Downtown Hendersonville: Here's what opened, closed in 2021
Business is picking up in downtown Hendersonville, despite nearing another year of a COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Hendersonville downtown manager Jamie Carpenter, more restaurants and retail stores in the Main Street and Seventh Avenue districts have opened than closed this year and those that remain open are seeing more foot traffic.
"This past summer a lot of our businesses - I won't say all of them - a lot of them have had record numbers a lot of the times," Carpenter said. "It's impacted different businesses in different ways. Our foot traffic and tourism data has certainly shown an increase."
Of the businesses that have closed, a few of them, such as the antique stores, were in large spaces that have left gaps in the Main Street District.
Carpenter said openings and closings haven't had a "significant impact" on businesses, but staffing and capacity has.
One of those downtown stores, Bargain Hendo, has had trouble getting volunteers, which is the main workforce behind the store, says Manager Belinda Sawyer.
"A lot of volunteers are of an age where they're extremely concerned about the virus and they weren't ready to come back out and then some people who were used to volunteering found other things to do during the pandemic so they haven't been as quick to jump back into the charities and things they were helping before," Sawyer said.
After many businesses were forced to shut their doors in March 2020 because of COVID-19, Hendersonville's Downtown Division created the LoveHendo initiative to assist local businesses during their time of need.
Carpenter said LoveHendo, recognized by the N.C Department of Commerce, was a big help.
"I think it really just brought people together and has some good community pride in supporting their local business," Carpenter said. "I think some of it probably had a better impact than others, but on a longer term having that LoveHendo as more of a marketing or branding for shopping local, I think can continue on for a long time."
LoveHendo sponsored events known as "Shop Local Saturdays," themed days on the second Saturday of each month. According to the LoveHendo website, these events are "a monthly downtown day dedicated to enjoying the historic main street in downtown Hendersonville." Main Street, from Allen Street to 6th Avenue, closed to vehicle traffic for these events, the last of which was held Dec. 11.
The Shop Local Saturdays events were themed. December's theme, "WHOO Loves Hendo?" was meant to celebrate the holiday season.
Sawyer said the Hendersonville community has been helpful and welcoming since Bargain Hendo opened and she is looking forward to 2022.
"We're grateful to have had the business we have had over the year," Sawyer said. "I know our volunteer recruitment has picked up and business has stayed steady through the holiday season, so we're looking forward to a really good 2022."
Looking forward to the new year, Carpenter said Hendersonville's parking garage will start construction soon and will have a "significant impact downtown."
Here are the businesses that opened in Main Street and Seventh Avenue districts during the last fiscal year:
• Continuum Art and Tattoo
• Kweenz Korner
• Cabbage Rose Event Venue
• Brevard Hemp Company
• Bargain Hendo
• A Moment in Time Antiques
•Willow Hill Soap Company
• D9 Brewing/Main Street Coffee
The businesses that closed:
• Stillwaters
•Center for Art and Entertainment
• Dat's Cajun
• Merch on Main (moved to mall)
• Village Green Antiques (retired)
• Jane Asher Antiques (retired)
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Downtown Hendersonville: Here's what opened, closed in 2021
