Hummingbird Candle Co. opened its doors in downtown Asheville in October 2020. We were curious to learn more about this new Asheville biz, so we sat down with the founder, Tianna Dean, to get all juicy the details.


What brought you to Asheville?

Opening our second location in the beautiful downtown of Asheville, NC feels like coming home.

I was born in Brevard and spent all of my summers with my Dad’s family in Asheville well before Asheville was ‘cool.’ I am so proud of the labor of love that these communities have put into these cities, and seeing them transform over the past 30 years. Like it says in the bible: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

I am thrilled to bring Hummingbird Candle Co. (my labor of love) to the city that raised me and inspired me to spread God’s grace and love through my candle company.

How did you come up with the concept for Hummingbird?

I laugh every time someone asks me this because it’s such a complex answer and loooong story. But I’ll give you guys the short version.

Picture it Sicily 1924…just kidding. I was a Labor and Delivery RN, knee-deep into Grad School to become a Certified Nurse Midwife…and very content to catch babies and empower women for the rest of my life. In 2017, my husband and best friend finished his 21-year career as a US Army Ranger and he decided to turn his hobby of woodworking into a full-blown business. We quickly realized that if the business was going to work we needed to do it together.

After a lot of thought and back and forth I decided to take a step back from my Nursing Career in 2018 to help my husband’s custom furniture business, Cornerstone Design Co. Being the strong, black, feminist [that I am], I quickly realized [my] own entrepreneurial passion and desire to build a brand that would bridge my passion of advocating for and supporting women with [my] love of luxury home goods in a sustainable and earth-friendly way.

After overcoming my doubts – and the doubts of others – I followed my curiosity and dug deep into the craft of candle making. I desired to make a high-quality product that was safe and unique, and to provide an experience that brought people together through this transformative sensory experience. Hummingbird Candle Co. launched in January of 2019 and with the love and support of our community. She is still flying high!

What have you noticed about the Asheville community that’s different compared to your other location in Fayetteville?   

One of the things I love so much about Asheville–outside of the great weather, that it’s a foodie and beer heaven, and of course, all the wonderful things the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains have to offer–is that Asheville is such a VIBE. I ADORE the people here. We felt so incredibly supported and welcome by the locals. Ashevillians (even local government officials) are some of the most woke people in the world. My activist heart was on cloud nine from my very first conversation.

I also love that you can be 100% yourself in Asheville. Take one stroll downtown and you will see every kind of person, dressed how they want, living their very best lives. Asheville is and its community is a living breathing work of art.

We saw on your website you’re using this business to support others. What are some organizations you’re supporting and how can we find them?

One of our core values is Activism. We love to give back to organizations locally and globally that support women and those who identify as women.

We have donated to global organizations like Girl Trek and Asheville for Justice.

GirlTrek is the largest public health nonprofit for African-American women and girls in the United States. With nearly 100,000 neighborhood walkers, GirlTrek encourages women to use walking as a practical first step to inspire healthy living, families, and communities. As women organize walking teams, they mobilize community members to support monthly advocacy efforts and lead a civil rights-inspired health movement.

Asheville for Justice is a collective of activists, inspired to organize around promoting local equitable solutions to racial injustice in response to the state-sponsored, violent destruction of a community-funded medical station. It’s one of our favorite organizations to donate to because they connect donors with real-life people with immediate needs. If you don’t follow them on Instagram, you should!

What is your favorite scent currently?

That’s a really hard question especially since we have over 65 scents to choose from. I would have to say my current favorite is Hygge in our Resilience Line Collection. It ooooozes coziness, but my all-time fave and go-to is 000 Cuffed in our Signature Line. It’s a sexy, androgynous blend of tobacco, oud, cacao, and vanilla.

The year is 2025. What does your vision of Hummingbird Candle Co. look like?

I hope by 2025 every single woman that works alongside me at Hummingbird is financially making more than their husbands or wives, that they have continued work-life balance and are living their best lives, that we have helped millions of people fall in love with earth-friendly coconut wax candles, and that we are supporting even more individuals and organizations that are doing the hard work of activism for the equality of woman.


Tianna Dean is the founder and CEO of Hummingbird Candle Company. At Humminbird, she strives to promote self-care by providing unique and fun experiences during their BYOB Candle Making Workshops, create fair wage jobs by hiring women to hand pour luxury eco-friendly coconut wax candles, and always be an activist by giving back to organizations that support women both locally and globally. Because she has so much spare time, she and her best friend who happens to be her husband decided six was a good number to shoot for when having children. Her greatest accomplishment has been raising and watching them blossom into world changers.

What were the most popular Making It in Asheville podcast episodes of 2020?  While this is no means an indication of our guests’ success, we were interested in learning what y’all listened to the most this year. So we took a look at the number of listens per episode in 2020 and made a list!

Drumroll please…


#10: Hunter Berry, Founder of Taco Billy

Hunter Berry of Taco Billy

The founder of West Asheville’s beloved taco shop shares his journey from the West to East Coast, including a wild adventure of building Earthships. We recorded this episode inside Taco Billy over the course of several breakfast tacos, a few tears, and a lot of hot sauce. It’s an emotional, philosophical episode that is sure to inspire any aspiring restaurant owners.

Listen to the episode with Hunter

#9: Nicole McConville, Asheville Photographer

Nicole McConville Making It in Asheville Podcast

Nicole McConville is a storyteller–but not always one of words (although if you follow her on Instagram, then you know she has a way with words, too). She likes to think of herself as a visual storyteller, capturing an individual’s personality through her stunning portrait photography or telling the story of a brand’s ethos through thoughtful product imagery. In this episode, we learn about Nicole’s journey from publishing to playing with Polaroid photography as a hobby to playing with photography as a career.

Listen to the episode with Nicole

#8: Leah Wong Ashburn, CEO of Highland Brewing

Leah Ashburn of Highland Brewing

There’s a reason why Highland Brewing has been around for more than two decades–and we wanted to interview Leah, the CEO and daughter of Highland’s founder, to find out more. What we didn’t expect was, firstly, that Leah would say yes to our interview request, and secondly, just how poised Leah would be throughout the entire thing. Leah shares the fascinating history of Highland and how they’ve worked through the years to take their business from a basement brewery to one of the region’s most well-known craft beer leaders.

Listen to the episode with Leah

#7: Honey, Founder of Different Wrld

Honey of Different Wrld

Although a lot has changed about Honey’s business, Different Wrld, since we recorded the interview (check out this post to learn more about what’s going on today), this episode is still relevant for a number of reasons. Honey’s perseverance, determination, and vision to create and share with the world is inspiring and heartfelt. We learn about her why and how she started Different Wrld, what motivates and inspires her to create, and her goal of running a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Listen to the episode Honey

#6: Kyle Brown, Founder of Clawhammer Brewing

Making it in Asheville Podcast - Kyle Brown of Clawhammer

The founder of Clawhammer Supply, a booming home brewing and distilling equipment company based in Asheville, shares what he thinks has attributed to their success. We dive deep into business topics like organic content marketing, Google ads, and how to test the viability of your product. A great episode for anyone who is manufacturing a product from scratch!

