Our Story

Established in 2019 by Asheville natives Heather and Matt Wright, Provisions Mercantile was inspired by Heather’s grandmother, Claudene Mchone, who created a small general store in the basement of her West Asheville home in the 1960s. It served as a gathering place for the neighborhood and a resource for purchasing basic necessities. Heather remembers family stories of her dad and his siblings helping out at the store after school, and how her aunt would sneak the bulk candy as a child. 

High school sweethearts and now with three kids of their own, Heather and Matt had talked about opening a store for years, and the more they talked, the more passionate they became. Just as Heather’s grandmother had created a space for the community, the Wrights knew they wanted their modern-day general store to be more than just a place of retail and commerce, but a place for gathering. Therefore, inviting an opportunity for customers to not just shop, but to relax and linger over coffee or a glass of wine was always in the plan. 

In late 2019, the Wrights opened the flagship mercantile in a former furniture store on Haywood Road in West Asheville, the same neighborhood where Heather’s grandmother created her general store some 60 years earlier. In summer 2021, they opened their Biltmore Village location, which offers much of the same, but with the additional bodega-style food staples, grab-and-go gourmet bites, and beverages, much of it locally made. 

The story of Provisions Mercantile is one that’s come full circle. Just as an earlier generation had communed around Mamaw Claudene’s supplies shop, Heather’s own general store brings neighbors and family together. The Wrights’ goldendoodle, Beau, is ever the friendly greeter, and their three kids are regularly in and out, even occasionally sneaking a candy when no one’s looking (or so they think).

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