Ash Pantry

Ash Pantry is a neighborhood mini-mart in Asheville, North Carolina, the kind of small local spot where you can usually park right by the door and get in and out quick. Alongside cigarettes and basic smoking accessories, folks around here stop in for beer and wine, soda and water, candy, ice cream, lottery tickets, and a handful of everyday odds and ends. One regular even mentioned frozen steaks in the mix, which tells you the shelves hold a little more than you might expect from a shop this size.

People who shop here tend to talk about the guys behind the counter. Ask anyone who comes in and you'll hear the staff described as friendly, courteous, and helpful, the sort who greet you with a smile and keep the place tidy. As one person put it, fancy it is not, but convenient it certainly is.

The word around Asheville is that it earns a solid, well-liked reputation as a handy local stop. A couple of honest notes we've heard: prices on some items, cigarettes included, can run a touch higher than the big chains, and it's worth checking the shelf tag against the register since cooler pricing doesn't always match the signage. Locals are a little split on the service some days too, so results can vary depending on who's working.

Still, for a quick neighborhood run in Asheville, Ash Pantry covers the basics and the parking couldn't be easier.