Listen to the episode with Kyle

#5: Myles Alexander, Architect

Myles Alexander

“I’m just doing okay-ish in Asheville” is one of the first things Myles said to us when we asked him to be on the podcast. While we think Myles, an architect and the founder of Form & Function, is doing more than just okay, this episode is a testament to how sometimes the road to success can be winding one–full of yellow mortgage payment slips and trout side businesses. Warning: there will be laughter when you listen to this episode!

Listen to the episode with Myles

#4: Lisa and Dean Peteet, Founders of Atlas Branding

Atlas Branding Lisa & Dean Peteet Making It in Asheville Podcast Photo Scout Guide Asheville

You’ve likely seen the work of Atlas Branding around town (they’ve done branding for popular spots like like High Five Coffee, Ginger’s Revenge, and more), but do you know the story behind the company? In this episode, we sit down with the founders, Lisa and Dean Peteet, and learn more about their 10+ year journey of growing a design agency in Asheville and working together as a married couple.

Listen to the episode with Lisa & Dean

#3: What We Wish We Had Known Before Moving to Asheville

Sarah and Tony from Making It In Asheville walking at The Foundation

A solo episode featuring just the two of us, we share some things we wish we had known before moving to Asheville and talk a little bit about the moving process. A great episode for anyone looking to move to town!

Listen to the episode on What We Wish We Had Known Before Moving to Asheville

#2: Jeff Kaplan of Venture Asheville

Jeff Kaplan

If you want to know what exactly makes an entrepreneur successful, then Jeff Kaplan is your guy. The Director of Venture Asheville, Jeff has been working with entrepreneurs for more than a decade, is a serial entrepreneur himself, and helps Asheville start-ups and business owners get off the ground through his work with Venture Asheville. In this episode, we uncover his thoughts on successful entrepreneurship and talk a little bit about his own personal experience of running a business.

Listen to the episode with Jeff

#1: Connie Matisse, Co-Founder of East Fork Pottery

Connie Matisse, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of East Fork Pottery

Connie from East Fork? It’s no surprise that this was our #1 most listened to an episode in 2020! Connie shares what it was like in the early days of running a pottery business, plus how much has changed since they first started. We get an honest look into East Fork’s struggles, growing pains, and marketing strategy–one that’s based on honest storytelling and sharing what it’s like being real live humans.

Listen to the episode with Connie


That’s a wrap!

Thanks for supporting us and all of our guests through this crazy year of 2020. We’ve loved each and every one of our guest interviews. While this article was all about our most listened to episodes, we think there are some pretty rad interviews with guests that you might not have ever heard of. To check out some of our lesser-known, but still really awesome episodes, visit our podcast page, where you can sort episodes by industry and interest.

Earlier this week, we had the chance to sit down (again) and catch up with Honey from DIFFERENT WRLD. If you’re living in Asheville, you’ve most likely heard of this creative hub, which will be housed in the former space “The Mothlight,” a staple in West Asheville from 2013 until they closed their doors this past year.

Watch the full conversation here.

As a leader in the community, Honey has created this space with strong intention and purpose.

“We believe everyone should be able to create and have access to the resources that they need.”

Their team is black-led and queer- and femme-owned, whose representation is important and necessary.

Since the moment Honey announced the introduction of the space over the summer, Ashevillians and community members have been buzzing around this incredible idea that is coming to fruition before our eyes. DIFFERENT WRLD will offer community and accessibility to creatives and members of Asheville to pursue their talents and passions with the resources that aren’t readily available for many.

Taken from their website, DIFFERENT WRLD explains: “We want you to feel safe, we want you to feel heard, we want you to feel empowered and equipped to take on any project you can dream up. Our intention is to hold space for people to connect with each other and the Asheville community. We all know what it feels like to be underserved and unwelcome. We know Asheville has more to offer our art community and creatives of all types. ”

To make this vision a long-lasting reality, we ask that you donate to help make this space accessible to the people that deserve it. While there are many ways you can support this project, monetary investments, no matter how small, will allow DIFFERENT WRLD to thrive.


How You Can Support DIFFERENT WRLD

They’ve created an easy to use send coin page to allow for a one-time donation or to become a supporting partner and dedicate an amount each and every month.

We are all anxiously waiting on our toes to see the launch of DIFFERENT WRLD. Until then, here are some things you can expect:

  1. A Creative Hub
  2. Music + Art + Installations
  3. Education + Growth
  4. Retail + Mobile Truck
  5. Food from Silver + NENG JR’S – To learn about Silver’s restaurant, Asheville’s first Filipinx restaurant, click here.

All in all, we are inspired by Honey and her team and want to support their extremely valuable endeavor. We are striving to become better people, better community members, and share the stories of people Making it in Asheville. This includes giving space and resources to people that don’t have the same privileges or accessibility as others. As Asheville continues to evolve, it’s important to have more representation and support the people who make Asheville the place so many of us call home.


Learn more about DIFFERENT WRLD by checking out their website differentwrld.com and listen to their podcast, THE UNDERCURRENT

Thank you again for your time Honey. It’s people like you that make Asheville so special.

In an effort to help you navigate the effects of COVID-19, we put together a list of resources for small businesses in Asheville (and beyond!).

Have an idea that you don’t see here? Let us know hello@makingitinasheville.com We’ll be adding to this list as time goes on.

Financial Resources

  • NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan: Mountain BizWorks is providing NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loans as a vital resource to help Western North Carolina small businesses be resilient and adaptive in the face of the coronavirus crisis. These are primarily designed to be a timely source of bridge loan financing until businesses can access SBA Disaster or other federal disaster funding.
  • The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans to North Carolina’s small businesses. If your business has been financially affected by COVID, you can apply for a loan here.
  • The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina has announced 38 grants totaling $286,800 from its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund to help nonprofits addressing COVID-19 response and relief across WNC.

Business Resources

  • What Now, Asheville? is a one-week series of Facebook Lives where we share actionable insights for responding to COVID-19 from and for local businesses in our community. Each day of the week, we’ll cover a different topic or theme and invite guests to speak about that specific topic.
  • Kickback AVL If you’re a restaurant or food service provider, consider partnering up with Kickback AVL to offer delivery.
  • As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, keep your business up and running with these six tips from our friends at Mountain Biz Works.
  • Now’s a great time to reflect on your business and see where you might have room to grow. A while back, we put together a list of 21 Ideas to Grow Our BUsiness in Asheville. If you have spare time, give a read. Then pick one or two to focus on over the next few weeks while at home. Download the free PDF list here.
  • Explore Asheville has an in-depth list of resources for Asheville businesses, including information about SBA Disaster Relief Funds, instructions for updating your listing on the Explore Asheville website, and tourism industry insights and news.
  • Stay up to date with advice from the CDC for businesses and employers.
  • Additionally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce put together this handy toolkit, including social media graphics you can use to educate your employees and customers.

Podcasts

Video Meeting & Recording Tools

If you haven’t already, now’s the time to sign up for some kind of video conferencing tool so you can continue to communicate with your employees, colleagues, and customers. Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Zoom: They offer a free plan that allows you to host a digital meeting with up to 100 participants that is 40 minutes or less.
  • Google Hangouts & Google Classroom: Through July 1st, 2020 Google has expanded the free features of its video meeting tools. They now include up to 250 participants, live streaming, and the ability to record and save meetings.
  • Loom: This software allows you to record and share videos in a simple and effective way. Loom has temporarily released more features to its free version and has reduced its pricing for paid plans.
  • Facebook Live: Free and easy to use, Facebook Live videos allow you to essentially create your own live TV show and share it with an audience.

