SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The long wait for a new Ingles in Swannanoa may soon be over.
Ingles Markets has submitted plans to Buncombe County to rebuild its grocery store off U.S. Highway 70, which was permanently closed after Tropical Storm Helene flooded the site. The new store, planned for 2317 U.S. 70, would be 95,391 square feet — a significant expansion from the former 65,542-square-foot location.
“The proposed new Ingles Markets store is going to look very similar to the existing damaged Ingles, just on a larger scale,” the applicant narrative submitted to the county said. “The proposed SUP is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood as the rest of the adjacent properties are also commercial businesses.”
The plans, filed Sept. 9, call for demolishing damaged buildings on the property to make way for the new store. Ingles is also seeking a special use permit from the Buncombe County Board of Adjustment, which is scheduled to consider the proposal Oct. 8.
The project includes an Ingles gas station, car wash and three additional retail spaces totaling about 10,000 square feet.
The new store would offer 620 traditional parking spaces, 13 semitruck spaces and 18 car wash vacuum stations. Ingles officials said they plan to begin construction as soon as possible once permits are approved.
Helene caused tens of millions of dollars in losses for Ingles Markets after devastating Western North Carolina in late September, according to the company’s latest quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Sept. 27, 2024, storm brought catastrophic flooding, widespread power and communication outages, water shortages, major road closures and loss of life across the region.
Ingles reported a $30.4 million impairment loss tied to inventory that was damaged or destroyed, along with a $4.5 million property and equipment impairment loss for the year ending Sept. 28, 2024. The company said it received $1 million in insurance proceeds the following month.
Those figures do not include future repair or rebuilding costs, or revenue lost from store closures and electronic payment disruptions, the company said. Ingles’ distribution center was also impacted but returned to full operations within two weeks.
Four Ingles stores sustained damage that forced temporary closures. One has since reopened, and the company expects the remaining three to reopen sometime in 2025.
In the quarter ending Dec. 28, 2024, Ingles reported spending about $5.4 million on cleanup and repair costs related to Helene.