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Asheville Bar Reopens After Devastating 2021 Fire

Grand reopening celebration venue

Asheville Bar Reopens After Devastating 2021 Fire

ASHEVILLE – It’s been two-and-a-half years since a fire devastated the Sly Grog Lounge, closing it in December 2021. But as the beloved locals’ bar sits on the precipice of reopening, co-owner Spring Pearson said it felt in some ways like they’d only been closed for the night — had locked-up after last call and were now ready to come back the next morning.

Sly Grog’s grand reopening May 17 kicks off with a stacked weekend: three nights of music, with several acts every night. The shows span genres, from rock and singer/songwriters, to DJs, pop-punk and an artist who plays music by hooking up synthesizers to mushrooms.

The Fire and Rebuilding Efforts

The fire, caused by the failure of a natural gas heater, was responsible for property damage in the six-figures and upward of 100 canceled shows. It left owners Pearson and Theodore Crouse-Mann playing a waiting game. It wasn’t clear if the squat 1950s-era downtown building would be a total loss, or if areas could be salvaged. But despite the uncertainty, Pearson told the Citizen Times May 16 they knew they wanted to rebuild from the minutes after the fire.

Community rallied around them, championing fundraisers, attending numerous workdays and offering their own visions of a renovated space. “And we’re finally here. We’re almost done,” Pearson said.

She was pacing the floor the day before opening. There’s work left to do: a new bar mid-construction, and the stage waiting to be raised that night. They’re still putting finishing touches on the eclectic, well-loved space. Ultimately, they were able to salvage much of the building. An entire wall had to be replaced. Smoke wreaked havoc. A new office and greenroom was built onto the building where the fire had done much of the damage.

Ownership and Renovations

Sly Grog leases the building, which is owned by Medstream Properties, LLC, whose registered agent is Douglas Ellington, of Ellington Realty Group. While the landlord covered the structural repairs, Pearson and Crouse-Mann were responsible for everything in the building itself.

The first two years were a lot of waiting — stuck in insurance holding patterns, assessing the extent of the damage as the contractor navigated permitting — but after construction started in January, “the last six months have been nonstop,” Pearson said.

Pearson said she’s heard enthusiasm and excitement the last few weeks. Nearly all of their staff have returned. “People really took ownership of this space, and I think everybody is ready to just be back home,” she said.

A New-Old Space

At 271 Haywood St., the lounge is a sprawling, metal-sided industrial building. It was originally a welding warehouse, Pearson said, and later served as a taxi stand before Sly Grog took over in 2016.

Bargoers enter the space through a covered, open-air patio, once a loading dock, full of thrifted and donated couches, tables and the accumulated memorabilia that’s long been emblematic of the bar.

They’d collected tokens from hundreds of shows, much of which was destroyed by the fire, and they put out calls on Facebook for new “junk” and other oddities. “If you’re doing spring cleaning anyway, save a pile for us,” they wrote. They were able to salvage some beloved items, like a singed Ganesh statue, that was once over the bar.

New finds scatter the space, too: spaceship-esque swiveling chairs; baubles; keyboards; mannequin-halves, top and bottom; and a handful of distressed baby dolls. “That’s kind of the most magical part of the space for me. It accrues things along the way. Different shows leave things behind,” Crouse-Mann said.

‘Come as You Are’

A small, adjoining building, once home to Foxy & Co., will now house Big Top, a vintage, retro and unique apparel resale company, co-owned by Eric Controne and Laura Marquez. Controne has been coming to the Sly Grog for years, even stepping in during the early days to offer a sound system. He’s hosted events at Sly Grog and played at the venue, and is on the opening night’s lineup as DJ Oneiric.

Controne has fondly referred to the vibe at Sly Grog as your “grandparent’s basement.” “Come as you are,” he said. Gather. Enjoy music. Be creative. “It’s always been a DIY kind of space, so we’re not seeking perfection,” he said. “We’ll just improve and grow from there.”

A community-oriented spot like Sly Grog is an ever-escalating need in the city, he said. He pointed to the recent closures of beloved bars like Alley Cat Social Club and Cascade Lounge. “Spaces are disappearing,” Controne said. “Having at least one new space come up where we can all go again, that we feel at home, that we feel that there’s family … It’s really what Asheville needs right now.”