ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — When Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina in September 2024, major damage was done to one of the region’s biggest industries: its restaurants.

Asheville, in particular, has racked up a reputation as a foodie town over the last 20 years, sporting a diverse food and drink scene made up of James Beard Award-winning restaurants, accessible local eateries and a long list of micro-breweries, distilleries and coffee shops.

As our community looks back at the Sept. 27, 2024 storm that knocked out power grids, polluted drinking water and shuttered restaurants, 828newsNOW checked in on the state of the WNC food and beverage industry.

Ask AIR

“When we heard the stats from FEMA last year, that 40% of businesses never even reopened, that was a scary, scary number,” recalled Meghan Rogers, executive director of the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, or AIR.

AIR serves a network of over 100 restaurants, each founded and operated in Buncombe County by local owners. Benefits of joining the organization include internal and external marketing, advocacy and training resources, and health, pharmacy and dental benefit programs for employees of member restaurants.

Data from Explore Asheville and Mountain BizWorks has indicated that around 90-93% of their partner businesses have reopened in the last year, many of which are restaurants.

According to Rogers, these numbers are encouraging.

“I think we are in stabilization, if not maybe past stabilization at this point,” Rogers said. “I know a lot of people are really excited and feeling a lot of energy about this 4th quarter, and our leaf season into our holiday season, that we, of course, didn’t get last year.”

Challenges restaurants still face

Even as restaurants are back on the rise, Helene’s impact is still felt.

“There’s obviously still some some challenges that people face, whether it’s on an individual level or on a business level,” Rogers admitted.

In a recent AIR recovery survey, members said two challenges they were still experiencing most were increased operational expenses and the need for additional and continual recovery support.

“A lot of people, because they didn’t get their fall season, they either went into debt or used their nest egg to then get through these times that we had over the last few months,” Rogers explained. “So, it’s really about getting back to that point where you have that cushion again, and I don’t think everyone is there yet.”

For restaurants that are struggling financially, Rogers has a list of available resources that might help.

“Financial support in the form of, primarily, grants or forgivable loans. Still saying it. I’m still saying it,” Rogers said. “The city is working through their process for their CDBG–DR grant funds and that is $17 million that will go to small business support, which is amazing, but not nearly enough.

“But I think it’s also increased customer demand, and working here, I hear every single day what’s going on with the team here and how they’re working so hard to bring that customer demand, that tourism demand, back and get people more customers.”

Rogers also recommended exploring www.wncstrongtogether.org, a resource hub with lists of available grants and recovery loans.

New restaurants on the way

In addition to recuperating restaurants, there are several new eateries that have announced their debut in recent weeks.

“It is really exciting to see some of the restaurants that are opening or the folks that had huge damage, like Root Down. It’s now opened in both Terra Nova locations. Ole’s Guacamoles is moving her Tunnel Road location over to Biltmore Village,” Rogers listed. “Zella’s Deli just reopened on Tunnel Road after their Swananoa location was just absolutely devastated and destroyed. So, seeing that resilience is amazing, but then, yes, the people that are opening. Crusco. I was just at Brü the other day. Asheville’s Finest just had their soft opening this week.”

According to Rogers, these restauranteurs are opening their doors not because of the impact Helene had on Asheville, but in spite of it.

“There’s a gumption there. To open a restaurant anywhere, at any time, is a challenge and it’s a low margin revenue-generating business, but they do it because they love to cook and they love to feed people,” Rogers said. “I think it’s that. I think it’s a personality. I think, yes, enough time has passed, but also Asheville is, and always will be, a food-centric location. That’s not going to change, and these folks know that, and they’re ready to be part of it and to invest in it.”

For more information about AIR or other local Asheville restaurants, visit www.airasheville.org or www.exploreasheville.com.