Asheville's River Arts District
The River Arts District is a creative haven, with working artist studios and galleries filling former warehouses and mills.
Unfortunately, most of the area was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in 2024, but a few shops, restaurants, and galleries have reopened in the aftermath.
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What You'll Find In This Article
Hurricane Helene In The River Arts District
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene brought significant rainfall and flooding to Western North Carolina.
The storm caused widespread damage to the area, particularly in the River Arts District.
The River Arts District is home to many local shops, restaurants, and artist studios + galleries. Many artists lost their work, their tools, and their studios during this catastrophic natural disaster.
Though some businesses have been able to reopen after the storm, most of the River Arts District will be unable to. Instead, the area is asking for volunteers to help clear the mess and money to rebuild.
River Arts District Post-Hurricane
The majority of the River Arts District was destroyed by the French Broad River flooding after Hurricane Helene. While some businesses will eventually reopen, several others were completely washed away by the floodwaters.
Miraculously enough, there were a few pockets that did not suffer any damage at all. This area is centered around Clingman Ave and Roberts Street. There are several galleries, studios, and shops here.
We have detailed each of the various areas that make up the River Arts District and their status post-hurricane.
Clingman Ext: Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts, Ultra Coffeebar, and Grey Eagle are all open following the hurricane. Rite of Passage is also located here but is not yet open.
Depot St: Just across the roundabout, Olde London Road English Pub is open. Pink Dog Creative and Grind AVL were not damaged but have not yet reopened. Some establishments further down Depot St were flooded, though, like Vivian and the future homes Black Cat Sandwich Co and ButterPunk. PennyCup Coffee Co is located just past this, but it's up a hill and was not damaged.
Artful Way: The shops at RADView are located here and most are open-- these include There There, Jeffrey, Wonderful, Kind Hearted Goods, and On The Wing Gallery. Mother is also located at RADView but has not yet opened. Their South Slope location is open, though.
Roberts Street: The NC Glass Center has reopened, as well as several of the studios located across the street. The bottom level of the Wedge Studios building received floodwater but the galleries + studios on Roberts were spared. These include Michael Hofman, Philip DiAngelo, Clayspace Co-Op, Elise Okrend, and Mark Bettis. Some of these galleries and studios have reopened, but schedules vary.
The Radical Hotel: The hotel was not damaged during the flooding and is currently serving as a property for first responders.
Roberts St & W Haywood: Baby Bull reopened a few weeks after the hurricane. Squeaky Wheel has not yet provided any additional details, but they did not receive any flooding.
Riverside Drive: All businesses located on Riverside Drive were severely flooded. This includes Cotton Mill Studios, Second Gear, Riverside Studios, and Guitar Bar.
Foundy Street: All buildings located in the Foundy Street area were flooded beyond repair. This includes 12 Bones Smokehouse, Wedge at Foundation, Summit Coffee, Rosabees, Sunnyside Trading Co, Marquee and Grail Moviehouse.
Restaurants, Coffee & Breweries in the River Arts District
Many of the River Arts District's restaurants, coffee shops and breweries were affected by flooding from Hurricane Helene.
To support the recovery efforts, we've compiled a list of businesses that have reopened their doors. We encourage you to visit these establishments and show your support.
Additionally, we've included information on businesses that were significantly impacted by the hurricane. Many are raising funds for recovery and/or to support their team. You can directly contribute to the district's revitalization through monetary support.
Open After The Hurricane
Baby Bull
Open
Casual burger spot with outdoor seating and a small but mighty menu.
All Souls Pizza
Open
Wood-fired pizzas and excellent salads. Try their chocolate soft serve topped with olive oil.
Anoche
Open
Agave spirits and espresso bar with a charming interior and outdoor seating.
Olde London Road English Pub
Open
English-style watering hole with a full bar and a menu of pub grub.
Grey Eagle
Open
Grey Eagle is reopened and even hosting events again.
RAD Brewing Co
Open
Family-friendly brewery in the River Arts District.
Closed Following The Hurricane
Rosabees
Closed
Rosabees was completely destroyed by floodwaters.
Pleb Urban Winery
Closed
Pleb's building washed away.
Wedge At Foundation
Closed
Wedge's Foundy Street brewery was completely destroyed.
White Duck Taco
Closed
White Duck Taco's building was severely flooded.
12 Bones
Closed
12 Bones was severely damaged and is closed indefinitely. Their South Asheville location is open.
Wedge Studios
Closed
Wedge Studios flooded, but not to the extent that their Foundy St location did.
Hi-Wire RAD
Closed
Hi-Wire's RAD Beer Garden was completely destroyed by floodwaters.
Summit Coffee
Closed
Summit Coffee RAD is closed indefinitely. Visit their downtown Asheville location or order whole beans online.
Vivian
Closed
Vivian was damaged by floodwaters but plans to reopen.
The Bull & Beggar
Closed
The Bull & Beggar flooded.
Mother
Closed
Mother was not damaged but remains closed. Their South Slope cafe is open.
PennyCup COffee
Closed
Their location was spared but they have not yet reopened.
Chop SHop Food Truck
Closed
The truck was moved prior to the storm and did not receive any damage.
Grind
Closed
Their location did not appear to take water, but they have not yet provided an update.
Bottle Riot
Closed
Their location flooded but they have not shared any fundraising details yet.
New Stock Pantry
Closed
New Stock Pantry was severely flooded and is closed indefinitely.
