Fathom Favorites : Asheville Shops

1. Citizen Vinyl

Citizen Vinyl

Vinyl is big throughout Asheville, and especially at this shop and community center. A local singer/songwriter took over the historic Citizen Times newspaper building downtown, transforming it into a vinyl pressing facility, a recording studio, a farm-to-table cafe and horseshoe-shaped cocktail bar, and a record shop. Bartenders curate the daily tunes, playing both A and B sides of their extensive record collection. Patrons can see how the records get made through a large glass window overlooking the press, which operates seven days a week. An adjacent record store sells new recordings along with rare and collectable vinyl. Leather couches and communal work tables placed throughout the bright, airy space let digital nomads do what they do best.

Photo courtesy of Citizen Vinyl.

14 O'Henry Ave.

2. WNC Farmers Market

WNC Farmers Market

A handful of warehouses and sheds house a number of local farmers and makers who sell the freshest produce, eggs, cheeses, fresh and cured meats, jams, honeys, sweets and treats (are you hungry yet?), along with crafts, flowers, and other goods. Pick up a few extra biscuit and cornbread mixes: They’ll make for great souvenirs for your friends.

Photo by Team Fathom.

570 Brevard Rd.
+1-828-253-1691


3. C&Co. Handcrafted Skincare + Natural Spa

C&Co. Handcrafted Skincare + Natural Spa

A plant-based organic beauty shop and spa where the small-batch, non-toxic products for hair, skin, and body are clean enough to eat. (Though please don’t eat them.) Founded in 2012, the woman-owned skincare brand uses organically grown herbs, oils, and locally sourced plants to create effective, pH-balanced formulas with transparent labels in eco-friendly glass bottles and bars. The sunlight-filled, lavender-scented space includes a sink area for sampling products and getting free mini facials, while the adjacent spa offers foot scrubs, massages, and custom facials with the handcrafted product line.

Photo by Team Fathom.

34 Broadway St.
+1-828-575-9144


4. No Taste Like Home

No Taste Like Home

No matter the season, the Earth supplies us with all we need to survive. We just have to slow down and look for it. The 27-year-old foraging education company leads year-round excursions in the Appalachian/Blue Ridge Forest, known for its rich, biodiverse environment. Guests wander slowly through the woods and forests, keeping their eyes peeled for edible wild mushrooms, herbs, walnuts, flowers, and wild fruits. Along the way, the guides offer information and tips about foraging, helping guests identify what’s edible (nettles and certain mushrooms) and what’s dangerous (poison ivy and certain other mushrooms). At the end of the excursion, guests feast on a snack prepared with the bounty they fouraged. Through a partnership with local restaurants, guests can bring their harvested bounty to chefs, who will incorporate it into their meal.

Photo by Team Fathom.

+1-828-209-8599

5. Gardener's Cottage

Gardener's Cottage

This sweet shop in a standalone cottage brims with two floors of beautifully arranged antiques, decorative items, locally-made gifts, coffee table books, and plants in historic Biltmore Village. You’ll want to recreate every room back home.

Photo by Team Fathom.

6. Battery Park Book Exchange

Battery Park Book Exchange

Books and wine are a historically perfect pair, and you can find plenty of both on offer at this funky and elegant used bookstore and champagne bar in the beautiful Grove Arcade, just one of many Art Deco gems around Downtown Asheville. Peruse the two floors of shelves, order a cheese plate, and settle in with a newfound treasure. If you’re there when someone is playing live music, all the luckier. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself begging the server to open an outpost in your hometown — and don’t be surprised when they politely refuse. 

Photo by Team Fathom.

7. Porter and Prince

Porter and Prince

The little fudge-striped cottage stocks restful and soothing items like fluffy feather beds, bath items, and specialty linens. Giant lambswool powder puffs, handmade soaps, and silk sleep shirts will fit nicely in your suitcase.

Photo by Team Fathom.

8. Marquee

Marquee

Every day, an enormous warehouse welcomes shoppers to its European-style flea market with a multitude of vendors selling vintage, antiques, arts, crafts, jewelry, carpets, garden goods, and more. Feeling exhausted? Make your way to the bar for refreshments.

Photo by Team Fathom.

9. Flora Botanical Living

Flora Botanical Living

Full-service floral shop and design studio with a botanical coffee counter and adorably merchandised gifts. They have a little hidden garden with picnic tables, a fire pit, tunes, and perennial plants for sale.

Photo courtesy of Flora Botanical Living.

428 B Haywood Rd.
+1-828-252-8888