After almost two years of rebuilding and working toward recovery following Hurricane Helene, Bette Boutique is nearly back in business in the Biltmore Village of Asheville, North Carolina. The store was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene, which left visible water lines and structural damage throughout the Biltmore Village.
This spring, Heart on Main Street is planning to help the retailer to return to its original storefront. From April 1-3, the nonprofit organization is leading its next Independent Rebuild project in Asheville, helping Bette Boutique move back into its Biltmore Village storefront. The three-day volunteer initiative will focus on moving, visual merchandising, fixture installation and landscaping to prepare the store to reopen its doors.
“This project is about more than moving boxes,” says Patrick Keiser, executive director of Heart on Main Street. “It’s about restoring a sense of place. Independent retailers are the heartbeat of Main Street communities, and when they come back, the whole community feels it.”
Bette Boutique has been a staple in Biltmore Village since 2015, offering a curated selection of women’s clothing and gifts. Owner Tara Hackett also describes the store as a community hub for people to visit and browse, even on a bad day. When Hurricane Helene hit in late September 2024, Hackett says Bette Boutique as well as other independently owned businesses in Asheville’s Biltmore Village were severely flooded and damaged.
“We did everything we could before the storm,” says Hackett. “We’ve taken on water before in Biltmore Village, but the water [from Hurricane Helene] came in over the second story window. Never in a million years did we think the river would rise over our second story windows — we had 15 inches of mud upstairs.”
Hackett says she was able to reopen Bette Boutique at a new location in downtown Asheville just two months after the storm, but she adds that her goal was to rebuild the Biltmore Village location. For the past year and a half, Hackett has been both running a store from a temporary location and also repairing her original storefront in hopes of moving back soon.
When a colleague heard and shared Hackett’s rebuilding story with Heart on Main Street, the organization saw it as an opportunity to help with its Independent Rebuild program. The program mobilizes volunteers, vendor partners and donors to provide hands-on support to small retailers recovering from disaster. For Bette Boutique, this moment marks the end of a long rebuilding chapter.
“Coming back to the Biltmore Village feels like coming home,” says Hackett. “The support from Heart on Main Street and this community reminds us that small businesses are never rebuilding alone.”
Since her experience with Hurricane Helene, Hackett advises other independent retailers to not be afraid to ask for help when facing similar circumstances and to speak out on social media to let people know what is happening with the business.
“It’s been so challenging since the storm, but don’t be afraid to ask for help,” she shares. “Also stay the course. If you know retail is what you love, stay the course and stay involved.”
Heart on Main Street will be helping to rebuild Bette Boutique April 1-3, marking the organization’s first Independent Rebuild program for the year. The organization says it is currently seeking volunteers, product donations and financial contributions to help with the rebuild of Bette’s Boutique. Businesses and individuals interested in participating can contact connect@heartonmainstreet.org for more information.
