The Heart Of Asheville's Downtown Hosts An Iconic Art Gallery Spotlighting Local Creatives

You cannot talk about Asheville, North Carolina, without mentioning its phenomenal art scene. Sandwiched between the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, the city is full of eclectic fun and creativity. You can immerse yourself in this vibrant energy by visiting one of Asheville's many galleries like the iconic Woolworth Walk. Believed to be the largest gallery in the city, it's located downtown near some of the area's biggest attractions including the Asheville Pinball Museum. Woolworth Walk is housed in a structure from 1939, which was once, as you might have guessed, a Woolworth's store. Now, it serves as a 20,000 square foot gallery that spotlights more than 170 local creatives.

In a 2022 interview with Asheville Made, Erin Kellem (Woolworth Walk's curating manager at the time) revealed, "All of them live within an hour of the gallery." That said, the art deco building's two floors are packed with various booths (every artist gets their own) displaying ceramics, glasswork, clothing, digitally-made art, and much more. Put simply, there is much to explore and take in. However, these handcrafted pieces are not just for visitors' viewing pleasure; they are all for sale as well. If something catches your eye, you could very well take it home as a souvenir.

"This gallery is a love letter to Asheville and the region," is how one reviewer on Google, where Woolworth Walk boasts a 4.7 rating, described it. Woolworth Walk also has stellar ratings on Yelp and Tripadvisor. In fact, it's ranked as one of the top five art galleries in Asheville on the latter site. While users on these three platforms have much to say about the variety of items you can find here, they seem to agree that Woolworth Walk's Soda Fountain is what elevates the experience.

Woolworth's, a chain that has been defunct in the U.S. for decades, is widely remembered for its onsite diners. This legacy lives on in downtown Asheville at Woolworth Walk. In addition to enjoying and shopping for locally made art, visitors can have a meal and sweet treat at the Soda Fountain. Although the current version is a replica, it occupies the original eatery's space in the building. The Soda Fountain's red counter stools, vinyl chairs, and chrome accents are all a blast from the past. Further evoking this vintage nostalgia at Woolworth Walk are menu items like an egg cream, a frothy milk soda and a phosphate, a carbonated creation. Naturally, burgers and milkshakes are offered at the lunch counter too.

With everything priced at under $15, as of this writing, it's an affordable place to grab a meal in Asheville. However, when you dine at Woolworth Walk's Soda Fountain, you're also experiencing a slice of North Carolina history. Back in the 1960s, when the building was still a Woolworth's store, local teens held sit-ins here during the Civil Rights Movement. Ultimately, the Woolworth's lunch counter was desegregated, and in 2024, the building officially became a historic landmark.

Woolworth Walk, situated on downtown's Haywood Street, is open daily. As is the Soda Fountain but do note that it closes earlier than the rest of the gallery. Looking for similar adventures to add to your Asheville itinerary? Check out the River Arts District, a lovely neighborhood with shops, food, and galleries and the Peace Gardens and Market, a beautiful hub of creativity and charm.