West Asheville: Origin and Activities
Emily Cobb | September 13, 2023
West Asheville received its name in the 1880s from the Post Office and was an independent town from Asheville for decades. It became a tourist destination in the early 1800s due to the famous sulphur springs inhabiting the area. That is until 1917 when West Asheville and Asheville residents voted to merge. Haywood Road was built in the late 1800s and quickly became an influential street with many businesses and trolleys running along it transporting visitors and inhabitants to locations. In the 1950s, the West Asheville area received a boom in business and popularity when Asheville residents began moving there in search of more affordable rent prices.
Nowadays the once-grand hotels and clubs built for tourists, such as the Carrier Springs Hotel and the Swannanoa Country Club, are no more. The sulphur springs are unused and the land surrounding it, once a park, is owned by Goodwill Industries. So what is there to do in West Asheville now that the once-grand tourist attraction is unused? Support local businesses. Most of which are on the staple Haywood Road.
Shopping
REvolve, a vintage store, can be found on 697 Haywood Road. The store is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There one can find a wide collection of vintage items for sale such as art, earrings, shoes, wedding dresses, and other clothing. One can trade in vintage items in exchange for in-store credit or cash. There they often have two shop dogs roaming the store.
Twice Round is an eclectic vintage clothing store on 665 Haywood Road. Monday through Saturday, barring Wednesday when they are closed, they are open 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday they are open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. One can find a variety of clothing from costumes to accessories to vintage clothing.
Food/Drinks
A great way to begin your day in West Asheville is to stop by Simple Cafe & Juice Bar. The cafe is vegan and vegetarian friendly and has breakfast items such as juices, smoothies, a breakfast crunch wrap, pastries, bagels and breakfast burritos. There are lunch items offered as well such as a Vegan Bahn Mi and a Ginger Miso Salad. Simple is on 643 Haywood Rd in West Asheville, and is open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. every day except Wednesday.
For an afternoon pick-me-up, Odd’s Cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day and is located at 800 Haywood Road. They have several weekly drink specials ranging from coffee to matcha. They offer smoothies, tea, matcha, chai, baked goods, beer and more. They have cozy indoor and outdoor seating and are pet-friendly.
In the same plaza as rEvolve, walk a few doors down to The Trashy Vegan on 697 Haywood Road. They offer a casual dining experience and are open from 3-8 p.m. Friday through Tuesday. The restaurant is 100% vegan and peanut-free, providing vegan twists on classic foods such as burgers and fries. Prices can be high for college students, but they do offer something similar to a sliding scale payment for folks no questions asked.
An inexpensive option for night time, and a good way to end your day, is to go to The Odd. A bar with a vintage aesthetic that is open till 2 a.m. and has live music and drag shows.
Outdoors
Feeling up to an adventure? Go to the old sulphur springs, and even take a dip if you can find it. On Patton Avenue, there is a historical marker by a wooded lot that details the spring's location, saying it is roughly 600 yards south.
A way to learn more about West Asheville and its history is to go on the Hood Huggers Burton Street Walking tour. On the tour, one explores the Burton Street community, one of Asheville’s oldest African-American neighborhoods that was founded by E.W. Pearson in 1912. Tours are $30/adult and $27/youth ages (4-17) and seniors (60+). Hood Huggers also has a junkyard art show, plant sales, vendors and food trucks.
In search of an outdoor activity free of charge? Every Tuesday from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at 718 Haywood Road there is a Tailgate Market. There, folks can peruse the market listening to live musicians and buy items such as produce, coffee, tea and honey.
Parking
Most of these locations are on Haywood Road, where you can find street parking, often free, along the road. There is a parking lot for Ingles at 669 Haywood Road where you can find free parking, as well as small parking lots by rEvolve, Odd’s Cafe and The Trashy Vegan.