The Family Store Tours

Walk back in time with History@Hand as we take you on a 90 minute tour pointing out locations of some of the 450 plus Jewish businesses documented for the Family Store Exhibit.

Hear the stories of business men and women, some of whom came to Asheville before 1880 and get a sense of what Asheville was like when downtowns were destinations of purpose.

Bon Marche Department Store
Bon Marche Department Store
Dorays Millinery

Learn about Asheville’s vibrant Jewish community, home to two synagogues since the 1890s. It is also one of the smallest Jewish communities in America to support a Jewish Community Center (JCC) founded in 1938. Today Asheville also boasts: The Chabad House of Asheville, the Center for Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, the Jewish Secular Community of Asheville, Jewish Family Services, Carolina Jews for Justice, and many events.

Historically, the self proclaimed American Hitler, William Dudley Pelley, lived in Asheville  and Jews fleeing the Holocaust came to Black Mountain College. Hear about these events and more.

Call 828-777-1014 to make a tour reservation.
Price is $30 adult, $12 student.

Group Tours are also available.

Other sources of information on this website are a video tour, a self guided student tour and The Family Store exhibit panels under the history panels tab.

The Family Store 12 panel exhibit can be rented from Buncombe County Special Collections in Pack Memorial Library, Asheville. https://specialcollections.buncombecounty.org/

The Family Store book can be purchased at Malaprops book store, the gift shop at the Asheville Chamber Visitors Center and Congregation Beth HaTephila gift shop.