WNC Gift Guide
Supporting Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
WNC Gift Guide
Supporting Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
This holiday gift guide features small businesses in Western North Carolina that have been impacted by Hurricane Helene. Some lost almost everything in floodwaters, most saw business come to a standstill with no tourism after the storm, and almost all suffered interruptions to their operations – all have been affected in some way. I spoke with 30 local business owners to curate this guide and was amazed by the sense of resiliency and gratitude for the local community.
From letterpress holiday cards to craft coffee & tea, from small-batch seasonings to pure body care products and more, the variety of products in this guide showcases the creativity and resiliency of our mountain communities. Every purchase you make from the businesses below helps support the Western North Carolina community. Thank you for browsing!
Coffee & Tea
Teas celebrating the purity and rich flavors of Appalachia
Asheville Tea Company crafts farm-to-cup tea and herbal infusion blends using fresh ingredients that celebrate the purity and vibrant flavors of Appalachia. They partner with small, regional farmers that use sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. Unfortunately, the building that housed the Asheville Tea Company’s operations was located directly beside the Swannanoa River and was a total loss due to hurricane flooding. Asheville Tea Company is rebuilding with the support of the local community and has released a Holiday Trio of teas.
For coffee aficionados
Dynamite Roasting Co. has been producing high-quality, certified organic coffee for 16 years in Black Mountain, NC. They offer a full spectrum of coffees, from intense dark roasts to nuanced light roasts, all expertly crafted. Dynamite was fortunate to come through Hurricane Helene mostly intact, especially considering their close proximity to the Swannanoa River. They’ve received some much-needed support from online orders, which have helped offset a major loss of sales while their coffee bar remains closed for repairs caused by storm damage.
For coffee lovers
PennyCup Coffee in Asheville offers sustainably sourced, fair trade organic coffee beans roasted to their exacting standards. Flooding in Asheville’s River Arts District reached the doorstep of PennyCup’s roastery & cafe, and production was shut down for a month. Many businesses serving PennyCup coffee are located in areas where flooding forced closures and repairs, so online orders are critical to keep PennyCup going. 100% of the proceeds from PennyCup’s new fall t-shirts will go to their staff.
For green tea lovers and matcha discoverers
Matcha Nude offers organic premium grade matcha tea that tastes exceptional while being sustainable and affordable. They provide delicious recipes and easy-to-digest tutorials that transform matcha from an intimidating trend into an everyday pleasure. Hurricane Helene brought about some big changes, including the loss of several WNC wholesale accounts and customers. Matcha Nude quickly adapted and through it all, continues to push forward.
Use code BESTLATTE for 15% off your order through 1/1.
Alcoholic Beverages
For craft cider and wine aficionados
Botanist & Barrel crafts wild, unfiltered ciders and wines using locally grown fruit and minimal intervention. They’re all about capturing the purest flavors of the South, blending their passion for sustainable agriculture with a love for experimentation. Every pour is a nod to their roots and a step forward for Southern cider. Hurricane Helene hit Botanist & Barrel hard, cutting off access to essential resources and damaging the orchards they depend on. With reduced harvests and operational challenges, recovery has been an uphill battle, but community support has been their lifeline.
Craft distilled spirits for holiday cheer
Chemist Spirits is a female-owned craft distillery with a 1920s inspired cocktail bar, offering award-winning small batch gin, vodka, and whiskey. Chemist has been greatly impacted by Hurricane Helene, with a new location under renovation in Biltmore Village flooded by the storm, and significantly lower foot traffic in Asheville. Since the hurricane, Chemist has provided the community with access to clean drinking water and served as a gathering place.
Food
Unique spices and blends for adventurous home chefs
Spicewalla is a chef-driven spice brand supplying home cooks and professional chefs with 250+ small-batch spices and 60+ exclusive blends that are roasted and packed by hand in Asheville. Spicewalla’s factory in the River Arts District sustained flood damage and is undergoing repairs, but miraculously, bulk spices and finished products were safe. A portion of best-selling product sales will be donated to WNC hurricane relief this holiday season.
Well Seasoned Table
For home chefs to be inspired by unique Appalachian flavors
Well Seasoned Table brings unique, farm-fresh, and wild-harvested flavors to your table with their Appalachian seasonings and dusts, botanically-infused sea salts and sugars, and herbal beverages. They work with small, family-run farms and source within Appalachia as much as possible. All ingredients are certified organic, non-certified organic, or sustainably wildcrafted. Thankfully, their team is safe and the workshop in Candler, NC did not sustain damage, but they were unable to resume operations for over a month due to water supply issues following Hurricane Helene.
Use code WNCSTRONG for 15% off through 12/31.
The Scullery
Small-batch condiments for fans of bold flavor
The Scullery makes small-batch hot sauce, pickles, and jams with ingredients grown using organic methods in West Asheville. Hurricane Helene resulted in a loss of over 80% of their inventory when their biggest retailer in the River Arts District was destroyed by flooding. Unfortunately some of their crops were lost as well, including a 100 year-old apple tree. The Scullery is ramping production back up and starting to sell at new markets in Asheville.
