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photo by Rebecca D'Angelo
“Unusual Civic Spirit Prevails!” That was the headline about West Asheville in a lengthy 1937 article about the area in the Asheville Citizen-Times. The “home of the working man,” as the reporter dubbed this part of town, was noted not only for its “comfortable living conditions” and neighborhood garden clubs, but for its close-knit sense of community and the self-reliant attitudes of its “thrifty” residents: hosiery factory workers, beauty salon owners and “a number of craftsmen who own their own businesses.”
Back then, backyard chickens supplied most homes with eggs and the Isis Theater on Haywood Road provided the entertainment until 1960 when “going down to the river” to watch the races at the New Asheville Motor Speedway became the big thing on Friday nights. But when Asheville slipped into economic decline in the 1960s, working-class West Asheville was especially hard hit, and the area’s new nickname “Worst Asheville” didn’t exactly bolster community pride.
“This was not a cool place to live when we bought here,” says Keith Wright, a photographer who, with his wife and business partner Wendy, has lived in the neighborhood for a decade. “People parked their cars in their front yards and Haywood was just tired, broken-down buildings.”
What West Asheville had going for it during those years was a substantial inventory of houses that the neighborhood’s early craftsmen had built—available for tens of thousands of dollars less than comparable homes across the river, closer to downtown. Many of the young, first-time homebuyers who were discovering Asheville were willing to overlook the neighborhood’s down-at-the-heels appearance to get a bargain on a cute bungalow. In just a few years, West Asheville went from “worst” to “first” in the minds of a new generation of thrifty, self-reliant residents.
But as the housing market was taking off, West Asheville’s business district wasn’t keeping pace. When residents Krista Sterns and Cathy Cleary started looking for a location for a proposed bakery in 2000, a run-down spot on Haywood Road (then occupied by a church called God’s Filling Station) turned out to be the most affordable option around.
“When there are churches in storefronts, you know you’ve got a lot of underutilized commercial space,” says Lewis Lankford, Stearns’ husband and the pair’s current business partner. As the team renovated the space for the bakery, people would stop by and give them encouragement for bringing a much-needed service to the neighborhood.
The opening of West End Bakery in 2001 proved something a turning point for West Asheville and within the year the Haywood Road Market Community Co-op and the Westville Pub had also opened on Haywood. From there, the business district’s redevelopment progressed at warp speed, adding restaurants, shops and services such as the salon Beauty Parade in 2002 and Orbit DVD in 2003.
Keith Wright bought the old West Asheville Post Office in 2004 and turned it into a photography studio. Not long after, the Bledsoe Building, which houses the Co-op, was also fully restored, adding more retail and office space to the mix.
More recently, West Asheville’s resurgence has spread down Haywood to the area now being called East West Asheville. In 2007, gastro-pub hotspot The Admiral opened there, and in early 2008 the Rocket Club came onto the scene. Several chic but affordable boutiques opened in 2008, and café-bakery Short Street Cakes opened in February, all ensuring that West Ashevillians never needed to cross the river to eat, drink, shop or dance late night again.
But perhaps more remarkable than the actual renaissance of West Asheville is the way in which it was achieved: not by outside investors and big-box retailers, but by local residents providing each other with goods and services that keep spending in the community. That same old civic spirit, it turned out, was still alive in West Asheville and is still part of what makes the area distinct today.
Every Wednesday afternoon in the late spring and summer, there’s a tailgate market behind the parking lot between the bakery and the food co-op, giving neighbors easy access to locally grown food. There’s a growing number of community gardens, and a thriving babysitting co-op as well. But West Asheville residents say the sense of community goes well beyond that.
“On a summer night, I can go to literally dozens of front porches and talk to my neighbors,” says Marc McCloud who owns Orbit DVD on Haywood and lives nearby. “I’ve lived in many places, but the openness in West Asheville is unlike anything I’ve experienced before.”
Much has been said and written about West Asheville’s young hip vibe, but the neighborhood still hasn’t let go of its working-class roots, and local residents like it that way. “I love the low-rider shops, the tattoo parlors, the bible stores, yoga studios and the appliance stores,” says McCloud. It’s a perfect blend and I don’t want it to change.”
Since the young couples who bought here a decade ago have started families, many have found themselves a little too cozy in the two-bedroom, one-bath homes that were just right for two. But in the typical West Asheville community spirit, some are choosing to add on to their houses rather than leave the neighborhood, and others are building energy-efficient green homes. In this part of town, community spirit seems to be the ultimate renewable resource.
