West Asheville’s Urban Orchard Cider Co. has announced plans to expand into a second location in the busy South Slope brewing district.
Urban Orchard, which will keep its original spot at 210 Haywood Road, will immediately begin construction at the former Eagles Nest Outfitters building at 24 Buxton Ave., says marketing and creative director Jeff Anderson. The cidery was in need of more production space and the South Slope location will satisfy that requirement as well as house a new tasting room.
“Even though it’s 4,000 square feet, where we’re at (on Haywood Road), we’re maxed out in space,” Anderson says. The company will produce 30,000 gallons of cider on Haywood Road this year. The new spot will increase those numbers to 75,000 gallons in 2018 and allow for the hiring of 10-15 additional production and service staff.
Once Anderson learned that the Eagles Nest Outfitters building was available, he began thinking about it as a potential second home for Urban Orchard. “My ears perked up and I asked for a tour. It was obvious that the space was made for us,” he says.
Anderson doesn’t think the building will require much construction and says the permitting process is already underway. “We should be producing [cider] in February. And as far as the tasting room, we are shooting for that to be opening in springtime,” he says, noting that it will have 30 taps of more than just cider. “We will also offer beers from our industry brothers.”
Another component of the expansion is the addition of bottling in 2019, and the new tasting room will also be outfitted with a kitchen. “We are speaking with some folks about having a restaurateur come in and operate on their own,” Anderson says.
As for parking, visitors will be able to use the lot across Buxton Avenue next to French Broad Chocolate Lounge and the Dirty Jack’s tasting room at Green Man Brewery.
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