French Broad Chocolates
Premium chocolates crafted in Asheville
French Broad Chocolates crafts beautifully-packaged premium chocolates inspired by their hometown of Asheville. All ingredients are thoughtfully sourced, with a focus on sustainability and purity. From bean to bar, they offer small luxuries crafted with care. Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters reached several feet up French Broad Chocolate’s factory in the River Arts District, and the building suffered significant damage from flooding. They are back in business, offering their holiday hot chocolate collection, bonbons, peppermint bark, and other treats.
Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn
Delicious popcorn mixes made from all-natural ingredients
Poppy makes handcrafted popcorn using fresh, real ingredients in Asheville. While their facility stayed safe during Hurricane Helene, they faced a challenging few weeks without power or water, preventing their team from returning to work. Unfortunately, this came during their busiest wholesale shipping month, which typically makes up over 40% of annual sales. Poppy’s new Asheville Mix is a gift that gives back – $2 from every bag sold goes directly to a fund supporting local small business owners as they recover from the hurricane. Every order this holiday season matters – with your support, Poppy is hopeful to start 2025 on a brighter note.
Botanical Bones
Nutrient-rich treats for four-legged friends
Botanical Bones bakes organic, plant-based, allergen-free and – importantly – delicious dog treats in small batches. Botanical Bones was born when the owner started baking her own nutrient-rich dog treats at home after adopting a dog from Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville. Brother Wolf’s shelter was completely lost in the floodwaters from Hurricane Helene (thankfully, all animals had been safely evacuated). To give back, 20% of all profits in November and December will be donated to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville to help with rebuilding efforts.
Body Care
Element Tree Essentials
Captivating scents inspired by Asheville’s natural beauty
Element Tree Essentials is a woman-owned business with a passion for creating captivating aromas and healing oil blends inspired by the region. Element Tree offers essential oils, lotion candles, room sprays & diffusers, and perfume & cologne. Element Tree’s downtown Asheville location was closed for a month, greatly impacting their business. While their doors are now open, Element Tree misses the holiday business generated by visitors coming to their beautiful mountain town.
Use code HOLIDAY2024 for 10% off your order.
pH-balanced products for skincare mavens
C&Co. makes plant-based, pH-balanced skincare products, ranging from facial cleansers and hydrators to soaps and body exfoliants. The entire C&Co. product line is formulated in-house and manufactured with care in their FDA-registered lab in Asheville. Although C&Co. lost a month of production, their lab was unaffected by the hurricane and they are back in business.
Use code plantbasedbeauty for $10 off orders of $100 or more.
Apothepurity
Garden-grown body care for purists
Apothepurity is an eco-conscious body care and beeswax candle company on a mission to inspire people to live a more natural lifestyle. The family behind Apothepurity grows many of the organic herbs used in their products on their own mountain homestead in Fairview, NC. They unfortunately sustained significant damage to their gardens, land, and home as a result of Hurricane Helene.
Use code WNC20 for 20% off your order.
Cullowheegee Farms
For handmade natural soaps and beyond
Cullowheegee Farms makes handmade natural soaps using only pure essential oils in Tuckasegee, NC. They also craft a variety of plastic-free body and home care products, including solid dish soap, lotion bars, lip balm, and shampoo & conditioner bars. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Cullowheegee Farms released a special WNC Strong soap, with 100% of the proceeds going to a local family that fell victim to the storm. The team has been incredibly inspired by the support from the Western NC region.
Use code TEAMCULLOWHEEGEE for 20% off your order.
Asheville Salt Cave
For bringing the healing salt cave experience into your home
Asheville Salt Cave offers transformative therapeutic experiences with over 30 tons of pure pink salt which saturate the air with negative ions and release trace elements and minerals. Asheville Salt Cave also offers a hammam bath and a variety of therapeutic massage experiences. All services can be shared via gift card, or you can bring the experience home with their handcrafted wellness line, including herbal bath soaks, luxurious body polishes, soothing body butters, and herbal teas.
Cards
Wishing Flower Press
For sending holiday greetings in style
Wishing Flower Press & Bindery makes gorgeous greeting cards, gift tags, notebooks, and custom prints in Black Mountain, NC. Owner Kimberly Obee’s prints originate in her sketchbook and many focus on botanicals from the Western NC region. Wishing Flower’s main retail location in the River Arts District of Asheville flooded and lost all inventory, but thankfully the printmaking studio suffered only minor damage from the storm.
Use promo code WFP24 for 10% off your order.
Macon York Press
For handmade letterpress cards and art prints
Owner Macon York creates handmade letterpress paper goods, including greeting cards, art prints, and custom products that nurture connections between people. Many prints are inspired by local flora and fauna in Western NC, and all goods are made by hand in Hendersonville, NC. Local sales have suffered since Hurricane Helene, and online sales have become even more important. Thankfully, despite the hurricane causing extended power outages and road access issues, the studio was spared major damage.
