ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Several Asheville-based businesses are struggling to recover months after Hurricane Helene destroyed buildings and closed shops.
The Asheville Tea Company’s building near Biltmore Village was destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The company, founded by sisters Jessie and Melissa Dean, lost its 4,500-square-foot facility to floodwaters that swept it across the street and down the Swannanoa River.
“We lost everything,” Jessie Dean said. “To be honest, I’m not sure I fully processed that still. It’s a lot of feelings of shock following that and loss.”
The shop had only been in the space for a few months before the hurricane hit.
“We prepped quite a bit before the storm and we had done what we thought was everything we could to prepare by putting things up high and preparing just in case a little water got in our building,” said Jesse Dean.
Vahalla Indoor Axe Throwing inside the Asheville Mall wasn’t flooded by the storm, but owner Shane Miller said he’s still trying to bounce back after the shop was closed for about a month.
“Our local area’s power substation was down the hill and under 12 feet of water, so we were going to be a good ways out even after some other places were able to get power back before we up here,” Miller said.
Now, Asheville Tea Company doesn’t have the equipment to make tea but is working with a co-manufacturer to make products off-site, and employees are packing orders at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
“The sales process is very different and it probably will be for a long time,” Dean said.
They’ve re-launched their online store and hosted a tailgate market with wholesalers and retailers.
Despite being down to 50% of their staff and working in a sliver of their previous building’s space, Dean believes there’s still a silver lining.
“I definitely feel like I’ve learned and leaned into focusing on opportunities and on the positive side of things,” she said.
For more information on the company, visit ashevilleteacompany.com.
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