Give Back

  • #AshevilleStrong: If you’re a restaurant or retail shop, this non-profit initiative led by a group of WNC volunteers allows you to list your gift card on their website. All you have to do is fill out a form on their website with your business info.

Facebook Groups

  • Prepared: Your Online Business and Coronavirus Facebook Group: Join the on-going dialogue about the impact of the coronavirus on online businesses with Tyler J. McCall and other experts in the industry. They’re hosting Facebook Lives daily between Monday, March 16th through Friday, March 20th covering a wide range of topics from mental health to what to do with the kids while trying to work. Learn more and join the Prepared: Your Online Business & Coronavirus group
  • Asheville Quarantine 2020: If you need some positivity in your life or are just looking to connect with locals during this period of social distancing, check out the Facebook group Asheville Quarantine 2020.

Ideas for Staying Busy

  • Buncombe County Library + Digital Books: You’re probably going to have a lot of time on your hands to catch up on your business reading soon! If you have a Buncombe County Library card, you can access their Virtual Library. Another great app is Libby, which is easy to connect to your local library and download e-books and audio-books to your preferred reading device.
  • Meditation & Yoga: Miranda from Namaste in Nature has put together a list of Free Ways to Stay Calm and Healthy and Boost Your Immune System During Coronavirus (Covid-19), including some fantastic meditation and yoga videos.

In this post, we’re sharing with you a few of our favorite local gifts made with love by Asheville’s finest makers.

Truth be told, it was quite hard to narrow down this list to just a few items because there are so many incredible businesses and creatives in this town that are making really great stuff. 

When selecting items to include this Asheville gift guide, we thought about the things that are on our own wish list — the items we personally have purchased and love or want to buy.

We are certain that there are many makers that we’ve missed in this list. If there is something that you think would make a great gift that we haven’t included here, please do tell us!

Without further ado, let’s dive in. Whether you’re trying to shop local this year or are simply looking for a unique gift, we welcome you to use this Making It in Asheville gift guide as inspiration for your shopping.


East Fork Pottery: Easy, Special Little Gifts

Photo credit: East Fork

Okay, okay, we know. East Fork isn’t new to anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock. But it simply wouldn’t be an Asheville Makers Gift Guide if we didn’t mention East Fork Pottery.

We’ve fallen madly, deeply in love with their stylish, functional, and durable pottery. But even more than that, we have a total crush on the brand and everything they stand for. When we interviewed their co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Connie Matisse, she proudly exclaimed that East Fork is on a mission to become America’s largest, most sustainable producer of ceramics. We’re into it.

Their website features an entire page dedicated to “Gifts Under $50” which is dangerous because we want to buy it all. This gift guide offers staples such as this soapstone easy-to-ship mug, perfect for sending to loved ones who don’t reside in Asheville. You can also find must have cookbooks, candles, cookware, as well as corky and interesting pieces like this Italian meat candle. I mean, come on how cool and creative is that?

Price: The easy to ship mug runs at $38 and the meat candle is $26
Where to Buy: Shop online or visit their retail front in downtown Asheville on North Lexington.

*Note: All links with East Fork are affiliate links. That means if you click on the link and purchase an item, we will receive a small commission for recommending them. We only recommend products that we truly love and support!


Everyday Oil: All-in-one Oil

Photo credit: Everyday Oil

Made in Black Mountain, this incredible body oil is going to be your new favorite all-natural beauty product. The founder, Emma, started making this body oil years ago simply because she couldn’t find anything else like it on the market. (Side note: this is often how some of the best business ideas come about!)

Everyday Oil is 100% plant-based and is comprised of a whole bunch of natural oils that each work their own magic to do wonders for your skin.

But here’s the real mind-blowing stuff: Everyday Oil is a one-bottle-fits-all kind of product. You can use it as a moisturizer and face wash AND a cleanser. You can use it on your face but also your body. And well, Everyday Oil does not care what gender or race you are. This sh*t is all-inclusive y’all.

“I want Everyday Oil to be a great, true friend you can rely on, no matter who you are.” – Emma Allen

We do too, Emma. We do too. 

Price: $14 and up
Where to buy:
Shop online or find Everyday Oil in select retail stores. Check out their store locator to find a shop near you.


Garnet Fisher Giclee Prints 

There are so many fantastic painters around town, but Garnet Fisher’s black squiggle giclee prints are among our favorite. We stumbled upon her airy, minimalist prints one day while shopping at Old North and have been a fan ever since. We also interviewed her in Season 3 of the podcast. Learn more and listen to our podcast interview with Garnet Fisher here.

Price: $30
Where to Buy:
Check out her latest collections online of visit Old North in downtown Asheville on North Lexington.


Oowee Products 9oz Rocks Sleeve Set of 2 with Glasses


Photo credit: Oowee Products

Imagine it: it’s just after 6pm and cold outside. You get off from a long day of work and pull these babies out, pour a generous amount of whiskey and sit by the fire — sounds pretty ideal, we know. This year all we want for Christmas is this set of  9oz Rocks Sleeve Set of 2 with Glasses. Made by hand in Candler, NC, Oowee’s leather goods are durable, rustic, and just plain cool. They have all sorts of stamped designs, including the option to customize your own! Keep your eyes peeled for some custom Making It in Asheville products in 2020.

The best part? Oowee employs adults on the autism spectrum to hand sew the finishing touches on their goods. So when you buy from them, you can rest assured you’re supporting a good cause. 

In Episode 27, we interviewed the founder, Gabriel Hargett, who shared with us the story behind Oowee — a business that was born from his love of making things with his hands.

Price: Set of two sleeves with glasses are $44.99
Where to buy: Shop all their leather goods online.


The Rhu B.O.B. (Best of Box) 3-Month Subscription

Photo Credit: THE RHU

Classy date night at home? We’ll take 3 months’ worth, please.

If you live in Asheville, you probably have heard of the restaurateur, John Fleer. Psst…He was our first guest in the most recent season of Making It In Asheville.

These brand new boxes include 1 prepared supper (for 2), 1 Rhu bakery item, 2-3 local pantry items, 1 kitchenware item, and the option to add on fresh seasonal produce from their farm partners in Leicester (think a mini CSA) and/or a bottle of chef-selected wine.

One of our favorite things about The Rhu? It is a café, bakery, and pantry that celebrates local foods and producers. It’s the holiday season and we are always here to hype up others, so kudos to John Fleer!

We are personally going to start with 1 box but who is to say we won’t go full out and get the 12-month subscription. Treat yourself, right?!

Price: 1 month is $55 and 3-month subscription starts at $157
Where to Buy: Shop online or head to their location on Lexington Ave.


QB Cucina Kitchenwares & Cooking Classes 

Photo credit: QB Cucina

If you love all things Italian and appreciate handmade quality items, this business is for you.

