I walked by Gold Hill Espresso and Fine Teas yesterday and snapped a few shots of this impromptu memorial to Alvy Alvarez, the shopworker-turned-owner and manager who sadly took his own life last week.
His death shocked Ashvegas. People are stil stunned. I want to thank JJ for commenting on an earlier post. I didn’t mean to insinuate that a breakout with a loved one a year ago factored into his decision to take his own life. It’s clear that he battled depression. Exactly how he died, and the contents of the note he left, are only the realm of speculation absent any official disclosure.
Alvy will be remembered by friends and loved ones at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Orange Peel. I’ve heard some of his friends say that he would have loved people to come celebrate his life in outrageous costume.
Also, a fund has been established in Alvy’s memory. In lieu of flowers, people should send donations to the Alvy Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1888, Asheville, NC 28802.
For more of Alvy, in his own words, go here.