Galleries and Studios in the River Arts District
Many of the River Arts District artist galleries and studios were destroyed by floodwaters, though some were spared. Updates are provided below.
Open After The Hurricane
The studios and galleries below did not receive any damage and have been able to open, though their hours vary so confirm in advance before visiting.
North Carolina Glass Center
NC Glass Center is a non-profit, public-access glass studio and gallery. Shop around, catch a glimpse of their glassblowing technique or sign up for a class.
Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts
An artist collective that features the dynamic work of 23 local ceramic artists of Western North Carolina.
Mark Bettis Studio Gallery
A working studio with paintings, sculptures, glassworking and more. It's fun to stumble upon a work in progress and occasionally even meet an artist.
Elise Okrend
Elise is a contemporary pastel artist with a working studio in the Wedge building
Hofman Studios
An artist-owned pottery studio featuring handbuilt porcelain that uses antique lace to create patterns. All of the pieces are just so beautiful and unique there. It’s a great place to grab a special souvenir.
Pink Dog Creative
Home to over 30 artists and features a mix of work, including handcrafted jewelry, portraits, mosaics, landscapes and watercolor.
Damaged By The Hurricane
Curve Studios: A working studio that was home to over 11 artists in fiber, clay, landscapes, jewelry and woodworking, among others. Donate to Curve Studios.
Riverview Station: A large, two-story building that featured the work of over 60 local artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs.
River Arts District Shops
Not only is the River Arts District a great place to shop for art, but there are also a few shops that sell goods like clothing, gifts and home decor. Many of these shops are located at the bottom level of the RAD View apartments.
There There Shop is a home goods, gifts and clothing shop in the River Arts District. They also have prints and pottery by local artists. The shop owner Mindy King offers interior design consulting, and if you have ever shopped in person at There There you'll know how talented she is at pulling a space together.
Jeffrey isn't just a jewelry store; it's an experience. This unique space blends gallery and shop, showcasing the exquisite designs of its namesake. Each handcrafted piece tells a story, reflecting the artist's passion and creativity. Stop by for a glass of champagne while you browse!
Wonderful Jewels + Wears showcases emerging and established local and international designers with a focus on sustainably produced collections. You'll find Italian silk skirts and hand-painted scarves among other goodies.
Kind Hearted Goods features local makers and eco goods. It's a great spot to grab a gift, whether it's tea towels with 10% of sales going to World Central Kitchen, mugs by local potters or hydrosols by a local botanical distillery.
Rite of Passage is a slow fashion label with a River Arts shop. They design and craft clothing from natural fibers, Jacquard textiles, and re-purposed fabrics.
Wondering About The RAD FArmers Market?
The RAD Farmers Market relocated to 848 Merrimon Ave after Hurricane Helene. They are open 3-6pm on Wednesday evenings.
Other Things to Do in the River Arts District
Besides shopping and eating locally in the River Arts District, a great way to spend time there if you are able is to volunteer. An enormous amount of cleanup remains.
Volunteer In The River Arts District
One of the best things to do in the River Arts District post-hurricane is to volunteer. The River Arts District's Instagram account posts daily about their volunteer needs. They have several active locations for cleanup and provide masks, gloves, snacks, water, etc. for volunteers. Bring a respirator or valved n-95 mask if you have one.
Getting to and Around the River Arts District
Location details: The River Arts District is along the French Broad River, southwest of downtown. It is on the east side of the river, with West Asheville being on the west side.
Parking details: Parking is free, but limited now that the area is a lot smaller. You'll find street parking around the businesses that are now open.
The Gray Line Trolley is not currently stopping in the River Arts District.
Is the River Arts District Walkable?
We have always had a section detailing the walkability of the River Arts District and didn't want to remove it after the hurricane. Our thoughts on it have certainly changed, though.
Before the hurricane, we would have recommended driving between the various areas. Today you can easily walk around the section of businesses that are open.
At a quick glance, All Souls Pizza is at one end of the area and Olde London Road is at the other. The bottom of this area are the galleries along Roberts Street.
The area will expand a bit past Old London Road once Pink Dog Creative, PennyCup and Grind can reopen.
About the River Arts District
Early Days
Asheville's River Arts District was originally the city's industrial and commercial hub, close to the river and with an abundance of railway lines. The once-thriving industrial area was hit hard with flooding and closures in the early 1900s, ultimately leading to the abandonment of several warehouses for over 50 years.
The River Arts District as we know it today started taking shape in the 70s when a businessman and his wife purchased several properties and began renting them to local artists. Over time, many of these same properties were sold to artists.
RAD In The 90s
Next, in the early 90s, the Asheville Riverfront Plan began to take shape to revitalize the riverfront, with an emphasis on the environmental, recreational, and business needs of the community. It was eventually approved and would have a major impact on the surrounding area and the River Arts District itself.
The nonprofit group RiverLink, which steered the efforts to develop the Riverfront Plan, began to revitalize the River Arts District in 1992 with the purchase of Warehouse Studios.
Other buildings were also purchased and made available for artist studios around the same time.
Hurricane Helene
The River Arts District was devastated by Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024. The French Broad River flooded and most of the area was underwater. Most galleries, shops and restaurants were destroyed.
Prior to Hurricane Helene in 2024, there were over 200 studios and artists in the RAD mixed in amongst food establishments and other shops.
Only a small section remains open following the flooding. This area is bordered by Roberts Street, Clingman Ave Ext and Clingman Ave. Ultra Coffeebar and Old London Road English Pub are both open and located at the far end of the remaining area.