Wellness
Timeless botanicals for the modern body
Heilbron Herbs sources medicinal herbs mainly from small farmers in Western North Carolina (and entirely within the US) to produce tinctures, teas, and botanical skincare products. Their workspace and shop along the river in Marshall, NC flooded and virtually everything was lost. Heilbron Herbs has moved into a different space to restart production and is now back up and running.
For sharing the benefits of the Appalachian elderberry
Brew Naturals crafts traditional and innovative elderberry products using ingredients sourced from Western North Carolina. Elderberries are nutrient-rich fruits with high levels of antioxidants and vitamins. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, regional markets that make up a sizable portion of sales have been canceled and many local wholesale accounts have been destroyed or seriously compromised by flooding. Woman-owned and committed to sustainable practices, Brew Naturals brings the best of Appalachia’s native superfruit to your home.
Aromatherapy for elevating holistic well-being
High Vibe Aromatics brings you the transformative nature of premium and rare aromatics, crystal, and vibrational infusions. All sacred oils are handcrafted by owner Adora Winquist, a healer based in Asheville who is supporting the local community after Hurricane Helene through her healing practice and aromatic products.
Use code AVL for 22% off your order this holiday season.
Fashion & More
For friends of Asheville to show support
Moonlight Makers was started by two Asheville moms creating custom screen-printed products in their homes. Today, Moonlight Makers products are sold in 2600+ stores nationwide, but all designs are still hand-drawn and screen-printed in Asheville. They faced a tough month after the hurricane, with the store closed and no water for weeks. To support the local community, Moonlight Makers created the Asheville Strong collection, featuring Asheville-themed products. 100% of profits from this collection are being donated to local hurricane relief efforts.
For giving back and showing Asheville love
Discover Asheville, NC celebrates the heart and soul of Asheville during this time of transition. Discover Asheville, NC highlights local treasures, unique stories, and the spirit of the city that makes Asheville a place people love to visit and call home. They are sharing the resilience, creativity, and charm that define this incredible community—offering inspiration for tourists planning their next trip and locals seeking ideas and information. With a $30 donation, you will receive one of the newly launched Discover Asheville t-shirts to support the local small business community and show your love for Asheville.
For handmade luxury leather goods and vintage belt buckles & jewelry
Shining Rock Goods is a small family-owned business. They make all of their leather goods, including handbags, belts, wallets, and custom products, by hand in their downtown Asheville shop. They also have the largest collection of vintage belt buckles in the country and an extensive collection of vintage and estate sterling jewelry. Despite missing out on the busiest month of the year due to Hurricane Helene, they are working hard to make it through winter and retain their staff.
Use code GG2024 for 10% off your order through 12/31.
Festive, fun, and graceful jewelry
Kristin has been making jewelry – necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and more – and selling her creations in the Asheville area for over a decade. Her collection is designed to help you celebrate life’s special occasions with elegance and style. Hurricane Helene has negatively impacted Kristin Grace Jewelry during what should be the busiest season of the year. Kristin hopes that her jewelry helps you shine bright, adorn yourself with love, and embrace the beauty of being authentically you.
For a curated collection of unique jewelry and other goods
Elementality features a carefully curated collection of handmade jewelry, small-batch clothing, and home goods from over 60 independent artists and designers. In Asheville for nearly 20 years, Elementality’s roots run deep in Western NC, and they are dancing between grief and gratitude post-Helene. The team works daily to add more beautiful finds to their website.
For sustainable partying and on-the-go convenience
Pirani makes reusable insulated and stackable tumbler cups perfect for anywhere you choose to adventure. The stainless steel tumblers with skinny-wall triple insulation keep drinks hot for up to 6 hours and cold for 12+ hours. Inspired by the classic red Solo cup, Pirani tumblers were designed to make convenience less wasteful. Hurricane Helene greatly impacted Pirani’s business, with team members displaced, flooding and ruined inventory, and a month of operations disrupted during what’s typically the busiest season of the year. They are grateful for the inspiring WNC community they stand with.
For instilling a love of the outdoors in young kids
Open Your Door to Explore believes in cultivating confident, nature-loving kids. They’ve created a children’s book series inviting young readers to step outside and explore. With rhyming text and colorful illustrations, these books are perfect for kids 3-6 years old. The books are available in local stores that had to close after the storm and are now experiencing slower sales due to lack of tourism. Open Your Door to Explore is relying on online sales to get these books in the hands of little explorers everywhere!
Use code WNCSHIP at checkout for free shipping.
Sporting Goods
A unique gift for outdoor enthusiasts
Located in Asheville, SimpleShot is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of precision slingshots for hunting, recreation, and defense. SimpleShot’s warehouse location – on the banks of the French Broad River – meant they lost many items from the company’s history. More importantly, their team members suffered damage to their homes and way of life. Every slingshot sold helps support SimpleShot’s team of 9 passionate folks and spreads joy and fun to gift recipients. Check out their Black Friday sale.
