A taste of the art deco architecture that Asheville is known for alongside some of the best food and beer the city has to offer —all in one spot.
ASHEVILLE, NC., June 8, 2021 — The S&W Market, Asheville’s first food hall and event space,
announced today that it will open its doors to the public on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 (11:30
AM – 10 PM). Located in the iconic S&W Building (56 Patton Avenue), right in the heart of
downtown Asheville, The S&W Market will be home to some of the best local food and drink
from Asheville’s renowned culinary community — and bring new life to the historic building
which originally opened as the S&W Cafeteria in 1929.
Ellington Realty Group has partnered with five-time James Beard nominee Meherwan Irani — of
Chai Pani Restaurant Group and Spicewalla — to open the S&W, who has curated five exciting
new concepts from popular local chefs and restaurateurs (including a new concept of his own,
Buxton Chicken Palace, which he’s opening alongside his Buxton Hall BBQ partner, the
celebrated chef and pitmaster Elliott Moss). Anchoring the space will be Highland Brewing
Company — Asheville’s original craft brewery — who will open their second taproom at S&W,
with both first floor and mezzanine-level bars. Other tenants at the S&W Market include Bun
Intended (Thai street food), Farm Dogs (grass-fed hot dogs, handcrafted sausages, and
locally-made pretzels), Peace Love Tacos (a variety of tacos and a-la-carte favorites), The Hop
Ice Cream S&W (locally-made ice cream), and The Times Bar (a cocktail bar that sits adjacent
to the food hall).
“We are extremely proud to be able to bring the S&W Building back as the center of community
with Asheville’s first food hall,” says Burns Aldridge, managing broker of Ellington Realty Group.
“The local makers who are coming together for this project are incredibly talented, and we know
that with the variety and quality of beer and food we will have, the S&W Market is going to
resonate with locals and visitors as a place to return to again and again.”
“With its rich history so steeped in place — a former gathering place of the city lovingly restored
to be that once again — the S&W Building is a space that’s meant to be shared,” says
Meherwan Irani, CEO and co-founder of Chai Pani Restaurant Group. “We knew we needed a
concept that opened this special building to all, and the S&W Market does just that. I’m so proud
of the talented local businesses that have come together — both established and
up-and-coming — all driven by a passion to showcase Asheville’s incredible culinary diversity to
locals and visitors alike.”
THE S&W BUILDING
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the S&W Building is widely recognized as a
prime example of art-deco architecture from the 1920s. Built by famed architect Douglas
Ellington, the building originally opened as the S&W Cafeteria in 1929 — serving quick,
locally-sourced food in a pristine, upscale environment, and providing a lively space for the
community to gather. In 2017, the building was purchased by architect Douglas Ellington’s two
nephews, Douglas and Kenneth Ellington (of Ellington Realty Group), who are passionate about
bringing back the S&W as the bustling center of community that it was many years ago.
A revamped interior will seek to evoke the same energy of the original S&W Cafeteria, with
ample sidewalk seating along the building’s front. To bring the vision of The S&W Market to life,
Ellington Realty Group enlisted Diana Bellgowan to lead the architecture and interior design of
the project. Much of the space will remain unchanged, including its familiar facade with wide
arched windows and terra cotta panels, accented with richly colored green and blue tiles.
Ellington Realty Group worked with the City of Asheville to double the capacity of the sidewalk
area along Patton Avenue, allowing for a roomy outdoor patio and seating for up to 40 guests.
S&W TENANTS
The food and beverage tenants of The S&W Market will include:
Bun Intended
Bun Intended is an award-winning Thai food truck in Asheville — owned by Erica Glaubitz, Kyle
and Carter James, Cody Burchett, & Gordon Gibbs — who will be opening their first
brick-and-mortar location at S&W. The street food menu is inspired by the Isan region of
Thailand, combining organic ingredients and locally-sourced proteins with innovative flavors and
colorful dishes. Highlights of the menu will include steamed buns (like their bestselling Pork
Belly Bao), build-your-own bowls, and street food snacks and sides (such as the traditional Som
Tum salad made with fresh papaya and the Larb Gai dish with minced chicken and sticky rice).
Buxton Chicken Palace — Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Chef Meherwan Irani is opening Buxton Chicken Palace alongside his Buxton Hall BBQ partner,
the celebrated chef and pitmaster Elliott Moss. Buxton Hall’s iconic fried chicken sandwich will
be the star of the menu, made with a buttermilk fried chicken breast, dill pickle, white BBQ
sauce, and its unique pairing of pimento cheese on the bottom and American cheese on top.
Other menu highlights include a fried chicken salad sandwich, waffle fries (seasoned with
Buxton Hall’s own blend of spices from their sister company, Spicewalla), and house-made
dipping sauces.
Farm Dogs
Farm Dogs is owned by George Frangos and Jason Mann, who also own Farm Burger (a
grass-fed burger restaurant with locations in Atlanta and Asheville) and Farm Birds (a chicken
sandwich shop in Atlanta). George and Jason have enlisted Chef Cameron Thompson to lead
the kitchen at Farm Dogs, which will offer easy, to-go snack options that pair nicely with beer
from Highland Brewing. The simple menu will feature local, grass-fed hot dogs, handcrafted
sausages with chef-driven toppings, and locally-made pretzels served with savory dips (such as
beer cheese or grainy honey).
