NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Known for its vibrant arts scene and culinary delights, Asheville is a cornerstone of tourism and economic activity in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountain area. However, the region faced a significant setback in September due to flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
While some businesses avoided physical damage, many experienced prolonged outages of electricity and water, effectively shutting down the city to tourists at a time when visitor numbers typically peak. The local community is now looking ahead, hoping for a resurgence in visitors during the upcoming holiday season, especially as artists and small enterprises strive to promote their handcrafted products through online platforms to aid in recovery.
The River Arts District, heavily impacted by the flood, now provides artists the opportunity to sell their creations directly via a dedicated website. In addition, the tourism board has launched a platform named “Love Asheville from Afar,” aimed at encouraging online purchases to support the local economy.
Chef Katie Button, who operates the Spanish tapas restaurants Curate Bar de Tapas and La Bodega by Curate, emphasizes the need for visitors. “There’s definitely been some confusion about whether people should travel to Asheville,” she reported. “Absolutely! We are open, and downtown — the rest of the businesses and things — are really needing people to come travel here.” While La Bodega is currently closed due to insufficient foot traffic, Curate is still operational.
For those interested in unique gifts that also contribute to local businesses, here are several suggestions to consider:
For food enthusiasts, Button’s successful endeavor, Curate Bar de Tapas, has crafted a line of handcrafted ceramic pigs. These can be purchased in the form of Christmas ornaments for $38 or toothpick holders for $29, allowing customers to support both the restaurant and local artist Lori Theriault.
French Broad Chocolate, co-founded by Dan Rattigan and Jael Skeffington, began its journey in their kitchen but has since flourished into a downtown retail venue. Although their tasting room is not open at present, shoppers can indulge in their delightful products, including bonbons and peppermint bark, available online for $35.
The Asheville Tea Company faced total destruction of its facilities in the flood. Despite challenges in shipping, they offer a pre-order gift box option that informs the recipient of an upcoming gift. The “Let it Snow” gift box, priced at $45.95, features blends like “Pisgah Breakfast,” “Snow Day,” and “Asheville Grey.”
Ginger Frank’s Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn brand began with a commitment to natural ingredients and unique flavors, including dill pickle and oatmeal cookie. From its humble beginnings, the brand has expanded to national distribution. The “Asheville Mix Artist Bag” retails for $7.25, with a portion of proceeds benefiting fellow Asheville entrepreneurs impacted by the disaster. Each bag showcases illustrations by local artist Annie Riker.
Art lovers can find solace in Asheville’s River Arts District, home to many of the city’s talented artists. Following the flood, most of the district’s historic buildings were damaged, leading to tragic losses for many creators. Nevertheless, several artists continue to sell their work directly. One such venture, Moonlight Makers, was launched by Claire Watson and Nicole Hairfield, who decided to collaborate after bonding as neighbors. They now offer an array of Asheville-themed products, contributing 100% of their profits to hurricane relief.
For additional unique gift ideas, explore the “Love Asheville from Afar” website, created by the local tourism authority, offering a range of options to support the community during this recovery phase.