Best Of WNC: Hunting and gathering 2006 | Mountain Xpress

2008

Hunting and gathering

by Hal L. Millard on 09/27/2006

The Asheville area is a shopper’s nirvana. Let’s face it: There’s only so much outdoor recreation or gallery-, bar- and coffee-shop hopping one can do before it all turns a little stale.

The Honeypot: Best Vintage Clothing

Part of the allure of shopping here is our preponderance of independent, local merchants. Indeed, only a handful of national, big-box retailers make this year’s list, and none made first place.

And let’s give a shout out to eclecticism, too. From tie-dyes to $1,000 designer dresses, from Appalachian tchotchkes to African ritual-dance masks, residents and visitors alike would have a hard time not finding something worthwhile to blow their dough on.

At the same time, it would appear that locals continue to harbor a frugal streak - at least when it comes to clothes. The price factor likely has a lot to do with another incredible showing by the area’s Goodwill stores. As they did last year, the second-hand stores placed in four categories, including first place (again) for men’s clothing, and tied with Just Ducky for top honors in the kids’ clothing category. And the stores also got a promotion from third to second in both the women’s clothing and the vintage/consignment categories.

True Blue: Best Arts Supply

Of course, many people remain loyal to their favorite stores. You’ll see five Hall of Famers, such as The Wine Guy and Malaprop’s. Plus, there’s a plethora of stores that repeat first-place showings from last-year’s list, such as Pro Bikes, Minx and Greenlife. But of the numerous repeaters, the roll does include 13 stores either new to the list or coming back into favor after stumbling last year.

And while this year’s list has been pared down to 19 categories from 29 last year, don’t fret. There’s still plenty of shopping to go around.

- Hal Millard

Antiques store

Antique Tobacco Barn
75 Swannanoa River Rd, Asheville
252-7291
Screen Door
115 Fairview Rd, Asheville
277-3667
Oddfellows Antique Warehouse
124 Swannanoa River Rd, Asheville
350-7800

Arts supply store

True Blue Art Supply
30 Haywood St, Asheville
251-0028
Michaels Arts & Crafts Store
299-F Swannanoa River Rd, Asheville
299-0183
A C Moore
800 Fairview Rd, Asheville
299-0777

Bike shop

Pro Bikes
610 Haywood Rd, Asheville
253-2800
Liberty Bikes
1378 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville
274-2453
Bio-Wheels
76 Biltmore Ave, Asheville
236-BIKE
Hearns Cycling & Fitness
34 Broadway St, Asheville
253-4800

Bookstore

Malaprop’s
55 Haywood St, Asheville
254-6734
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
89 S Tunnel Rd, Asheville
296-9330
Downtown Books & News
67 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
253-8654

Car dealer

Jim Barkley Toyota
777 Brevard Rd, Asheville
667-8888
Apple Tree Honda
195 Underwood Rd, Fletcher
684-0777
Deal Motors
136 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
232-4000
Prestige Subaru
585 Tunnel Rd, Asheville
298-9600

Clothing: kids’

Just Ducky
100 Charlotte St, Asheville
254-4247
Goodwill
multiple locations
252-7680
Children’s Trading Post
633 Merrimon Ave #F, Asheville
254-5432
Old Navy
Asheville Mall, 3 S Tunnel Rd, Asheville
298-3150
Target
115 River Hills Rd, Asheville
298-4262
Heaven Rains Boys and Girls
1 Page Ave, Asheville
252-1484

Clothing: men’s

Goodwill
multiple locations
252-7680
Mast General Store
15 Biltmore Ave, Asheville
232-1883
Hip Replacements
72 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
255-7573

Clothing: women’s

Minx
64 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
225-5680
Ad-lib
23 Haywood St, Asheville
285-8838
Goodwill
multiple locations
252-7680
Belk
multiple locations
298-4970
The Honeypot
86 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
225-0304

Clothing: consignment or vintage

Honeypot
86 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
225-0304
Enchanted Forest
235 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
236-0688
Goodwill
multiple locations
252-7680
Hip Replacements
72 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
255-7573

Fabric/yarn shop

Make Me!
(inventory now at The Costume Shoppe)
243 Haywood St, Asheville
252-8404
Purl’s Yarn Emporium
51 College St, Asheville
253-2750
Earth Guild
33 Haywood St, Asheville
255-7818
Piece Gardens
28 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
254-3116

Garden supply/nursery

B.B. Barnes
3377 Sweeten Creek Rd, Arden
650-7300
Jesse Israel & Sons Garden Center, Inc
WNC Farmers Market, Asheville
254-2671
Reem’s Creek Nursery
70 Monticello Rd, Weaverville
645-3937

Grocery

Greenlife
70 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
254-4943
Earth Fare
66 Westgate Pkwy, Asheville
253-7656
Ingles
various locations

Jewelry store

Jewels That Dance
63 Haywood St, Asheville
254-5088
blue Goldsmiths
Swan St, Asheville
277-2583
Wick & Greene
121 Patton Ave, Asheville
253-1805

Music store

Harvest Records
415 Haywood Rd, Asheville
258-2999
Karmasonics
14 Haywood St, Asheville
259-9949
Static Age
82 N Lexington Ave #A, Asheville
254-3232

New Age/spiritual store

Mystic Journeys
333 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
253-4272
Crystal Visions
5426 Asheville Hwy, Naples
687-1193
Future Visions
37 Wall St, Asheville
254-3477
Instant Karma
78 N Lexington Ave, Asheville
285-8999

Outdoor-gear shop

Diamond Brand
US Hwy 25, Naples
684-6262
Black Dome Mountain Sports
140 Tunnel Rd, Asheville
251-2001
Second Gear
11 Arden Rd, Asheville
258-0757

Tailgate/farmers market

French Broad Food Co-op/BioWheels
90 Biltmore Ave, Asheville
255-7650
WNC Farmer’s Market
570 Brevard Rd, Asheville
253-1691
Saturday market behind APB

Toy store

Enviro Depot
58 College St, Asheville
252-9007
Dancing Bear
144 Tunnel Rd, Asheville
255-8697
Toy Box
793 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
254-8697

Wine-and-beer shop

The Wine Guy
1200 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
254-6500
Asheville Wine Market
65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville
253-0060
Weinhaus
86 Patton Ave, Asheville
254-6453

Environmentally friendly store

Greenlife
70 Merrimon Ave, Asheville
254-4943
Earth Fare
66 Westgate Pkwy, Asheville
253-7656
French Broad Food Co-Op
90 Biltmore Ave, Asheville
255-7650