Putting away the past: Bistro 1896 closes after 16 years

Posted on by Emily Patrick


Photo by Max Cooper

From Bistro 1896, her Pack Square restaurant, Jenna Harrison has watched Asheville grow since 1997. The changes have been overwhelmingly positive, she says, but she feels her restaurant became a casualty of them.

“I'd say that it's in with the new and out with the old,” she says. “I think a lot of us older restaurants are struggling because Asheville is changing.”

She made the decision to close because business was too slow to turn a profit; some nights, no one visited Bistro 1896. Asheville diners are diverted from longtime standards by the hype of new restaurants, she says.

“I think that every business has a life cycle, and I think this is just the end of ours,” Harrison says.

Bistro 1896 served upscale American cuisine for lunch and dinner. The building boasts a large, 60-seat patio overlooking Pack Square and the Vance Memorial obelisk.

The lease on the building and the business’ assets are for sale. For more information, contact Jeff Eatherly of National Restaurant Properties at 225-4801.

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One thought on “Putting away the past: Bistro 1896 closes after 16 years”

  1. JAR

    This was a beautiful place that embraced Asheville, and hosted some spectacular teams for the restaurant. Always serving a standard that inspired culinary excellence. Thank you BISTRO 1896 for the years…Cheers

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