Rumors swirl about large new development at the corner of Haywood Road and Patton Avenue

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Jason Sandford

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

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corner_haywood_road_and_patton_2014West Asheville residents are wondering what might be coming to the corner of Patton Avenue and Haywood Road following this post on the popular West Asheville Exchange group on Facebook:

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.

 

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Jason Sandford

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

  • 1

29 Comments

  1. Biff January 23, 2014

    OH please let it be a pizza taco brewery pinball arcade wig store head shop!!!!

    Reply
    1. Orbit DVD January 23, 2014

      I say bring back the New Age mini mall. The one next to Earth Fare was way ahead of its time.

      Reply
  2. Barry January 22, 2014

    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.

    Reply
  3. weavervilleman January 22, 2014

    Ingles Markets is still the owners as of today, January 22nd, 2014

    Reply
  4. Mike January 22, 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.

    Reply
    1. smytty January 23, 2014

      Not a Trader Joe’s? And a Chipotle?

      Reply
  5. Neil January 22, 2014

    It’s a new head shop with Kim’s Wigs, Bedtime Stories & Octopus’ Garden going in as partners

    Reply
    1. Orbit DVD January 22, 2014

      I’m totally cool with Kim’s Wigs.

      Reply
  6. sarah January 22, 2014

    no way that 2 REI”s would be in Asheville (especially 15 minutes apart)

    Reply
  7. theOtherBarry January 22, 2014

    yawn.

    Reply
  8. chris January 21, 2014

    And don’t forget the greeting card/gift shop Whist.

    Reply
    1. Miss Daisy January 22, 2014

      And Urban Orchard

      Reply
  9. Russ January 21, 2014

    CrossFit AVL relocated to Haywood Road in 2013 Ash. It’s where you get your pumpatude!

    Reply
    1. Jason Sandford January 22, 2014

      Yes!

      Reply
  10. Orbit DVD January 21, 2014

    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.

    Reply
    1. indy January 22, 2014

      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.

      Reply
      1. adam arthur January 22, 2014

        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.

        Reply
      2. deb January 22, 2014

        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.

        Reply
      3. Mike January 22, 2014

        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’

        Reply
        1. randysavage January 22, 2014

          Don’t be sorry, Mike. Never be sorry for helping people escape their state of ignorance.

          Reply
        2. indie January 25, 2014

          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”.

          Reply
      4. Jason W January 23, 2014

        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.

        Reply
        1. USS Smiley January 23, 2014

          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?

          Reply
          1. Dragon February 9, 2014

            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?

            Reply
          2. Jason Sandford February 9, 2014

            Dragon, yes, the Charlotte Street Ingles burned to the ground. I can’t remember how long ago…

            Reply
    2. Dragon February 9, 2014

      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.

      Reply
  11. TuckerdogAVL January 21, 2014

    Combo Nail Salon and Pizza Place

    Reply
  12. weavervilleman January 21, 2014

    Publix maybe?

    Reply
    1. Dragon February 9, 2014

      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.

      Reply

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