Moe’s Southwest Grill coming to Merrimon Avenue in north Asheville

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UPDATE on Jan. 28, 2014: I’m getting plenty of questions about what’s going on as this building comes together on Merrimon Avenue, so I’m reposting. Here’s all I’ve got so far.

Original post from July 2013: Moe’s Southwest Grill is coming to 354 Merrimon Ave., according to this Beverly-Hanks post. Here are property details:

New development underway on North Asheville’s primary commercial corridor. Site located to the north of new Harris Teeter and Trader Joe’s groceries. Free-standing Moe’s Southwest Grill opening early 2014. This is a free-standing retail / office build-to-suit opportunity up to 4;900sf. Dedicated on site parking 30 spaces. Site Plan attached. Demographic Info on file. Contact Brad Freeman 828.242.1230.

Thanks to loyal reader R for the heads-up.

37 Comments

weavervilleman February 5, 2014 - 9:57 pm

Wish Moes SW Grill was in Weaverville instead…

Bob February 4, 2014 - 6:31 pm

I know the Incoming GM. He’ll make everyone feel welcome and train his employees well. I think you’ll love the atmosphere he will create.

Bosley March 18, 2014 - 2:27 pm

Hey, do you know how i can apply? Is it all online?

Neil January 29, 2014 - 9:53 am

I can’t wait to get a cup of hot fat

FDR January 28, 2014 - 1:54 pm

Always haters. If you don’t like chains then move to Rosman, NC. You will be safe forever. Jobs are more important then chain store location. I say move away, there is plenty of rural areas to move to that don’t have chain stores but I bet you all find something to complain about, especially no jobs.

Adam Jack January 28, 2014 - 3:16 pm

Well, if you think a nickel over minimum wage =’s a good job, I’d suggest you check your facts with an economist. Besides, having a community that cares is a good thing. Or, would you rather big business just run roughshod?

Adam Jack January 28, 2014 - 3:17 pm

So, the community cannot protest low-wage jobs?

Big Al January 29, 2014 - 2:10 pm

A low-wage job trumps NO JOB. (Unless you are a professional welfare mooch.)

Adam Jack January 29, 2014 - 4:32 pm

Name-calling? So uncivilized. Especially in response to a simple inquiry
You should know that many people who work for low-wage jobs qualify for food stamps due their inability to survive on such pitiful wages. Which means you, the taxpayer, are helping thousands of people right this minute. Or, we could pay them a living wage. Your choice.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/10/16/235398536/why-u-s-taxpayers-pay-7-billion-a-year-to-help-fast-food-workers

You can’t provide food and shelter for what a Moe’s pays their staff. The average age of a fast food employee is 27, so it’s not just kids who work there, either.

Big Al January 29, 2014 - 7:33 pm

How is calling someone who prefers NO JOBS while collecting welfare a mooch “uncivilized name-calling”. It is simple statement of fact.

I would call a member of the labor force who demands the “right” to a certain wage of employers, or implying that they do or do not “deserve” to open a business to be presumptuous and silly. How is that for “uncivilized”, Jack?

Adam Jack January 30, 2014 - 6:37 am

Again, it’s about being able to live at the wage you are paid. You seem averse to welfare (hope you never need it) but you mock those who are paid the least. Read these words, we are subsidizing those who’re paid the least. Wal-Mart, Target, McDOnalds, and other national low-wage places pay so little that their employees qualify for food stamps. These are full-time workers. So you, Mr’ get-yer-nads-off-my-money-ya-welfare-mooch are subsidizing huge companies payroll with YOUR taxes to the tune of SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS. If they( the companies) paid a living wage, you would NOT be subsidizing them. Makes sense to me, but I am not consumed with anger at those less fortunate than me to the point of blindness.

Fark January 30, 2014 - 8:44 am

As a self professed social liberal I still cannot get on the living wage bandwagon. Working fast food is not a career, it requires little skill and little self investment. If we subsidize this low skill work by paying higher than market forcing wages, then what incentive is there to work towards a higher skilled job. I don’t buy the too poor to afford to gain the skills to get a better job argument. My mother did it, as a single parent of four. It is my humble belief that a living wage for low-skill jobs will lead to higher unemployment in the long run.

Foothills Dweller January 30, 2014 - 2:31 pm

You’re right – the ones in the lower paying jobs who show enthusiasm and have some hustle about them, they will move up in life. Those who stand there with their mouths hanging open with a ‘duh’ look on their faces and can never remember my damn fork, they don’t deserve anything above minimum wage. Having some gumption doesn’t cost anything, education or not.

smytty January 30, 2014 - 3:43 pm

Wow. You guys are real asses.

How would you propose one move up the fast food chain and grasp that gold ring?

Certain industries thrive on being able to pay a class of people next-to-nothing for labor. It isn’t intended as a step-stool towards greater things, but rather as a cost-cutting measure to keep prices down. It isn’t like there are droves of people deciding “oh man, I could go get a job with potential or I could go work at McDonald’s.” It’s a last refuge for the desperate, and it’s a form of institutionalized class warfare.

Asheville is a tough place to get a job that pays a living wage (according to Just Economics, that’s $11.85/hr). Don’t belittle those folks who are at or below the poverty line please. It makes you look awfully petty.

