The Historic S&W Building
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the S&W Building is widely recognized as a prime example of art-deco architecture from the 1920s. The building was designed by architect Douglas Ellington for the S&W Cafeteria chain based out of Charlotte. The new Asheville S&W first opened to the public on July 15, 1929, and in the full-page newspaper article that ran that day, the president of the S&W, Frank Sherrill, said that “Asheville deserved the finest of our chains because Asheville is one of the show pieces of our country. Because Asheville has such a cosmopolitan population, and has such a constant flow of visitors, it is natural that everybody who does any building here should try to do it in as an artistic manner as possible.”
The mission of the S&W in 1929 was to serve locally sourced food, quickly, in a pristine, upscale environment that elevated the dining experience. Douglas Ellington’s two nephews now own the S&W building. They are both passionate about bringing the S&W back as the bustling center of community that it was many years ago. The revitalized interior now allows The S&W Market to offer counter service with delicious, fast and casual local food, just as it did when it first opened almost 100 years ago.
The S&W Market also welcomes Highland Brewing Company back to downtown, where their story began 25 years ago. Asheville’s original craft brewery anchors the two-story space and features a first-floor bar area and a mezzanine-level bar and tasting room.
“The atmosphere here was great, and you can tell that the building’s historical charm was really shining through. Coupled with the new facades of the food vendors, it creates a one of a kind experience in Asheville. Would recommend any of the restaurants, as they are all very diverse and delicious!”
The food hall features six food stalls. The building’s mezzanine, meanwhile, is home to an elevated Highland taproom experience with seating for guests to enjoy a pint with their food and a view of the city or down onto the activity below. In addition, street-side seating and an intimate private event space offers even more options for guests.
