Three new spots will debut in the coming months. | Rendering via Asheville Regional Airport
This summer, the first phase of Asheville Regional Airport’s $400 million expansion project will take flight, debuting the new seven-gate north concourse. The airport announced a list of five restaurants and two retail spaces opening in the new terminal.
Restaurants ready for takeoff
Three storefronts will open once phase one is complete:
The Goods @AVL | A one-stop shop for snacks, drinks, travel gear, “Asheville” branded gifts, and locally made products.
Jimmy John’s and Tropical Smoothie Cafe | The two fast-food chains will move in to offer made-to-order smoothies and sandwiches.
Grab the essentials at this market.
Rendering via Asheville Regional Airport
Four additional restaurants and shops are slated to open in 2027, in tandem with the completion of phase two of the expansion. Click the button below to see what they are.
You’re the pilot now
With no local picks on the menu so far, we took to Instagram to ask you what you would’ve liked to see.
“Gypsy Queen for a pre-flight meal or Owl Bakery if I’m just wanting a snack.”
“A rotation of local restaurants with limited menus, think S&W stalls with 3-6 month rotations.”
Spring Craft Extravaganza | 3-5 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library | Free | Let your creativity run wild as you channel the spirit of the season into crafting paintings, planters, and decorative coasters.
Supper at Six | 6 p.m. | The Radical Hotel | $45 | Attend the monthly women’s networking dinner for equally satisfying food and conversations — this month, hear from leadership at the Junior League of Asheville.
Thursday, April 17
Raising Worms for Vermicompost | 4-5:30 p.m. | Pearson Food Hub/Garden | Free, RSVP | Bountiful Cities will teach you all about the fundamentals of composting and how adding earthworms can speed up decomposition and enrich nutrients.
Friday, April 18
Downtown After 5 | Friday, April 18, Friday, June 20, Friday, Aug. 15 | 5-10 p.m. | Pack Square Park | Free | Asheville’s beloved community concert series kicks off the season with Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast with Dirty French Broads.
Saturday, April 19
Bingo Loco | 10 p.m. | The Orange Peel | $40 | Part rave, lip-sync battle, and dance-off, we’re willing to bet this will be the wildest game of bingo you’ve ever competed in.
Sunday, April 20
Easter High Tea | 2-4 p.m. | The Venue | $65 | Join for an afternoon steeped in charm, with a variety of teas you can pair with delicate pastries and tea sandwiches.
Seed Swap | 4:20-7:45 p.m. | Leveller Brewing Co., Weaverville | Free | Seed swap ‘til you drop and talk gardening tips with fellow plant lovers over a brew.
As Buncombe County works to develop a long-term strategy for recovery, staff want to hear from you. Share your needs and priorities in the five-minute Envision Buncombe survey, which will help county commissioners shape the 2030 Strategic Plan.
Arts
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff announced in late March that it will soon close. Although the store is shutting down its Riverside Drive space, it won’t be a completely blank canvas. Cheap Joe’s shared on Instagram that “a local company will be taking over the store space and continue to sell art supplies.”
Read
Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s new novel “Happy Land” shines a light on the Kingdom of the Happy Land, a Henderson County community founded by formerly enslaved people in the 1870s. Although it’s historical fiction, Perkins-Valdez consulted local storytellers and researchers to craft one of the most accurate accounts of the Kingdom’s history. Find it at Malaprop’s. (Blue Ridge Public Radio)
Civic
The City of Asheville’s Historic Resources Commission (HRC) has two vacant seats. The HRC ensures that proposed development projects in historic districts are up to design standards — and if you have a background in history, architecture, or archaeology, you might be a good fit. Find application info.
Eat
Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 24 — Western North Carolina AIDS Project’s biggest fundraiser, Dining Out For Life, returns for its 23rd year. The nonprofit hopes to raise $100,000 for HIV care in our region. Go out to eat at one of the 50+ participating restaurants to make an impact. (Mountain Xpress)
Closed
Both Buncombe County and City of Asheville administrative offices will be closed this Friday, April 18 for Good Friday. While offices may be closed, city-owned entertainment facilities like the back nine of the Asheville Municipal Golf Course and the WNC Nature Center will be open.
Small business owners, we know you wear a lot of hats. Let us handle one. Post your job listing on the AVLtoday Job Board for free and get it in front of some of the best local candidates.
Health
Protect your eyes and your wallet when you get personalized coverage with VSP® Individual Vision Plans. Enroll today for as little as $13 a month.*
Category
Eat
Earth Fare celebrates 50 years in Asheville
Asheville’s original health food store is 50 years old. | Photo by AVLtoday
Asheville’s first health food store is turning 50. What better way to celebrate half a century of Earth Fare’s sustainable, organic eats and artificial ingredient- and additive-free foods than with a birthday party (and free cake, of course)?
When the store came onto the scene in 1975, it was known by a different moniker — Dinner for the Earth. Nearly 20 years (and several expansions) later, the Asheville market officially rebranded as Earth Fare.
This Saturday, head to the Westgate store from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a parking lot party. We’re talking live bluegrass music, a beer garden, vendor + craft fair, and egg hunt. Plus, across all Earth Fare stores, FreshPure Waters is offering free reverse osmosis water fill-ups — just bring your own container.
The Buy
The best pet supply products to simplify at-home care and keep your fur baby happy:
🐾 Pet ear wipes are a quick, one-step solution to make sure pets don’t develop problems caused by build-up.
🐾 This cat + dog steam brush de-sheds better than plain brushes or combs, thanks to hair-attracting steam.
🐾 Eager to avoid expensive teeth cleaning? Once-a-week dental wipes can get you there without tangling with a toothbrush.
🐾 Swapping water bowls for a pet water fountain keeps water filtered and fresh — and pets tend to love drinking from it.
🐾 As seen on TV, Muddy Mats are designed to trap dirt, mud, and sand from paws, keeping entryways clean — no toweling off required.
I know you’re busy as a bee with all the festivals happening this spring, but I have one more to add to your calendars. The fourth annual Asheville HoneyFest returns on Sunday, June 8, this time at Highland Brewing. The free fest will be sweet with honey tastings, live music from Queen Bee and the Honey Lovers, vendors, food trucks, and the final round of the Black Jar Honey Contest.
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