ASHEVILLE – A North Asheville restaurant has permanently closed, the latest eatery to fall in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene.
On Jan. 9, Eldr’s social media post announced the closure, citing the historic and destructive storm as a reason for the decision.
“The headwinds from Hurricane Helene and the long delay in reopening was too much for the business to bear,” the post read.
In June 2022, Eldr opened at 111 Grovewood Road near Omni Grove Park Inn. The century-old cottage-style building, in the historic Grovewood Village, was developed by the Vanderbilt family.
The restaurant closed due to Tropical Storm Helene, the historic, catastrophic storm that made landfall in Asheville on Sept. 27. Many local businesses‘ closures were prolonged when North Fork Reservoir was severely damaged, crippling the city’s water system.
Other food and beverage establishments to have permanently closed after Helene include Vivian, Bottle Riot, Geraldine’s Bakery and Bold Rock’s downtown cider taproom.
The restaurant was introduced by co-owners Eric Burleson, Carson Lucci and Heather and Jim Cassidy. They settled on the name “Edlr,” an Old Norse word for “fire.”
Burleson, the executive chef, created menus that featured New American and Appalachian cuisine, inspired by his upbringing in Spruce Pine.
According to the announcement, Burleson and Lucci will continue working in the local food realm, hosting pop-up events and offering catering services, stating “This isn’t the end for us!!!”
Eldr restaurant opened in June 2022 near The Omni Grove Park Inn.
The restaurateurs expressed gratitude for its Eldr team, patrons and vendors. They encouraged the support of locally owned businesses and service industry workers by donating to local disaster relief initiatives, like Always Asheville Fund and Lift All Boats, to get through the “unprecedented time.”
For more, visit eldravl.com and follow @eldravl on Instagram.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: North Asheville restaurant Eldr closes after Helene impacts
