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L.H. Kirksey, who owns River Village with his brothers Carl and Lee Kirksey, said about 50% of the businesses that were in the shopping/office complex will be coming back to it.

The shopping center was flooded as water from Hurricane Helene caused the nearby Catawba River to rise in late September.

It was the second time the shopping/office complex has been flooded by hurricanes. Hurricane Frances caused the Catawba River to flood the complex in September 2004.

Town Tavern reopening

Hurricane Helene destroyed Town Tavern and the Kirksey brothers have been working to get it ready to open once again.

L.H. Kirksey said the inside of the building was torn down to the block walls and studs and rebuilt from there. The bathrooms were redone and plumbing is being installed, he said.

Kirksey said new kitchen flooring is done, and crews are working on the floor for the upper dining room, where a new bar has been built. He said the flooring in the lower dining areas is done, and new kitchen equipment is expected soon.

Justin Davis, one owner of Town Tavern, said they are aiming to open in late April or early May.

The restaurant will need workers, he said.

Starting April 21, people interested in working at Town Tavern can stop in and apply between noon and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Davis said.

He said there will be people on-site to conduct interviews and take applications.

Davis said the restaurant needs cooks, dish washers, servers, bussers and hosts.

“We’re looking super forward to getting back in there, and we hope to see all familiar faces real soon,� Davis said.

The Â鶹´«Ã½ location is one of three Town Taverns, with the other two in Blowing Rock and Banner Elk.

In addition to the restaurant building, the Kirksey brothers also have been working to get the other businesses renovated and back open.

Kirksey said Salon 337 and the Edward Jones Financial office are up and running in the complex.

Kirksey said there are at least three more spaces in the building closest to North Green Street that are being fixed for the previous tenants. In the complex’s middle building space, most tenants that were there plan to return, he said.

Kirksey said once those tenants are back, the focus will turn to the building closest to the restaurant, where tenants are not expected to return to the four office spaces.

Queen City Audio Video & Appliances

Queen City Audio Video & Appliances, once located in River Village, is among the businesses that won’t return to the complex. Queen City President Roddey Player said the company plans to stay in the Â鶹´«Ã½ market.

Queen City Audio Video & Appliances was located at 307 Sanford Drive, Morganton, but its showroom was flooded during Hurricane Helene.

Queen City announced in late 2024 that it was buying multiple locations of Badcock Home Furnishing & More stores in North and South Carolina and starting an initiative to introduce its new Queen City Homestore concept in January 2025, according to a release from the company. In addition to appliances, mattresses and electronics, it will offer outdoor products and furniture, the release said.

It’s because of the rebranding that Queen City Homestore is looking for a different location in Â鶹´«Ã½.

“We need a bigger space than what’s there (in River Village),� Player said. “We’ve got several people trying to help us, you know, in the real estate business up there trying to help us find a better space for our clients and for our customers and for us to work out of up there, but just haven’t put our hands on it.�

Player said because of the company adding furniture to its inventory of goods, it will need a location that is about 20,000 square feet, which will double the space in River Village.

Player said Queen City bought out Mac’s TV after the 2004 flood from Hurricane Frances, he said. He said they are trying to find a space that is less vulnerable to that kind of weather.

“We’re still serving up there (in Â鶹´«Ã½). We have lots of clients up there and up in the mountains, too, that are served out of that store,â€� Player said. “So it’s not about us trying to leave the market or not go back in the market. We just haven’t found the right place for us to do it.â€�

His Â鶹´«Ã½ employees have continued to work for the company at its Charlotte location, working the phones and the e-commerce business for the Â鶹´«Ã½ market, Player said. He’s been paying employees to drive to Charlotte to work.

“And so the quicker I get a store open up there, they’re ready to go back to work and work hard in that market up there,� Player said. “So we held on to the employees, and we’re anxious to get open ourselves if we find the right property.�

The property where Queen City was located in River Village is listed as available for rent.