Did you know Sarah & Tony met in Italy? After spending 5 years teaching and absorbing the Italian lifestyle, Sarah has become a passionate lover and advocate for old school preparation of pasta using the highest quality of products. Fast forward to 2020, she launches QB Cucina with her business partner, offering Artisanal Italian kitchenwares and trusted recipes to create your own “Little Italy” at home.

QB Cucina also offers beautiful hand-stamped linen wares and get this… virtual pasta cooking classes! The classes offer an opportunity to connect virtually (so 2020) and create a delicious handmade meal. Once you’ve made your own pasta, it’s hard to go back… Trust us.

It is a fantastic date night alternative to going out to dinner and one of our favorite ways we know how to fight the winter blues. Check out the QB website for all the pasta inspo including recipes that will take your taste buds straight to Italy.

Price: Kitchenwares range from $10-$80 and pasta classes are $35.
Where to Buy: Shop Online


Spoon & Hook Gift Card

Photo credit: Spoon & Hook

There’s so much to love about Spoon & Hook’s hand-carved wooden wares. Each item is 100% unique and made from start-to-finish by Anneliesse Gormley, who sustainably sources all of the wood she uses for her projects from Asheville Hardware. From beautiful flower-filled cutting boards to minimalist U-shaped vases, each brings its own unique heirloom-vintage style to any space. 

It was hard to choose just one piece from Spoon + Hook since they are each so unique, you know, being handcrafted and all. Which is why this year we recommend purchasing a gift card. This way, whoever the recipient is can choose the piece that most speaks to them or even wait for the perfect piece that hasn’t been created quite yet. Anneliesse creates one-of-a-kind pieces of functional art that made you feel at home.

Price: It’s all you to decide
Where to Buy: Shop online or head to Atomic Furnishing to see Annliesse’s booth.


Ware: Stagg Pour-Over Tea Kettle 

Photo credit: WARE

We’re all in on the sustainable lifestyle, but are the first to admit that sometimes it can be really really hard to find the right objects.

That’s where Ware, a sustainable lifestyle shop located on College Street, excels. They make it dangerously easy to find the perfect solution for anything you might need — or not even know you needed.

Everything in their shop is beautiful, sustainably-sourced, and will help you replace your non-eco-friendly things with eco-friendly ones. The best part is that you don’t have to think twice about what you’re buying because the owner, Gillie, has already done the hard work of carefully researching each and every product to make sure it fits her standards of sustainability.

For this holiday, the Ware item we have the biggest heartthrobs for is their chic black Stagg tea kettle. It has become a staple in our home after making the switch from traditional teabags (which have bits of plastic in them) to loose-leaf tea. Don’t worry, Ware also offers this stainless steel tea infuser to make all your Tea House dreams come true.

We interviewed the founder Gillie Roberts in episode 4. In that episode, she told us about her adventures of opening Ware (at the age of 26!) and gave us advice for living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Price: The Stagg Tea Kettle is $83
Where to Buy: Shop the online store or visit their brick and mortar on College Street for a full selection of items. 


Opie Way: Riverside Hi in White/Gum

Photo credit: Opie Way

When it comes to putting together an outfit, it often comes down to the kicks, the sneaks, the shoes. Opie Way designs and creates beautiful 100% USA made (Asheville if we are being specific) shoes. This pair Riverside hi pair that we have on our wish list is hand-cut from five ounce Wickett and Craig leather in white, with a suede heel counter… Woah that even sounds sexy.

We interviewed Justin & Amanda on season 5 of the podcast and their dedication to the craft and output of beautiful shoes has us wanting one of each, please!

If you check out their website you’ll find a handful of beautiful shoes and products. During covid, shipping has become an uphill battle for business owners. Orders placed this week will be shipped toward the end of January so there is always the option of providing a gift card!

Price: $378

Where to buy: Shop online at the Opie Way store


We’d love to know what items are on your Asheville gift list? Send us a message on Instagram to let us know your favorites!

In truth, we couldn't stop at five ideas. We actually wrote 21. This post shares our top five but the entire post is about 3,000 words or just about over 15 pages as a document. If you'd like all 21 ideas, we'll send them to you in an email. Click here for all 21 Ideas to Help Your Business Make It in Asheville. 

This post is the love child of our own need to grow a business. You see, we just started a small marketing and business consulting agency in Asheville and have put a lot of time into thinking about how to build it, grow it, and sustain it.

After writing down all the ideas that could help our own business thrive, we thought: “Wait a minute —there are so many great ideas here! Why not share this with others?”

We hope that these concepts spark new ideas for you, help you to take action, and give you support on the way. Know that you certainly don’t have to (and probably shouldn’t) use all of these. Pick the ones that work for you, and leave the rest.

If you have any questions, you know how to find us!

Let’s dive in.

1) Partner with your neighborhood. 

Look around you. As in your physical location. What other businesses are there? What do they have to offer that can complement your own business and vice versa? Is there an opportunity to co-host an event together? 

Example: This past summer, four downtown-based retail shops partnered together to host an event called the First Friday Shop Hop. Every first Friday of the month, they stayed open a little later and gave out free wine or beer to their customers. Each customer also got a “passport.” By visiting every shop on the passport and getting their paper passport stamped, the customer could enter to win a box of goodies which had an item from each store. It was a great event to bring awareness to retail stores during the summer when most people are out eating and drinking. It was also a great way to leverage each of the store’s customer bases to bring awareness to other shops in town and build everyone’s email list (see below).

How can you do the same? Perhaps you do a newsletter exchange to reach a new audience, or maybe you just offer special neighborhood discounts to other employees in the area. Get together with your neighbors and brainstorm!

2) Build an email list.

If you don’t have an email list or newsletter, let us be clear: Start. One. NOW. 

Don’t let social media be your only communication channel. The algorithms on Facebook, Instagram, and other social channels change all the time and you could easily lose touch with your audience if that’s the only digital way you’re communicating with them.

And hoping that they simply walk back into your store or come back to your website won’t cut it either.

So, how do you start and grow a mailing list? Here’s the abridged version.

Step 1: Pick an email software. Nine times out of ten, we’d recommend that new businesses start a mailing list by using MailChimp software because it’s easy to use and sits at a fair price point for most people. 

Step 2: Create an easy way for people to sign up for your mailing list. Add a sign-up form somewhere highly visible in your store. If you don’t have a brick and mortar, make sure you have multiple easy ways for people to sign up on your website. Even add it to your email signature.

Step 3. Provide people a reason to sign-up.  Though they’re common to see, we don’t love blanket discounts (something like 15% off for signing up). Instead, consider making your mailing list the only place your customers can hear about special offers.  But most importantly, write great newsletters. Chances are if the newsletter is meaningful, people will share it with their friends and family, growing your list exponentially.

If you need help getting started or improving your email marketing strategy, we’d be glad to help. Our marketing agency, Making It Creative, specializes in email marketing and list building strategy.

3) Join a local business group. 

Sometimes the best advice and support comes from someone outside of your business. Join a local business or networking group where you can meet like-minded people and garner new ideas. Business groups can also be a great way to find new partnerships. 

