the outdoor shop’s online store (send a note saying “Ship when the time is right”, Headwater recommends) or purchase a gift card for a future trip.
Live Oak Gastropub
Location: 69 Locust St, Spruce Pine, NC 28777
Live Oak Gastropub was flooded in the hurricane along with much of the rest of Spruce Pine. “We are trying to save any equipment we have so we can maybe someday get back to doing what we love providing a great place for fellowship, good times and amazing great and good looking food,” co owner Deanna Buchanan, who is a native of the Western North Carolina mountains, wrote on Facebook. “Still in shock at what this area and surrounding counties are experiencing.” A Go Fund Me has been started to help the restaurant recover.
Old Marshall Jail Hotel + Zadie’s Restaurant
Location: 33 Baileys Branch Rd, Marshall, NC 28753
Downtown Marshall was devastated during Hurricane Helene, and the Old Marshall Jail Hotel and Zadie’s Restaurant were both affected. Zadie’s was completely destroyed, owner Josh Copus wrote in a Go Fund Me for both places. “Both businesses will be closed for the months ahead while we rebuild. It will be a long and expensive road to recovery, but we feel it is worth doing and will be possible with your help,” he wrote.
Papertown Coffee
Location: 119 Main St, Canton, NC 28716
Papertown Coffee’s building was unharmed during the storm, and it was closed for a few days after the storm as it did not have power. Closing was tough on the business that was already having a tough year, so it has launched a Go Fund Me to help pay staff and order supplies. In the meantime, the shop has reopened with limited hours and is inviting community members in to “charge their phones, get a change of scenery or to just connect with another human for a while.”
Pisgah Coffee Roasters
Location: 6283 Asheville Hwy, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
Pisgah Coffee Roasters was undamaged from Hurricane Helene, but it closed as it was unable to process transactions. It did have limited cell service in the parking lot, so it has invited community members to use it for any calls and texts they need to make. There may be some shipping delays, but you can purchase its coffee online.
The Purple Onion
Location: 16 E Main St, Saluda, NC 28773
The Purple Onion in Saluda is “closed until further notice” after Hurricane Helene. “Here in Saluda, we have many places that were hit hard by unforgiving water and we are still reeling from the disaster going on around us,” the restaurant posted on Instagram. “In downtown, mudslides, flooding, and trees taking out our infrastructures have effected many of our businesses and by extension their employees and our community.” The Saluda Downtown Foundation has launched a Saluda Disaster Recovery Grant for downtown Saluda businesses. Your donation will help the recovery of The Purple Onion and other places.
The Orange Peel + Rabbit Rabbit
Location: The Orange Peel: 101 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Location: Rabbit Rabbit: 75 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Asheville’s live music scene took a hit during the storm, and The Orange Peel and Rabbit Rabbit have needed to cancel shows as they will be closed for awhile. The Orange Peel, in the meantime, has set up portable toilets and rinse stations, including an ADA unit, for the community in its parking lot. The Orange Peel manager Lauren Davis is hosting a Go Fund Me for the two venues to help take care of the 100-person staff that is unable to work for the foreseeable future. Many of the team members have suffered personal losses. “These are the people who make the magic of live music and unforgettable nights possible, and now they need your help,” Davis wrote.
RiverWatch Grill
Location: 379 Main St, Chimney Rock, NC 28720
RiverWatch Grill has been a staple in downtown Chimney Rock since 1998. After Helene, the building is still standing, unlike so many others in the town, but it needs a lot of work. “Hurricane Helene caused the Rocky Broad River to rise with a force we never imagined possible. Many buildings were swept away, and the flood waters surged through Main Street, leaving devastation in their wake. Though our beloved RiverWatch is still standing, it is deeply wounded and in desperate need of help to recover,” wrote Shelly Banz of RiverWatch on its Go Fund Me. Donations will go to building repairs, equipment replacement and support of the RiverWatch family.
Star Diner
Location: 115 N Main St, Marshall, NC 28753
Star Diner in Marshall was completely submerged in floodwaters during Hurricane Helene, and its damage is extensive. Owner Kate Sonoskus doesn’t know what’s next for the restaurant. “In the meantime, I’m worried about our staff and how they’re going to make their next rent & mortgage & car payments & buy groceries,” she wrote in her Go Fund Me for the diner. “I cannot call this a ‘rebuild’ fund — I just don’t know what’s next,” she wrote.
Switzerland Cafe and General Store
Location: 9440 NC-226A, Marion, NC 28752
Switzerland Cafe and General Store has been feeding its neighbors with any of its remaining inventory that was after the hurricane. Any donations made to the restaurant’s owner’s personal venmo (@Lora-Lanier-1) will go toward rebuilding the business and town.
Willow Hill Soap Company
Location: 429 N Main St, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Location: 80 Park St, Canton, NC 28716
Both of Willow Hill Soap Company locations (in Hendersonville and Canton) are closed after Hurricane Helene. “We will be able to check on orders whenever our internet is restored,” the store wrote on Instagram. In the meantime, you can make online purchases of candles, soaps, bath bombs, beard care and more. Its products are made without harmful ingredients, so you can feel good about gifting them!
