Asheville News

On the streets of Ashvegas: China Palace, East Buffet buildings demolished

Jason Sandford June 9, 2011

Jason Sandford

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

Demolition worked continued Friday morning on two restaurant locations along Tunnel Road. The China Palace restaurant, near the Kmart shopping center and across the street from the Asheville Mall, is now just a pile of rubble. A big backhoe took down a large tree on the lot this morning. Just ripped it down. Some type of new retail location will replace the China Palace.

Meantime, a construction crew was cleaning up the remnants of the old East Buffet restaurant on Tunnel Road just north of the ABC store. The restaurant sat at that busy intersection where you can get on and off I-240. Word is that a Gorilla Car Wash is going in there.

Jason Sandford

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

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13 Comments

KC June 25, 2011

found a pic of it …. someones gotta go find it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/claddaghlove/823318321/in/photostream/

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DRT June 15, 2011

Isle of Man — it was located in front of the old box office. There was (and may still be) a plaque in the sidewalk concrete with the dates on it.

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Isle of Man June 14, 2011

DRT – Where was the time capsule located? Inside the building somewhere?

I will miss that place dearly. I think the last movie I saw there was National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. I still drove around it occasionally when I was in that area, shame it's gone…

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DRT June 13, 2011

So the old Terrace Theater is gone now too? Such a shame. I had always sort of hoped that the Fine Arts would open another location there since parking at their downtown location is such a hassle (not that I ever expected them to do so, but it was a dream.)

The old Terrace Theater had a time capsule to be opened 100 years after they first opened. I wonder what will become of it.

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Orbit DVD June 13, 2011

Damn Bill, I was eyeballing that theater. It was in great shape and in a secure location…

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bill June 13, 2011

In more Tunnel Road demolition news, the old theater behind the Innsbruck Mall is now level too

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AM June 11, 2011

Why would they bother putting a new retail space where China Palace was when all that space in the KMart Plaza is, and has been, empty for years?

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Sean June 10, 2011

Anyone know the back story?

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DRT June 10, 2011

Anyone know why China Palace closed in the first place?

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Orbit DVD June 10, 2011

When I was working at the Tunnel Rd. Blockbuster the owner of China Palace called me a "son of a bitch.". I mistakenly greeted him with "hey" instead of "hello" when he walked into the store.

I don't hold grudges though. Hope he's doing ok.

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Foodie June 10, 2011

China Palace was one of the best, if not THE best place for authentic Chinese food in Asheville, beautifully prepared and always fresh. Can a reader please tell us if the owners/chefs are opening elsewhere?

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Sam June 10, 2011

Please tell me the hot dog king beside it wasn't also demolished! I'd hate to lose 2 locations so quickly.

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Gary June 10, 2011

Kind of ironic, what with all the concerns about China these days, that the two restaurants to be reduced to rubble at the same time, are Chinese restaurants. Now, if we could JUST do something about all that plastic crap at Wal-mart!

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