So a little bird told me the big building on the corner of Haywood and Patton has a new lease. Has anyone ever wondered what the rent is? I was shocked at the price but figured one day Ingles would make it a gas station. Any guesses as to who is opening up there? Think national.
Commenters on the thread have been throwing out a ton of guesses – listing everything from a Big Lots to an REI store to a big development in the style of Biltmore Park. The site was once home to an Ingle’s grocery store, and then a Rush gym for a short time. It has been sitting vacant for several years. Anyone have any intel?
I’ve been chronicling the Haywood Road building boom, which really took off last year and appears to be rolling right along this year. Here’s a recap of 2013 action:
The opening of several new restaurants and businesses along Haywood Road in 2013 moved West Asheville into “destination” territory, right alongside the River Arts District and downtown Asheville. Here’s a quick look at some of what’s going on on Haywood Road: Wood & Spoon vintage home goods store opens; The Brew Pump bar-in-a-gas-station opens; The Mothlight music venue opens; Burgermeister’s closed and the Barleycorn gastropub opened in its place; the Haywood Cyclery bike shop opened. Restaurants in the works along Haywood Road but not yet open: Nine Mile West, King Daddy’s Chicken & Waffles, the doughnut shop Hole and Buffalo Nickel restaurant. Second Gear remodeled and expanded, and the Rhetorical Factory shop is in also in the works. Owners of the Asheville Sandwich Shop bought the former Digable Pizza building and announced plans for a new eatery there. (There’s a new coffee shop, called Odd’s Cafe, in the works next door to the former Digable. And there’s a new honey bar coming to Haywood Road in February.)
Keep an eye on even more development as work continues on New Belgium Brewing’s new $175 million East Coast Brewery nearby.
29 Comments
OH please let it be a pizza taco brewery pinball arcade wig store head shop!!!!
I say bring back the New Age mini mall. The one next to Earth Fare was way ahead of its time.
Actually, I heard that West Asheville is planning to secede from the rest of the city, and that corner is going to be the new City of West Asheville government center. I thought I even heard Jason was going to be mayor.
Ingles Markets is still the owners as of today, January 22nd, 2014
it’s most definitely going to be a brewery/food truck lot/ indie grocery store/coffee shop. I know someone, who is almost completely positive that it is probably going to be that.
Not a Trader Joe’s? And a Chipotle?
It’s a new head shop with Kim’s Wigs, Bedtime Stories & Octopus’ Garden going in as partners
I’m totally cool with Kim’s Wigs.
no way that 2 REI”s would be in Asheville (especially 15 minutes apart)
yawn.
And don’t forget the greeting card/gift shop Whist.
And Urban Orchard
CrossFit AVL relocated to Haywood Road in 2013 Ash. It’s where you get your pumpatude!
Yes!
What someone told me is that Ingles holds onto property so other grocery stores cannot move into them. If that’s true and they still own it, then I would rule out anything food related.
The firm behind the form based code was predicting that this particular area will become multi-use developments due to its zoning. We’ll see.
Your source is wrong. No company would carry the costs of a building and associated taxes to attempt to keep out a competitor, when the potential competitor has countless other options. Nice conspiracy story, though.
There are a few parcels of land (including one on Charlotte St. near the shell station) that ingles does own and hasn’t developed for decades. That can (and do) hold on to land previously held by their stores (the Charlotte St. location used to have an ingles which burned down in the early 90’s) for some time. there may be some truth to that ‘conspiracy’ rumor.
The lot is definitely owned by Ingles. You can look it up in the property records. You can also look up the rental listing, which states: Building restricted against any competing use with the grocery store i.e. bakery; video sales; pharmacy; butcher shop; produce stand.
The hold for two reasons: One, to keep Competitors out (fo sho)(sorry)
Two: In the need of future growth.
Sorry to say, but companies definitely hold on to land to keep competitors out, in some cases it’s the best money they’ve ever ‘wasted’
Don’t be sorry, Mike. Never be sorry for helping people escape their state of ignorance.
Really? Didn’t work out too well with the arrival of Aldi, Harris T, Trader Joe’s and Publix. Are they supposed to buy up all Asheville land to “keep competitors out”.
No actually you are wrong. As far back as the late ’60 & early ’70’s that building was an Ingles grocery store. Actually outside of the Black Mountain store, it was one of the first Ingles around. It closed in the early ’90’s when Ingles bought the old Winn Dixie store on the corner of Louisiana and Haywood, and built the store that is there now. Although it is leased through John Spake Reality, the land is still owned by Ingles, and I’m sure they’re keeping control of it so no new grocery stores go in there. Actually I think Aldi wanted to buy the property at one time, but Ingles refused, so they ended up building a store a few hundred feet away.
The Charlotte St property that Ingles has (which has been a eyesore for the longest time) is the best example of this phenomenon. Does someone have the full story on that one? Wasn’t there an issue where the City/DOT wouldn’t let them break some ordinances, so Ingles won’t ever sell the property?
I heard the Charlotte Street Ingle’s was one that burned completely. I do not know what actually happened. How long has the store been gone?
Dragon, yes, the Charlotte Street Ingles burned to the ground. I can’t remember how long ago…
This is true. Ingle’s Markets prohibits specific uses from competing with them (i.e. bakery, video sales, pharmacy, butcher shop, produce stand). Not only do you rule out food stores, you can rule out pharmacies, video rental (nearly extinct) and dollar/discount stores also.
As for Ingle’s Markets, expanding store #5 (699 Haywood Road) is impossible with the location. I do not know if they would be able to add a pharmacy department at that location or at store #2 (7 Leicester Highway). I am not much a patron of CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreen’s.
Combo Nail Salon and Pizza Place
Publix maybe?
I would doubt it. If Ingle’s Markets owns the property, it is highly doubtful to allow a competing grocer to locate on their sites.
As for Publix, they build their stores organically new from the ground up. In rare situations would they acquire stores from competitors and refurbish them to their specifications. Publix acquired seven Bi-Lo store sites in Mecklenburg County and York County of South Carolina. Those stores are undergoing complete overhaul, with one undergoing complete demolition, before reopening.