BIKE SHOP 1 LIBERTY BICYCLES s x
1378 Hendersonville Road, Asheville 828-274-2453 • libertybikes.com
2 MOTION MAKERS BICYCLE SHOP w a 878 Brevard Road, Asheville 828-633-2227 36 Allen St., Sylva 828-586-6925 • motionmakers.com
3 YOUNGBLOOD BICYCLES n 233 Merrimon Ave., Asheville 828-251-4686 • youngbloodbikes.com
CLOTHING: DRESS-UP/ STYLIN' (WOMEN'S) 1 MINX BOUTIQUE d x
64 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-225-5680 • minxboutique.wordpress.com
2 HAZEL TWENTY BOUTIQUE d 16 Patton Ave., Asheville 828-575-9720 • hazeltwenty.com
3 ELEMENTALITY e
4 S. Tunnel Road, Suite 220, Asheville 828-299-4751 • myelementality.com
CLOTHING: OFFICE (WOMEN'S)
PHOTO BY LUKE VAN HINE
1 BELK e s a
WEST VILLAGE MARKET & DELI
5 S. Tunnel Road, Asheville 828-298-4970 1800 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville 828-692-3236 • belk.com
Best Convenience/Corner Store
2 TALBOTS s w
10 Brook St., Suite 120, Asheville 828-274-3343 Asheville Outlets, 800 Brevard Road, Suite 752, Asheville 828-633-4086 • talbots.com
3 MINX BOUTIQUE d
64 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville 828-225-5680 • minxboutique.wordpress.com
n ORTH s OUTH e AST w EST d OWNTOWN AREA r IVER ARTS DISTRICT a OUTLYING AREA
x HALL OF FAME (Winner four years or more in a row)
18
BEST OF WNC - PART ONE
E
ACH of us would likely characterize Asheville and environs differently — outdoorsy and adventurous ... culinary and healthful ... bustling and driven by tourism. The region is a place of multiple moods, many of which you’ll find reflected on the well-stocked shelves of Mast General Store. Voters picked the expansive shop on Biltmore Avenue as the Store that Best Represents the Spirit of Asheville for a fourth year in a row, ushering it into this year’s Hall of Fame. Other area stores choose to tackle smaller segments of the retail landscape, but put together, they offer a magnificently multifaceted experience for area shoppers. From the basics of life — Ingles, Earth Fare and Aldi all
AUG. 7 - 13, 2019
MOUNTAINX.COM/GUIDES
repeated their wins in the three busiest categories of All-Round Grocery, Health Food Store and BudgetFriendly Grocery, respectively — to the finer things of flowers (Flora), jewelry (Jewels That Dance) and lingerie and adult toys (VaVaVooom), WNC’s vendors can supply just about any need or want. For residents concerned with their ecological footprint — a priority particularly on the minds of many regular Xpress readers, who, overall, ranked the environment the top interest in this year’s readers’ poll — several WNC sellers focus on used or vintage goods, avoiding the carbon emissions associated with new production. Mr. K’s Used Books (Bookstore—Used), Reciprocity (Clothing: Used or Vintage
— For-Profit Store) and Goodwill Retail Stores (Clothing: Used or Vintage — Nonprofit Store) all got top honors in categories related to more sustainable shopping. Also helping us recycle, the Regeneration Station (Used Furniture Store—For-Profit Store) has consistently won reader praise for its selection of antiques and upcycled home decor, earning it a place in this year’s Hall of Fame. And it should be noted that, despite receiving one voter’s tap as best Romantic Dining location, the Hot Spot placed second as best Convenience/ Corner Store, with first place going to West Village Market Deli. — Daniel Walton X