Highland Brewing Company at The S&W Market
Highland Brewing will be returning to downtown Asheville (where their story began as
Asheville’s first brewery over 25 years ago) to open their second taproom location at S&W. In
the mezzanine-level bar, an expanded lineup of Highland’s small-batch and barrel-aged beer
offerings — totaling 18 taps — will be featured. The space will have seating for guests to enjoy a
pint with their food from the restaurant vendors and charging stations for those who wish to
work. Highland will also have a smaller bar on the first floor, with six taps and quick service.
Beers from Highland can be enjoyed anywhere throughout the food hall — at any of the
community tables or simply while wandering.
“The S&W and Highland Brewing played a role in two different growth surges in downtown
Asheville – the 1920s boom and the 1990s rebirth of the center of the city,” says Leah Wong
Ashburn, President/CEO and Family Owner of Highland Brewing Company and 2018 James
Beard Award nominee for Beer, Wine, or Spirits Professional. “With all the history and five
fantastic food partners and fresh beer today, guests will be part of a new chapter in this special
location.”
Hop Ice Cream S&W
The Hop Ice Cream has been an Asheville institution since 1978, with imaginative and
locally-influenced flavors. Owners Ashley and Greg Garrison will be opening their first downtown
location at S&W Market. The menu features homemade dairy and vegan ice creams, classic
milkshakes, sundaes, desserts, and made-from-scratch waffle cones. The Hop’s flagship flavors
(Salted Caramel, Vanilla Bean, and Chocolate) will be offered alongside a variety of staples and
rotatoes flavors — often featuring local ingredients and collaborations with Asheville
businesses.
Peace Love Tacos
Peace Love Tacos is owned by Paige & Danny Scully, the owners of Mountain Madre Mexican
Kitchen & Agave Bar in downtown Asheville. Peace Love Tacos will offer a variety of tacos and
a-la-carte favorites made with fresh ingredients and responsibly-sourced meats and vegetables.
Highlights of the menu will include a variety of tacos, taco salads, Mexican street corn, nachos,
and house-made sauces.
The Times Bar
The Times Bar sits within the S&W Building, adjacent to S&W Cafeteria and connected by a
shared patio. They specialize in both seasonally inspired cocktails and craft coffee beverages.
EVENT SPACE
The S&W Market’s event space, Circa 29, will open in conjunction with the food hall. A
speakeasy-style space on the basement level with its own bar, Circa 29 will be available to
reserve for private events in the coming months. The event space holds up to 150 guests.
Circa29 will be managed by SBE Management Group, a private venue management company
founded by Shay Brown — with over 21 years of event management across the Southeast.
OTHER DETAILS
Address & Phone:
The S&W Market
56 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 575-1500
Social Media & Website:
Website: www.swmarketavl.com
Instagram: @swasheville
Facebook: SWMarketAVL
Partners:
Ellington Realty Group, Developer & Property Manager
Meherwan Irani, Culinary Consultant
Highland Brewing Company, Anchor Tenant
Capacity and Square Footage:
The main level of the food hall will have community seating for up to 65 guests (with standing
tables for up to 20 more), 100 seats on the mezzanine, and an additional 40 seats on the
outdoor patio.
The food hall encompasses 10,000 square feet between the mezzanine level and main floor,
with an additional 5,000 square feet in S&W’s event space, Circa 29.
ABOUT ELLINGTON REALTY GROUP
Ellington Realty Group is a full-service commercial real estate firm, offering brokerage, development, and property management services in Western North Carolina. The firm’s
philosophy is based on the spirit of collaboration and focused on building and maintaining
meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues. For more, go to ellingtonrealty.com.
ABOUT MEHERWAN IRANI
Meherwan Irani is a chef and restaurateur changing the perception of Indian food in America
through his growing restaurant and spice empire in the South’s most essential culinary cities. He
is a leading voice in the industry’s conversation around diversity and cultural exchange.
Meherwan was named by TIME Magazine as one of the “31 People Changing The South” and
is a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist. Meherwan leads a team of more than 300 as
Founder, Chef and CEO of Chai Pani Restaurant Group that includes Chai Pani Asheville, Chai
Pani Decatur, Botiwalla Ponce City Market, Botiwalla Optimist Hall, Buxton Hall Barbecue,
Buxton Chicken Palace, Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken, and Spicewalla. After growing up in
Ahmednagar, in the midwestern state of Maharashtra in India, Meherwan came to the U.S. at
age 20. In 2009, he and his wife and business partner, Molly, introduced Asheville, North
Carolina, to the colors, flavors and faces of India with Chai Pani.
ABOUT HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY
Highland Brewing Company was founded in 1994 by retired engineer and entrepreneur Oscar
Wong. As the first craft brewery to open in Asheville, NC since Prohibition, Highland became
known as the pioneer of the city’s now-booming craft beer industry. Proudly regional, Highland’s
beers are distributed in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Highland’s commitment to quality and sustainability boasts the sixth largest solar array in an
American craft brewery. Today, the company is led by Wong’s daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn,
and serves as the largest independent, family-owned and operated brewery native to the
Southeast. Located in a rehabilitated manufacturing facility in East Asheville, the brewery
affords space for thousands of visitors to enjoy limited-release beers, volleyball, walking trails,
and live music. For more information, visit www.highlandbrewing.com.
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