News

Local roaster plans coffee, beer and wine bar on Fifth

David Schnitzer, the owner of Appalachian Coffee Co., plans to operate a coffee shop and beer and wine bar on Fifth Avenue West.

By Bill Moss, Published: December 1, 2017

A coffee roaster plans to open a coffee shop and beer and wine bar on Fifth Avenue West at the Hendersonville city limits by spring.

Rolf Marti, who bought the property in 2016 and has remodeled it, is leasing the 5,200-square-foot building to David Schnitzer, the owner of Appalachian Coffee Co. The Hendersonville Zoning Board of Adjustment granted Marti’s request for a 4-foot front setback variance to add a deck on the west side of the building. Plans filed with the city show 17 parking spaces on a gravel lot.
“Our roasting operation is going to be there,” Schnitzer said. “We’ll have items in the morning, pastries. Sandwiches, small light lunches and then in the evening we’ll go with charcuterie and cheese plates, those types of appetizers along with beer on tap, wine, dessert. Another great part is that we’ll have a neighborhood bottle shop with retail wine and retail beer.”
“We’re thinking Appalachian Coffee and Wine Bar” as a name, he said, though that’s a work in progress. “It’ll be a part of the Appalachian Coffee family. We have a shop in Brevard and a shop here.”
A presentation at the Zoning Board of Adjustment showed fresh produce. Schnitzer said that’s a possibility, too.
“Every day we’re asking that question,” he said. “For sure we’ll have retail coffee, wine and beer and I think we’re going to be doing a lot of canned goods, pickles, beans, olives and cheeses. I’m sure we’ll have some (fresh produce)Emily Thomas serves a customer at Appalachian Coffee Co., which moved to 1314 Asheville Highway.. We just really want to be smart and not overstep.”
The new coffee, brew and wine shop may be the first business to open with the specific intention of capitalizing on a possible rail-to-trail from Hendersonville to Brevard. The Blue Ridge Railroad Co. tracks run directly behind the building.
“If the Ecusta Trail happens, that’ll be awesome,” Schnitzer said. “Just having a greenway from here to Brevard (will add traffic) and the amount of families that will bring that could come in and walk on a Saturday and Sunday. We want them to be able to stop here and get fruit juices. This is a local place, a neighborhood gathering place. This is going to add life in that part of Laurel Park.”
The restaurant and bar will seat 40 people. Schnitzer expected Marti to start work on the new deck this week.
In the meantime, Schnitzer has relocated his existing Appalachian Coffee Co. from Church Street to 1314 Asheville Highway just north of Burger King. That move was made necessary because his landlord plans to bulldoze the coffee shop and the old Lampley Motor Co. dealership for a new development.
“They kicked us out,” Schnitzer said. “It was painful. We spent the last three years educating customers on where we were and now we have to get them driving in the other direction. However, we have had a lot of people who have followed us to this location already. It might take six months to a year but I think eventually we’ll have higher traffic because there is more traffic on that road.”
Schnitzer also sells Christmas trees at the new location and is donating 10 percent of the profits to the Henderson County Boys and Girls Club.