Here are a few of our favorite local business groups:

  • West Asheville Business Association
  • Charlotte Street Business Association
  • Young Professionals of Asheville
  • Asheville Business for Success
  • AVL Community of Freelancers, Remote Workers & Self-Employed
  • AIGA Asheville (American Institute of Graphic Arts)

4) Invest in professional development. 

Think: What aspect of your business would you like to get better at? Then, find a course and workshop that teaches that skill.

Here are some places you can find local classes and workshops:

There are also TONS of online courses through SkillShare, LinkedIn Learning, and colleges throughout the country.

5) Know your competition — then befriend them.

You probably already know a lot about your “competitors” but if you don’t, take some time and research who else does what you do in this area.  Browse through local Asheville newspapers and magazines, and do a quick Google search to find out who else is in your space (search “Asheville” + “your industry”).

Consider: What are they good at? How are you differentiating your business from them?

If they offer something that you don’t, why not recommend people to them?

It sounds counter-intuitive but this “I’ll scratch your back, you’re welcome to but-under-no-obligation-to scratch mine” mentality can be more beneficial than constantly being down each other’s throats.

After sending a few people their direction, reach out. Say hello. Tell them you admire their work and have even referred folks. See how it goes. Then, consider partnering with them strategically. After all, two heads are better than one.

We actually have 16 other ideas for you to use…

We hope these first five ideas have sparked your creativity, curiosity, and commitment. Want our entire list of 21 ideas? We’ll send you a printable PDF with all of them.

What are the best coffee shops in Asheville to work out of? In this post, we dig deeper to uncover our favorite cafe-offices.

Asheville likes to say, “Bring a job with you.” And, well, most jobs that you can bring with you entail sitting behind a computer for the better part of the day. We’ve learned this first-hand as we currently work from home to build this podcast and website, as well as our marketing business

When you work from home, you have to find creative ways to get yourself out of the house every now and again. Otherwise, before you know it, the day has gone before you realize you’re still wearing your pajamas from the night before. Not a good sign. Sometimes getting out of the house is as simple as taking a walk or running an errand to clear your head. But other times, you need something more — a place where you feel productive, see other human beings, and can enjoy a steady drip of caffeine.

And that, dear readers, brings us to today’s topic: our favorite cafes and coffee shops to work out of in Asheville.

We’ll preface this post by saying we didn’t take this topic lightly. In fact, it was quite difficult for us to decide which were our favorites. So, rather than make an arbitrary ranking based on our gut feeling, we decided to create a unique scorecard system to help us identify what we liked about each coffee shop.

Our Scorecard System

So how did we decide which Asheville coffee shops and cafes were the best for getting work done?

We began by making a list of our favorite coffee shops to work out of. (Note: this is not an extensive list of all of the cafes in town, it’s just the ones we’ve gone to enough to honestly recommend.) 

After we got our list of cafes, we created a list of qualities that we think are very important when trying to get work done: WiFi, outlets, seating, coffee, food, and vibes. Then, we scored each cafe on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the worst and 5 being the best) for each of these qualities.

Before we dive in, let’s take a closer look at each of those factors:

WiFi

Does it have good high-speed connection? Is the internet secure? Is the password readily available and easy to use? Is there a time limit?

Outlets

Are there ample outlets for recharging your computer and phone? Are they easily accessible or do you need to crawl under your neighbor’s chair?

Seating

Is there ample seating and table space? Are the seats comfortable?

Coffee

Just how good is the coffee? Does it taste good? Does it come out fast? Is there a good selection of coffee and tea and free water to keep you hydrated?

Food

What’s going on with the nibbles? Is there a full-blown food selection or just pastries? How does the food taste?

Vibes

How about the atmosphere? What’s it like? Is there good music? Is there airflow? Is it definingly loud, awkwardly quiet? Do we feel distracted in the space or can we get in the zone?

We each got our own scorecard. Our empty Cafe Workability Scorecard looked something like this (S is for Sarah and T is for Tony).

After filling it out, we tallied up the points for each cafe. (Note: since there were six factors and we were ranking on a scale of 1 to 5, a total score of 30 would be perfect.) Then, we combined scores and took the averages.

It was fun to see what we each marked down and to score each cafe in a way that was comprehensive!

Now, for the full rundown

If you just want the scores, you can skip ahead. Otherwise, for the full details and reasoning behind our judgment, read on!

The Rhu

Workability Score: 23.5

What we love most: The food! The Rhu is the baby of John Fleer’s Rhubarb, so it goes without saying that their food is simply delicious. The selection is just what you’d want out of a true cafe: breakfast sandwiches, amazing pastries, salads, grain bowls and more. And we think overall, it’s priced right for a cafe.

Why it’s not a perfect 30: It closes at around 4 pm, so if you’re planning a late afternoon work block it’s not ideal. Also, the coffee is good, but Sarah docked them a few points because their Cortado is always slightly disappointing. (As Sarah says, “It’s layered so you end up sipping all the frothy milk on top, then the espresso on the bottom rather than enjoying it all melded together.”)  

Our tips for visiting: Sit upstairs where there’s plenty of booth seating and natural light. Order something savory AND sweet because you really can’t go here and not get a pastry (or two). Our favorite combo: breakfast biscuit (we suggest sausage, egg, and cheese) and a grown-up fig newton.

Summit Coffee Co.

Workability Score: 23.25

What we love most: The long work tables and their smooth, cold nitro latte. This is 100% the kind of place that cares about its coffee so you can expect it to be gosh darn near perfect. After all, they are a coffee roaster. We also love that so many other people come here to work. It helps us get in the zone and feel productive.

Why it’s not a perfect 30: They don’t have much by the way of food — just a few cookies and protein balls. Fortunately, it is right next to 12 Bones so if you’re there around lunchtime you could pop-over for midday barbecue break (just go early cause when they sell out, they close).

Our tips for visiting: Checkout their workspace upstairs and be sure to ask about their daily espresso offerings which change often!

The Waterbird

Workability Score: 23

What we love most: Maybe it’s because this place is only a stone’s throw away from where we live (a key workability factor if you’re too lazy to drive or hate wasting time getting places), but we love love love The Waterbird. 

We both gave this place 5 perfect stars for its vibes. We love their Cubano coffee and the fact that you can literally stay here all day because they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and they have a full cocktail bar). The first thing we said when we walked into The Waterbird was “Dang…this place is gorgeous.” And it really, truly is. Its Modern-Mid-Century-flair-meets-tropical-haven look has us ooohing and aahing every time. 

Why it’s not a perfect 30: Their coffee selection is slightly limited. They won’t have your iced nitro latte but they do have espresso, cappuccino, cold brew coffee, and Cubanos. Tony loves their classic Cubano. Also, their WiFi password has changed a couple of times (which isn’t a bad thing necessarily) and it’s not readily visible or easy to remember, so you have to flag a server down (which we suppose is secure but it’s also a bit of a hassle).

Our tips for visiting: We recommend getting one of their Cubano coffees on your first time in. Their classic Cubano comes with a salt rim and lemon twist, while there Ginger Cardamom Cubano is like a chai latte met and fell in love with espresso. Or —what the heck — just treat yourself to a cocktail. They’re worth it. 

Liberty House Coffee & Cafe

Workability Score: 22

What we love most: The neighborhood feel (it’s nestled in a residential area just off of Chestnut Street) and their outdoor garden. It’s a perfect place for a casual business meeting.

