Pack's Tavern

About the Business

Specialties

Our locally owned and operated full-service restaurant offers an eclectic selection including fresh sandwiches, wood-fired pizza, and hearty entrées. With the unique charm of a restored old-town building complete with outdoor dining, the warm and inviting atmosphere in our tavern is tough to beat. We proudly offer a casual dining experience that is perfect for family meals, friendly get-togethers, or corporate lunches. Whether you're looking for a quick bite or to share a beer with your friends, our American restaurant is the perfect backdrop. Visit us today.

History

Established in 2010.

Built in 1907 and older than most of the more famous Asheville landmarks, the Hayes Hopson building has long served its community. It has served as a lumber supplier, an automotive supply company, and in more recent history, the renowned Bill Stanley's Barbeque & Bluegrass. But hidden behind steel doors in the basement lies a Hayes Hopson secret. These heavy doors open to a dark chamber that leads under South Spruce Street and once continued to adjacent buildings. The Hayes Hopson building has supplied lumber, auto parts, BBQ to Asheville but during the Prohibition years it supplied illegal liquor to local scofflaws (people who disobeyed the dry laws of the Volstead Act) via this underground passage. The repeal of the Volstead Act in 1932 changed the laws in the early months of 1933 to allow the distribution and sale of alcohol. This new change made the Hayes Hopson building no longer needed for the vast distribution of the illegal whiskey through the Western North Carolina counties.

Meet the Business Owner

Business owner information

Steve W.

Business Owner

Pack's Tavern initiated restoration efforts to the building in the summer of 2009. Much care was taken to expose the original brick, original tongue and groove ceiling and wood trusses, and to uncover the 100-year-old flooring. Today, you'll find a tavern beautifully restored to Prohibition-Era grandeur.