Fark January 30, 2014 - 4:54 pm

@ Smytty

Hey man I an not an ass, in fact, I think I am a pretty good guy. I volunteer a lot of my time for the community and I said nothing petty at all. Now go grab your favorite stuffed animal, snuggle it close and be prepared to write personal hateful attacks about me because I am about to crack an egg of knowledge over your head.
Fast food work requires low skill, and gets a lot of low skilled workers, but they don’t have to be stuck in a low skilled position forever. Like I said before, fast food cashier is not a career, why should we treat it as though it should be? But it is a great place to gain work experience while gaining new skills at a place like AB Tech, the best community college in the good ol’ US of A. I have a lot of respect for the workers, I myself worked many a low skilled job while I educated myself in new skills to make myself marketable. That is how one proposal to move up and take a grasp that gold ring. Look at the LPN program at AB Tech, a one year program, take out financial aid for the $3k tuition and get out of school with a starting pay of $18/hr. or $37k median per salary.com http://www1.salary.com/NC/Asheville/Licensed-Practical-Nurse-salary.html
So no, I am not an ass, I just think giving a higher wage than the market (skill) forces dictate subsidizes the lack of skill and gives little motivation to seek out more self-improving skills.

Fark January 30, 2014 - 4:55 pm

Drop mike…….

smytty January 31, 2014 - 5:52 am

It isn’t all about the low cost of tuition. Please, from your elevated and educated perspective, explain how someone working two jobs or with children, or as a single parent carves time out of their work week for this magical one year program? At the minimum wage, many people work 2 or 3 jobs just to stay afloat. Doesn’t leave time for AB Tech classes.

My point is that “upward mobility” is a luxury afforded to a few. And expecting the rest to subsist on poverty wages just keeps the lowest wage workers in those lowest wage jobs. It is an institutionalized way to keep folks from climbing the ladder.

Our minimum wage is $7.25, the lowest in the US. Our cost of living in Asheville is significantly higher than other places in the state, much less other states that share our minimum wage.

Just Economics has set the Asheville Living Wage at $11.85 an hour. That is more than 50% higher than “minimum.” Read their calculations here, if you like http://justeconomicswnc.org/about-living-wage/

/hands you your mike, in case you want to relay more inspiring bootstrap hypotheticals… meantime, I will keep fighting for real liveable wages in Asheville

George "the" Bastard January 28, 2014 - 1:39 pm

All this outrage – c’mon guys, the folks who work at Chik-fil-a have to eat somewhere!

jim January 28, 2014 - 12:47 pm

WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?

Just what we need, another location of this horrible chain…

weavervilleman January 28, 2014 - 1:57 pm

Its not horrible. They do have organic meat 😉

Justin Clark August 16, 2013 - 1:11 pm

Totally great. Merrimon is on a roll. Since there is nothing on this land right now, and hasn’t been since the abandoned and rotting old mansion was razed, I can’t see how anyone would knock anything being built here. Moe’s is a popular restaurant that along with Homegrown, Frazier’s, and the Bar of Soap, will bring even more vibrance to this emerging node. Besides, it looks like they’re building it to more modern urbanist standards – seating in front, parking in the back. As someone living in the hood in question, I can tell you I’ll be hearing “Welcome to Moe’s!” every Monday once this thing opens.

Jason July 12, 2013 - 8:45 am

Awesome! Just what we need. Another chain taco/burrito fast food joint. Yay! Merrimon has lost every last bit of charm the neighborhood ever had. It’s like driving down a street in a Atlanta suburb now.

Kenny July 12, 2013 - 12:01 pm

I’ve lived here about 12 years and in that time period have never thought of Merrimon Ave. as having any charm.

Dusty January 28, 2014 - 3:30 pm

HA! Cheers to that. Took the words right out of my mouth.

Doug Cegelis January 28, 2014 - 8:28 pm

The charm lies in the fantastic slolom like course that is driving down Merrimon.

weavervilleman July 12, 2013 - 8:45 pm

I for one am glad Moes is coming. There aint much selection when it comes to burritos here in asheville. All the Local ones stink anyways.

Smytty July 13, 2013 - 2:20 pm

Neo Burrito, Lucky Otter, Urban Burrito, Mamacitas, Banditos – all pretty darned good options for take out burritos.

Not sure another burrito shack is what we really need, but more power to them.

sharon July 11, 2013 - 12:09 am

yuck

Murphy July 10, 2013 - 3:59 pm

oops, my bad … yes it is farther out …

but there is another restaurant of some sort planned for the HT site as well …
at least that is what was planned …

PBnJ July 10, 2013 - 2:35 pm

Looks to be the undeveloped space on the left if heading north just before Homegrown. A once residential site.

Dusty July 9, 2013 - 8:46 pm

Hmmm…I wonder if the Chipotle is still planning on opening in the “Kroger-Teeter” center?

Murphy July 10, 2013 - 8:47 am

I think there was only one other business allowed on that site because of zoning (the area behind the property is residential) and traffic issues … this would be it.

Dusty July 10, 2013 - 10:46 am

I am confused. This sounds like it is not in the actual shopping center but stand-alone and north of Harris Teeter. Jason…any idea?

Icenine July 10, 2013 - 12:05 pm

354 Merrimon is much further north of the Harris Teeter site.

Murphy July 10, 2013 - 4:01 pm

oddly enough the HT site address is 254 Merimon …

Nate January 31, 2014 - 6:27 am

I’m pretty sure that “one other business” is the Chik-fil-A that’s being built on the corner right now.

NFB January 28, 2014 - 4:56 pm

But isn’t Chipolote a, gasp, CHAIN?

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