Why it’s not a perfect 30: The food we’ve had so far has just been okay and, despite its size, it can get crowded. It also closes around 4 pm on weekdays and 2 pm on weekends. So again, it’s not a great place for an afternoon work block.

Our tips for visiting: Go early and snag a good seat! They open at 7 am during the week. And while we haven’t had them yet, we’ve been told to order the pancakes. 

Trade & Lore

Workability Score: 21.5

What we love most: Its twinkly star lights and whimsical atmosphere. Their staff is always SO nice, too!

Why it’s not a perfect 30: While they have a good amount of pastries, it’s not a great spot for savory food. There is ample seating, but it’s not the comfiest. 

Tip for visiting: Go on a Monday and stay for a glass of wine or beer after work. They serve alcohol and they’re open until 10 pm Fridays through Mondays, and until 7 pm Tuesdays through Thursdays. 

High Five Coffee

Workability Score: 21.25

What we love most: The quality of the coffee and their convenient locations (they have one cafe on Rankin Street in downtown Asheville and another behind the Whole Foods on Broadway). Also, we geek out every time they send a coffee order down their zip line system to the barista.

Why it’s not a perfect 30: The food is okay and limited to small bites like pastries, sweets, and bagels. There’s a limit of two hours on the free WiFi connection (after that you have to pay). And in their downtown location, it can take up to 15 minutes to get your coffee.

Our tips for visiting: To avoid waiting, order something that’s easy to make like their cold brew or regular drip coffee. 

Check out our podcast interview with the High Five Coffee Brand Director, Emily Peele!

BattleCat Coffee Bar

Workability Score: 20

What we love most: Its unashamed quirkiness. Also, you can get a well-priced breakfast and lunch from the Tiger Bay Cafe which is connected in the back. 

Why it’s not a perfect 30: It’s a pretty small spot that at times feels cramped. The seating isn’t the comfiest and it sometimes feels really loud with all the people walking in and out. The quality of the food is exactly what you’d expect from any ole average coffee shop.

Tip for visiting: Get the iced Thai coffee! 

Conclusion

Our final scorecard looking something like this:

While we love all of these cafes, it was really fun to see how we scored each of them! Our biggest takeaway was that we love working at different coffee shops for different reasons. Summit, High Five, and Trade & Lore are great if you’re looking for a good solid caffeine fix and a place to work for a couple of hours, while The Rhu, The Waterbird, and Liberty House are better suited if you plan on having breakfast or lunch and longer work blocks. And BattleCat? It’s the only place that we know of that sells Thai coffee and t-shirts with fighter cats on them.

And you? What are your favorite coffee shops in Asheville to work out of?

We’d love to know where you get the most work done and why. Fill out your own cafe scorecard and let us know by sending us an email hello@makingitinasheville.com.

View, Save, and Share the Making It In Asheville Map

We also created a custom Google map to keep track of all of our favorite restaurants, bars, cafes, hikes, and activities in Asheville. Some of the places on this map come highly recommended by our podcast guests, while others are our personal favorites. Check it out below!

“Omg. That rug.” 

“What do you think about this antique sewing machine table for a desk?”

“Wait – what? Those spoons are only a nickel?”

“We could just buy stuff from Asheville then resell in New York at double the price.” 

“My feet hurt. We’ve been here for hours!”

These are just a few of the things we found ourselves saying when visiting Asheville’s plethora of vintage, antique, and thrift stores.

If you can’t tell, we are impressed. And not just by the prices, but by the sheer amount of stuff you can find in Asheville — cool stuff, beautiful stuff, necessary stuff! 

In this post, we’re sharing with you our curated list of thrift and vintage stores in Asheville. Whether you’re looking to redecorate on a budget or you’ve just moved to town and are faced with a bare apartment like we were (and still sort of are!) we hope you find this list useful. 

Why We Love Buying Used Stuff

For context, we’ve always made a point to buy used stuff where we can. 

In Brooklyn, a good chunk of our apartment was, as Tony likes to say, “post-consumer foraged” from the good ‘ole New York City streets. We would find things that people left out on the curb come move-out day: old chairs; wrought iron metal bookshelf frames, a wooden ladder that was certainly not safe to stand on but functioned perfectly as a decorative bookshelf; and solid good slabs of wood that we re-purposed as end tables and wall shelves. 

You know what they say: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” And well, when you don’t have much money to spend on decorating your apartment, you find ways to make do. 

When we moved to Asheville, we spent hundreds of dollars just getting our stuff down here – and what’s funny is that we didn’t even have that much stuff! What filled our tiny Brooklyn studio to the brim, barely took up any space in our new spacious one-bedroom in Asheville. We didn’t have a couch, desks, or even a kitchen table. So off to thrift hunting we went ― and oh the treasures we did find

But it’s also more than that: while we can’t always find what we’re looking for in the “used” section, we fundamentally believe that there is plenty of good stuff on this earth that can be re-purposed and recycled. We try to live as sustainably as we can!

Our Top 7 Thrift, Vintage, and Antique Shops in Asheville

So which places are our favs so far? Here’s a run-down of our top 7 second-hand-type shops, what we love about them, and tips for visiting.

Regeneration Station Asheville NC

 1. REGENERATION STATION

This place is an Asheville institution, so it’s no wonder it sits at the top of our list. Part vintage-antique, part thrift shop, the RS houses an abundance of treasures that sit at the Goldilocks (not too high, not too low) price point for most of us. It’s not quite as cheap and thrifty as say a Goodwill, but it’s not your high-end antique shop either. 

Each booth is carefully curated, offering a unique set of rare finds. From all the necessary furniture like couches and kitchen tables to the more frivolous, but “oh-my-god-I-must-have-it” finds, the RS has it all. 

And to top it all off, they serve free beer until 7 p.m. on select Sundays. What can we say? It seems like they know their audience well. 

Our find(s): A chic mirrored end table with paw legs for the price of a Jackson ($20). 

What we’re eyeing: A rusty metallic mid-century floor lamp.

Tip for visiting: While anything priced under $100 is a firm price, you can make “make an offer” to a dealer if your total from their booth is over $100.

Go there if: You’re on a budget and you enjoy hunting for quality stuff that may have a few dents and scratches.

For hours and location, visit their website.

Screen Door Asheville

2. SCREEN DOOR

In terms of its curation and price, the Screen Door sits up a level from Regeneration Station. 

It has higher density of elevated finds, staged in such a way that sometimes you forget you’re in a second-hand store. In fact, a lot of the vendors do a lot of work to restore, rebuild, and reimagine the old into something new and shiny. 

Our find(s): We have yet to buy anything from here but frequent it often.

What we’re eyeing: Metallic mirrors and their Persian rug selection.

Our tip: Pair this visit with a stop at #5 on the list. They are a stone’s throw away from each other.

Go there if: You’re looking for something a bit more eclectic with finesse.

For hours and location, visit their website.

3. TOBACCO BARN

What it lacks in clear organization it makes up for in sheer abundance. The Tobacco Barn is so massive that it feels like you’re being sucked into an endless black hole of beautiful antiques. Set aside a full afternoon (or maybe a couple) for this place because you’ll need it! 

