Neng Jr.'s in Asheville, NC, opened in 2022 and quickly gained acclaim, becoming a James Beard finalist and earning national recognition. However, Hurricane Helene's impact in 2024 led to significant hardships for its owners, Silver and Cherry Iocovozzi. Despite their prior success, the restaurant's closure for over 10 weeks caused severe financial strain, resulting in approximately $80,000 in lost revenue. The situation underscores the precariousness faced by independently owned restaurants in the region, which are vulnerable to environmental challenges and economic downturns, particularly amid the growing threat of climate change.
Neng Jr.'s is a rise-and-fall story, showcasing how even a successful restaurant can struggle under the financial strain caused by natural disasters like Hurricane Helene.
Even with the success of our restaurant, we don't have a backbone of investment. We really relied on each week and each day of service to make sure we're at least breaking even.
The lack of power obliterated thousands of dollars in perishable food and supplies at the restaurant; the Iocovozzis assess the loss of revenue from the closure as approximately $80,000.
Neng Jr.'s story reflects broader challenges facing the restaurant industry in Asheville, as approximately 250 independently owned establishments navigated the economic downturn post-Hurricane Helene.
Collection
[
|
...
]