Real Estate: A renovated, three-bedroom, one-bath craftsman bungalow in West Asheville currently sells for around $240,000. Condos at the now-under-construction Sulphur Springs Condominiums (which will be the first LEED-certified, mixed-use development in Asheville) start at $119,000.
Dining and Nightlife: The epicenter of the West Asheville renaissance, West End Bakery (757 Haywood Road, 252-9378) offers bread and pastries baked fresh every day, as well as breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is served all day at Sunny Point Cafe (626 Haywood Road 252-0055). But the creative diner is also open for lunch and dinner. The Lucky Otter (630 Haywood Road, 253-9595) offers beer and burritos of all varieties in a funky casual atmosphere. Burgermeister’s (697-A Haywood Road, 225-2920) is renowned for its fat, juicy burgers and other family favorites. Something’s always happening at the Westville Pub (777 Haywood Road, 225-9782), whether it’s live music, outdoor movies in summer, a knitting group or book club meeting or just a meal with friends. Step in to Taqueria Gonzalez (747 Haywood Road, 232-6780) for authentic (that means no heavy cheese sauce and lots of spice) Mexican food (speaking a little Spanish is helpful). Two Spoons Ice Cream (721 Haywood Road, 252-5155) is a newcomer on the scene, but has already developed a loyal following for its inspired flavors and homemade waffle cones.
They roast their own—in small slow batches—at Bean Werks Coffee and Tea (753 Haywood Road, 254-7766). There’s a blend for every taste, including a respectable selection of organic, fair-trade varieties. Also catering to the earth-and-health-oriented appetite, Digable Pizza (794 Haywood Road, 255-8586) offers organic and spelt pizza crusts covered with traditional or unconventional toppings. It’s hard to say what The Admiral (400 Haywood Road, 252-2541) is better known for: its upscale, gastro-pub menu, which changes daily, its signature drinks or its weekend DJs (and occasional live music). Just over the road, The Rocket Club (401 Haywood Road, 505-2494) features live music, a great sound system and “no attitude.”
Shopping: To stock your pantry and support the regional economy, pick up fresh local produce and other eco-conscious products at the Haywood Road Market Community Co-op (771 Haywood Road, 225-4445). Have a hot-bar or salad-bar lunch while you’re there. For potent potables, stop by Hops and Vines (797 Haywood Road, 252-5275). They have an impressive selection of beer and wine, plus all the home brewing equipment you could ever need.
Trendy Westsiders have a selection of shops to satisfy their sartorial yearnings. Ship to Shore (426 Haywood Road, 242-1378) features form-fitting handmade garments by local clothing designer Brooke Priddy. Custom Hers and Home Boutique (415-A Haywood Road, 257-4007) is equal parts hip clothing store and high-quality home accessory import store, featuring hand-carved furniture and unique accessories from Mexico.
Nature-friendly clothes and accessories for babies are the specialty at The Littlest Birds (647 Haywood Road, 253-4747). Twice Round (667 Haywood Road, 225-6500) lets West Ashevillians wear their “reduce, reuse, recycle” philosophy on their backs with pre-owned and consignment clothes.
That obscure little indie or foreign film you can’t find anywhere else may just be available for sale or rent at Orbit DVD (781 Haywood Road, 251-1337). Unique, letter-pressed cards imprinted with saucy sentiments and handmade books are on hand at Blue Barnhouse (428-B Haywood Road, 225-3991) where you can also order custom books or stationary. You could spend hours looking through the stacks of new and used vinyl and CDs (as well as magazines, DVDs and books) at Harvest Records (415-B Haywood Road, 258-2999).
Culture: If you’ve ever wanted to hand craft a journal, as well as write in one, BookWorks (428 1/2 Haywood Rd, 255-8444) offers book arts classes along with frequent shows of local artists and benefit events. Explore the fascinating world of medicinal plants and fungi, as well as a wide range of alternative healing arts, at the Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism (2 Westwood Place, 350-1221). They offer classes for all skill levels and educational summer camps for kids.
Recreation: First an airfield for daredevil fliers, then a motor speedway that hosted several major NASCAR events, Carrier Park (Amboy Road) is now a recreation area with a bike track (known as “the mellowdrome”), playground and in-line skating rink.