Prices vary but are generally pretty fair. When we were there, we happened upon a booth we liked when the seller was there. He ended up bargaining with us so we walked away with a (much) lower price than marked.  

Our Find(s): A flat weave bohemian rug, a wooden chest, and a decorative globe

What we’re eyeing: The old tools section on the far left and the push carts outside

Our tip: Wear comfy shoes and bring water — if you’re like us, you’ll be there for a while because it’s huge

Go there if: You have a lot of time to kill and are in need of large home pieces or outdoor furniture

For hours and location, visit their website.

Lexington Park Antiques

4. LEXINGTON PARK ANTIQUES

Warning: You might inhale a bucket of dust when you go in here (as some of the antiques are, well dusty), but it’s well worth it. 

Located right in the heart of Downtown on Walnut street, Lexington Park Antiques has mostly grandmotherly furniture and kitchen items but also sells a small selection of vintage and second-hand clothes, shoes, and other textiles. 

You’ll have to dig but there are many treasures here. 

Our Find(s): An old-timey boy scout style pocket knife and a gently used pair of leather sandals.

What we’re eyeing: Old kitchen wares and barn wood products

Our tip: Stop into Lexington Park Antiques every time you walk past the corner of Lexington and Walnut. You just might get lucky…

Go there if: You have a soft spot for nostalgia or are into collecting. There’s an abundance of bowls, glasses, and cups (think Looney Tunes coffee mugs and old Coca Cola Bottles).

For hours and location, visit their website.

Leather couch asheville

5. ESTATE SALE SERVICES (Formerly known as Hospice Treasures)

The selection is the smallest on the list but the inventory turns over fast and as it’s all priced to sell — even for the most frugal of shoppers. 

They sell furniture, home goods, clothing, jewelry, appliances, art, and even craft supplies like yarn, paper, ribbon, and gift wrapping paper.

We actually overheard one of the volunteers say that they slowly release items to the floor as they sell things and have more space. In other words: they have a stockpile of treasures in the back just waiting to be released! So while one day you might not find anything, the next just might be your lucky day. 

Our find(s): We found a beautiful tan leather couch here —for just $100— plus cutlery for five cents a pop! 

What we’re eyeing: Hard to say… it’s different almost all the time. We are hoping to attend one of their actual Estate Sale events.

Our tip: Grab one of their bags the first time you stop in and leave it in the car. Bring it next time you shop and save a couple of sheckles. 

Go there if: You want to feel good while scoring affordable home goods, proceeds from the sale support those in hospice. 

For hours and location, visit their Facebook page.

picture frame from goodwill asheville

6. GOODWILL

How can we forget our nation’s favorite thrift store chain? Naturally, the selection is curated only up to the point that it tries to cram all the “small household objects” into a few shelves, separate from the “big furniture and electronics.” While you have to dig and it can be hit-or-miss, Goodwill is where we have found some of our best bargains!

Our find(s): Cute antique sewing machine desk for just $15, two charming chairs for $5 a piece, solid white T-shirts for $3, and a green picture frame for $3

What we’re eyeing: The book section. Hardcovers are all $3 and soft covers are even less.

Our tip: Use Goodwill to round out a wardrobe but don’t hold your breath on hitting a jackpot in furniture or electronics.

Go there if: You love digging through absolute chaos to find your diamond in the rough.

There are several Goodwill stores throughout Asheville. You could make an entire day out of visiting them all!

7. LOST HUNT VINTAGE

Boho chic rugs, plush velvety cheers, and flowery vintage kitchenware. Need we say more?

These three ladies curate a beautiful selection of truly unique items. They have an outpost in Marshall at The Golden Hour Collective.

Our Find(s): We’ve yet to pull the trigger on any of their products… yet!

What we’re eyeing:  All. The. Rugs.

Our tip: If you don’t feel like making the trek to Marshall, we suggest following them on Instagram @losthuntvintage to see what’s in stock. 

Go there if: You’re looking for that statement piece and want to be inspired by a beautiful multi-purpose art studio and retail space.


And that’s our list. Have a favorite spot we missed? Send us a message and we’ll check it out!

Whether you’re coming in for a bachelorette party, vacation, someone’s wedding, or planning a big move, you’ll want to get to know Asheville’s many neighborhoods.

In this post, we take you through our initial thoughts on the area – an outsider’s take if you will. While we aren’t “local experts” quite yet, we’ve traveled to Asheville enough to get a good lay of the land.

Of course, after we spend some time living in Asheville, we will create an updated version of this post!

Downtown Asheville

As the name implies, this is the main part of the town. It’s “the city” most people think of when they think of Asheville. It’s relatively small (about seven to eight main blocks) and very walkable. There are plenty of restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, and hotels.

This is where you go on a date night out and where most of Asheville’s tourists roam.

We won’t even begin to list all of the places to eat and things to do in Downtown Asheville — yet. There are just too many and we’re just getting started! You’ll wind up in downtown when you visit and get a good sense of things on your own.

Instead, we’re going to dive into Asheville’s lesser-known neighborhoods located on the outskirts. These are the spots highlight some spots we consider to be worth the Uber/Lyft.

North Asheville

Let’s start with North Asheville because… well, why not?

This part of town is highly residential with many charming Southern homes and tree-lined sidewalks. It’s also home to the famous historic resort hotel, the Omni Grove Park Inn. The place is gigantic and — depending what you’re into — could be worth a visit or a stay. They probably have the largest fireplaces we’ve ever seen. And we haven’t even seen it yet (just caught a glimpse through a window).

One of the most beautiful areas of North Asheville is Montford. This neighborhood is renowned for its quaint homes with lots of character and is just minutes from downtown. As such, real estate is relatively high-priced over here. Still, if you search hard enough, or time it just right, you might luck out on an affordable fixer-upper or shared space. It’s a great neighborhood to rent an AirBnB or stay in a proper B&B if you’re fancy!

Other notable North Asheville areas include Five Points and Charlotte Street. Both are about a mile north of Downtown Asheville. These areas are also known for their adorable houses and character-rich apartments, although they’re not quite as grandiose as some of the homes in Montford. For this reason, they tend to be a little more affordable.

Some of Asheville’s finest eateries are located in North Asheville including Nine Mile (a Caribbean-fusion local institution), Chiesa (high-quality, authentic Italian), and Gan Shan Station (Asian fusion). There’s also a lot of great food shopping in this part of town including Trader Joe’s, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods Market, and Chop Shop butcher.

Oh yeah – did we mention that we’re living in North Asheville? We’ll let you know what it’s like after a few months.  

West Asheville

When you come to Asheville, it’s almost impossible not to hear of the “other Asheville”  – namely West Asheville. While it’s not a perfect fit, it’s easy enough to consider West Asheville “the Brooklyn of Asheville.” It is where hipsters go to be hip, dive bar lovers go crawl dive bars, and anyone who wants to escape Downtown goes to escape.

As former Brooklyn dwellers ourselves, it’s hard for us to make a comparison but what we can say is that West Asheville, with its mix of light industrial, commercial, and old-and-new homes it is definitely an “up-and-coming” area that is clearly going through a renaissance.

