Cheers to the Ale House
Black Mountain restaurant and bar to close after 15 years
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
May 15, 2025
The Black Mountain Pizza & Ale House will close, Saturday, May 17, after 15 years. Photo by Fred McCormick
Sometimes, in an attempt to show off my credentials as a longtime Black Mountain resident, I tell people, “I was there the night the Ale House opened.” The “Ale House,” of course, is local vernacular for the Black Mountain Pizza & Ale House.
It’s a fun story because I, like many others here, knew the owner and founder, John Richardson, from his time bartending at the now-defunct Watershed, long before I started covering local news. He marked the opening of his brand new bar with an informal potluck and Super Bowl watch party. It felt like everyone in town was there that night, with people walking inside to the bar and mingling outside on the patio.
In the years since, the Ale House became a downtown Black Mountain destination and meeting place, filled with personal memories for me, and countless other locals and tourists. So, when I learned it was closing, Saturday, May 17, after 15 years, I wanted to recognize its significance in the community.
When I came to town in 2008, this was a much different place. The Swannanoa Valley was not yet a haven for delicious cuisine, cocktails and beer, though a growing number of options were emerging. At that time, we only had two bars, and one closed in 2011.
Richardson so clearly articulated his vision for creating a desperately needed “third place” for local residents and visitors. While the Ale House began with the feel of a local hangout, his idea was to carefully cultivate an environment that was welcoming and appealing to everyone.
As a non-native, I have had a lot of guests come visit me in Black Mountain over the past 18 years. I have taken nearly all of them to the Black Mountain Pizza & Ale House at some point. Friends and family consistently ask me, “how’s the Ale House?”
Many people who live here today might not realize that until 2011, cocktails, or “liquor by the drink” was not available in the Town of Black Mountain. That November, 1,400 residents voted to allow bars and restaurants to serve mixed beverages.
It was a boon for the Ale House, which started out serving bar food like fish and chips, and was often packed, especially on weekends. You never really knew who you would run into there.
One of the reasons I developed such a fondness for the place over the years is that on any given day it offered a snapshot into a moment in time in Black Mountain. Sitting at that bar, I’ve laughed with other locals, chatted with tourists or brand new community members and met new friends.
The Ale House was, without a doubt, the community hub on Cherry Street, just as the founder envisioned.
“Black Mountain needed a place where people could meet up and just hang out,” Richardson said. “We were truly honored to be that place for so long.”
Many of the employees of the Ale House worked there for years, and it possessed the vibe described in “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” better known as the theme song from the 1980s sitcom, Cheers.
“Connection is important to me,” Richardson said. “It’s such a crucial part of a healthy, vibrant community.”
One of my favorite days in Black Mountain was in early 2011, when I took a day off from work for a full day of March Madness. I don’t know how long I was in the Ale House, but it’s fair to say it was most of the day. I remember seeing all kinds of people come in and out, including UNC Asheville fans cheering on the Bulldogs in the tournament.
I saw fans wearing all kinds of colors and logos in that place, between bites of food and and brews from the emerging craft beer scene, but there was not a single tense moment. Everybody was smiling, laughing and enjoying the warmth of this town.
The community has changed a lot since the Ale House opened. We’re fortunate to have so many options for good food and drinks, but anyone who has been here long enough understands the vital role that “third place” Richardson created, curated and nurtured played in our current thriving downtown business community.
In fact, many local shops that have debuted during the Ale House era likely celebrated right there. While the pub has adapted over the years, “all good things must come to an end,” the team announced, May 15.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closure of Black Mountain Pizza & Ale House,” the statement read. “We will be open through Saturday, May 17. Despite our best efforts, after almost 15 years serving our friends and watching this little town grow, we have not been able to sustain operations in the current economic climate.”
I’ve had several conversations and experiences at the Ale House that made me want to order another beer and stay a little longer. Sometimes I would, and I’m happy I did.
Cheers to the Black Mountain Pizza & Ale House and John Richardson for all of the memories, and thank you for being our place where everybody knows your name.