For sale: Rosetta’s Kitchen, an Asheville institution serving vegan/vegetarian food since 2002

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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rosettas_asheville_2015Rosetta’s Kitchen, a beloved vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Asheville since 2002, is for sale.

The restaurant, located at 116 N. Lexington Ave., is known for as much for its delicious food as it is for the community-centered approach of its founder, Rosetta Buan. (For example, the restaurant has meals available to people who can pay on a sliding scale, and it allows people to pay a meal forward my donating.) About a year ago, the restaurant opened a unique buchi bar, and a few years prior to that, Buan launched a retail and wholesale line of frozen foods.

Here’s the craigslist ad for Rosetta’s:

Unique vegetarian and vegan restaurant ready for business leadership and growth partner. Ive got the brand and concept, you bring the business savvy and skills, lets see where it can grow.

Offering a respected and widely known brand, concept, recipes, two locations, two models to work from and develop, including a retail and wholesale frozen foods line, favorable long term lease, full permits, and a deeply loyal fan base of thirteen years, over a million a year in sales currently and so much more potential.

We are not your average cafe and this opportunity is not for the average investor. This deal is for someone who is serious about being part of the solution via social entrepreneurship and whom has the business skills to steer this vessel to greatness. Our social capital, vision, and groundwork are invaluable.

We are ready to offer a majority of our company to the right person with the sufficient resources and skills to take what we have and develop and fine tune it. Accepting proposals and offers immediately. We are ready to act, its for this entity to blossom.
25% for 100,000 (experienced operating partner only under 51% ), or
51% for 250,000 – 100% for 450,000
franchisee options entertained
do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers

Here’s more about Rosetta’s, from the restaurant website:

We are downtown Asheville’s whole-foods kitchen & cafe. We serve lunch, dinner, late night, and Sunday brunches as well as our whole menu. We have been open since 2002 and have been serving our extended family, friends, and wanderer throughers, creative vegetarian and vegan soul foods out of our colorful space at a brisk pace all these years.

We have hosted hundreds of benefits, art shows, and musicians, we have fed the homeless, the wealthy, a good handful of celebrities, and everyone in between.

We have nourished everyone who has passed through our doors in the best ways we know how… We are owned by the Wezeltown tribe, managed by a handful of dedicated employees who are currently working on a plan to become a collectively operated business. The hard working staff, that almost seems to live at the Kitchen, are a dedicated bunch that only put up with the cramped space and constant chaos because of a love for food and/or the philosophy of the establishment. .

We are frequented by a constant flow of creative souls of a wide spectrum, foodies, health nuts, vegans, vegetarians, and curious tourists. Please stop in, say hello, and allow us to feed you. It is always an honor.

Image link for Rosetta’s.

Thanks to loyal reader Jen for the heads-up on this.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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8 Comments

  1. Tim Peck December 2, 2015

    Sad to see Rosetta’s serving up its last cauldron of mystery stew.

    Reply
  2. Jen December 1, 2015

    Yes, I have to admit is seems odd. A business that has been thriving and a staple of Lexington Ave. for a long time needing capital or new ownership?
    Seems she does not own the building so you would be buying the equipment, name, and retail food line?
    I think many associate her with the restaurant so it would be a challenge for someone taking it over to keep her customers.
    I don’t know, I haven’t been in there since the early 2000’s. All their food gave me intestinal distress on a bad level. Many I know loved their food though.

    Reply
  3. nt December 1, 2015

    After being a patron of Rosetta’s for 5+ years, I stopped going a year ago. The quality of food has gone down as the cost has increased, and the majority of the staff tends to be rude and too hip for anyone else.

    Hopefully this place can be salvaged.

    Reply
  4. indie499 November 30, 2015

    When a company’s “social capital” is invaluable, they are generally not profitable.

    That is truly one bizarro ad. All over the place in equity offers and buried within is a reference to the employees trying to put together a plan to become a collectively operated business.

    May be an interesting place. May have good food. Sounds like a financial mess.

    Reply
    1. chris November 30, 2015

      “Sounds like a financial mess.”

      WTF are you talking about?

      Reply
      1. indie499 December 3, 2015

        Rosetta’s. If you think that ad screams “success”, you’re as clueless as the author.

        Reply
    2. nahnah December 1, 2015

      total financial disaster. stay away. this is borderline fraud, advertising the business this way. highly doubt it’s worth half a mil, even if the place was making any money.

      Reply
  5. Helen November 30, 2015

    So what is the background scoop. Why?

    Reply

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