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Support WNC’s resilient restaurants, small businesses & more after Hurricane Helene

Stories by Charlotte Observer journalists, with AI summarization

Western North Carolina's small businesses and restaurants have shown impressive resilience in the months after Hurricane Helene.

Helen’s Restaurant in Bakersville, once a town staple, was condemned after being destroyed in the flooding, joining others like Mammie’s Breakfast Barn and Bonnie & Clyde’s that were struggling to recover.

Community efforts have raised major relief funds—including more than $24 million from last fall's Concert for Carolina in Charlotte. Local T-shirt shops are donating profits from special designs like Carolina Strong and Together We Rebuild shirts.

Latin restaurants such as El Chapala are reopening, with community and customer help.

Local chef Cayte Gowan also stands out, providing free allergy-friendly meals to storm survivors, showing how neighbors are supporting one another through hardship and rebuilding daily life.

McCall & Co.’s Together We Rebuild shirts come with a variety of locations so you can show your support for a particular area.

NO. 1: WANT TO WEAR YOUR SUPPORT FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA? THESE T-SHIRT SHOPS ARE HELPING OUT

Donations from sales of T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats are going toward Hurricane Helene relief efforts. | Published October 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Heidi Finley

Helen’s Restaurant in Bakersville, North Carolina, was destroyed during Hurricane Helene. A wall on the lower level is gone, and the support beams for the building are also gone. Shown at top and left are Google Street View images from before the storm. By Google Street view and courtesy of Helen's Restaurant

NO. 2: THEY BOUGHT THE TOWN’S OLDEST RESTAURANT AND RENOVATED IT. THEN HELENE DESTROYED IT.

Since 1956, Helen’s Restaurant was one of only a few places to eat in the small town of Bakersville NC. It was condemned after Hurricane Helene. What happens next? | Published October 16, 2024 | Read Full Story by Melissa Oyler

North Carolina native Eric Church sings at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26 during Concert for Carolina to benefit Western North Carolina victims of Hurricane Helene. By Théoden Janes

NO. 3: HOW MUCH MONEY WAS RAISED FOR HELENE RELIEF AT CHARLOTTE’S CONCERT FOR CAROLINA?

82,193 fans attended last fall's Bank of America benefit show with Luke Combs, Eric Church, James Taylor, The Avett Brothers and more. | Published October 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Melissa Oyler

NO. 4: ASHEVILLE’S LATIN RESTAURANTS AND TRUCKS ARE REOPENING AFTER HURRICANE HELENE

As recovery moves ahead in Western North Carolina, one popular spot is cleaning up from floodwaters to bring back “a taste of what you get at your grandma’s house in Mexico.” | Published November 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Sara Murphy

Chef Ashleigh Shanti at a Pintxo Party relief dinner hosted at Cúrate on Dec. 5, 2024. By Carrie Turner Photography

NO. 5: AS ASHEVILLE RESTAURANTS LIKE VIVIAN CLOSE THEIR DOORS, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE CITY’S CULINARY MAGIC?

“We need the Charlotte people, the Greenville people, the Raleigh people to come out and visit us … we need our weekend warriors to go to breweries, hit the restaurants, go on dates.” | Published December 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kayleigh Ruller

NO. 6: NEW YORK TIMES NAMES 52 PLACES TO GO IN 2025 — INCLUDING A BELOVED WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA CITY

In 2025, visitors are invited to celebrate the Blue Ridge Mountain area’s “new openings and reopenings” wrote the Times’ Shayla Martin. | Published January 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Melissa Oyler

A group shot of approximately half the partygoers including the bearded Tony Prieto, who stands to the left of center, wearing a hat. By Roxana Prieto

NO. 7: A FUNNY FOOD WRITER WHO SHARED JOY DURING HELENE GETS A WARM WELCOME UPON HIS RETURN

Remember the insurance adjuster whose posts gave Western North Carolina residents a few much needed laughs? Now, he’s back for good. | Published March 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sara Murphy

On Cayte Gowan’s last night serving food at the Owen Pool Comfort Station in Swannanoa, people wait in line for something to eat. By Sara Murphy

NO. 8: HOW A WESTERN NC CHEF IS HEALING THE HURT OF HELENE THROUGH FOOD

Five nights a week, she offers free, allergy-conscious meals for families struggling to feed themselves. For those that depend on her, she’s a lifeline. | Published April 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sara Murphy

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.