For context, the city of Asheville is sliced by the French Broad River. Downtown is to the east of the river and West Asheville, go figure, is to the west. There are two main areas of West Asheville you should know about: Haywood Road (the main drag in West Asheville) and the River Arts District (which is west of downtown mostly east of the river).

Haywood Road is where you’ll find lots of restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. It’s pretty walkable (we walked most of it on our first visit) although some pockets are busier than others, so if you have a car it may be useful here. We’re regulars of Flora – a fusion florist-coffee shop that we’ve stopped in every time we’ve been West of French Broad. It’s also worth highlighting that everyone raves about Hole Doughnuts and we’ve heard amazing things about The Admiral (lunch/dinner/cocktail spot). They’re high on our list of places to patronize once we’re in Asheville full-time.

Note: While we haven’t experienced any of it ourselves, word on the street is that some parts of West Asheville can get a bit sketchy at night. The last time we visited before moving, we were explicitly looking into houses and apartments in West Asheville. That’s when we realized that West Asheville has recently experienced robberies and assaults. So, as is the case everywhere, it’s best to stay alert and travel by car if you can – especially after the sun’s gone down.

The River Arts District is just as the name implies: art studios, scattered along the banks of the French Broad River. It’s west of downtown but on the east bank of the river so we’re counting it in West Asheville.

Because this area draws so much tourism, more and more eateries and breweries are popping up. Some of our favorites include “The Foundation” complex which is home to Wedge Brewery, 12 Bones BBQ (where Obama made its claim to fame by calling it “his favorite BBQ in North Carolina”), and Summit Coffee. What more could you need? Barbecue, beer, and coffee. We’re pretty sure that will be our official Asheville diet but time will tell.

East Asheville

This part of Asheville is still very much a mystery to us. East Asheville seems like mostly highways, some commercial shopping complexes, and restaurant chains. If you go far enough East you’ll get to Black Mountain —which we hear great things about as a cute small town and a place to buy a home— and if you go even further you’ll run into the edge of the Pisgah National Forest. A lot of people have talked about Swannanoa for housing. We haven’t explored much to the east yet ourselves, but it seems like there could be a number of beautiful, quiet places to live only about 20 minutes East of the city.

And that’s all we have to say about that (so far).

South Asheville

We jokingly call South Asheville “Biltmore Land” a half-assed attempt to draw a parallel to Disney. The main attractions of this neighborhood are the Biltmore Mansion, a residential home with 36 guest rooms (read: is big enough of a deal to deserve its own post), and the Biltmore Village, which looks like something from Hansel and Gretel in the shape of a luxury retirement home that’s filled with retail shops (think Jos.A Banks and Ann Taylor Loft).

All joking aside, there are a lot of great places to eat and shop in this area, including The Corner Kitchen and Well-Bred Bakery and Cafè. We haven’t tried Bruegger’s Bagels yet but we suspect when our New York cravings start kicking in, we’ll venture over there.

South Asheville is also where the airport is located — just about 25 minutes away from downtown. It has some great, affordable housing options. Arden and Fletcher both seem to be popular areas for real estate!


And that’s all we got for now. We’ll be sure to update this post in a few months’ time after we’ve settled in and gotten to know the area better.

Want to know more about things to do, eat, and see in Asheville? You’ve come to the right place! Stay in the loop by signing up for our mailing list below.

Perhaps you’re thinking about moving to Asheville but aren’t quite sure if it’s the right place for you. We get it, deciding to move is scary. There are a ton of unknowns. Alas, we took the leap – and detailed our top four reasons for making the move in this post. Whether or not you think you’ll ever move to Asheville check it out!

Where the grass isn’t greener

We had a pretty stable life in Brooklyn: cushy Manhattan office jobs, an apartment with a beautiful wall of exposed brick, and an active social life. Things were good.

Still, we couldn’t help feeling like something was missing. One day while on vacation, we sat down and talked about far out in the future (we now call it a 13-hour Offsite). What did we want our life to look like in 5, 10, or even 20 years?

What we noticed was that New York was nowhere in the picture. Instead, we both dreamed of a slower-paced lifestyle, greener land, and far less noise. The kind of place where we could wake up in the morning and have coffee on our back porch while listening to the birds chirp and leaves rustle in the wind.

Ok, we know. It sounds like some sad “the grass is always greener on the other side” story. But for both of us, this realization was a red flashing siren that we needed to change something in our lives – and while we loved New York for many reasons, we knew the city just wasn’t going to be able to give that dream to us.

Deciding Where to Move to Next

So we started thinking where we could move to next.

What did we want in our new city or town? We each made a list of criteria and started brainstorming cities. We’ll detail that whole process in another post, but suffice it to say that Asheville kept bubbling up to the top.

After months of thought and multiple visits, we made our decision to move.

The Top 4 Reasons Why We Moved to Asheville

Keep in mind, it’s one thing to say you fell in love with a city — but moving there is an entirely different story.

So what made us fall in love with Asheville and move there?

Here are the top four reasons we decided to make the move:

The Blue Ridge Mountains:

Asheville is surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and that all it takes is a short 15 to 20 minute drive to get to the nearest trails.

Being close to nature was a top priority for us. We were hardly getting any nature in Brooklyn. We’d take trips up the Hudson Valley for hikes but from our apartment to the nearest trails was easily over two hours — all by unforgiving and uncooperative public transit.

Asheville’s Amazing Weather:

The consensus is that weather in Asheville is decidedly mild.

When we visited in August, it got warm during the day (high 80s), but it tended to cool off at night (low 70s).

When we visited again in February, it was cold two days — especially because it was windy. The other day, it was 68 degrees and sunny. Still, most locals told us that it doesn’t get below freezing for very long and it rarely snows. When it does snow, the combination of altitude and sun melts the snow almost immediately — in the neighborhoods.

The Population of Asheville:

There are about 90,000 people in Asheville. We liked that there was a “downtown” with city vibe, but also plenty of other neighborhoods to explore and that nothing was more than a 10- to 15-minute drive.

The downtown area is highly walkable (about 7 or 8 blocks) with many small neighborhood communities, like West Asheville’s Haywood Street, building upon the outskirts. This was perfect for us.

Asheville feels like a “big town” where we could potentially make an impact. Some people love the excitement of the Big Pond. We each seem to prefer the opportunity to be in a friendly pond. By choosing a city that was large enough to have neighborhood communities we felt like we’d be able to have a small town feel, without totally letting go of the diversity of stuff to do that you only get in a city.

Asheville’s Community and Hospitality:

Ultimately, the deciding factor for us was the hospitality of the community.

Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming, from our very first visit. Not a single person balked when asked for advice on where to eat and drink — or more recently when we asked for perspective on the neighborhoods and tips as we prepared to move.

There’s a lot of support for local businesses and enthusiasm for entrepreneurs. Hearing about the growth of the artists community in the River Arts District and the plans for its future is inspiring. The locals are warm and seem to have set the tone for the large number of transplants who are now trying to pay it forward.

We can’t wait to join that demographic of transplants paying it forward and we’re excited to interview many of them on our podcast!

When are you making the move?

Thinking about making a move? Let us know where you are in your process — we’d love to be a resource.

Already here? What is it that you love about Asheville that brought you here?