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Josh Thrower | Asheville Real Estate & History

@joshavl

5.9K

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900

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📍Asheville, NC
REALTOR® | @realbrokerage
Cool stories, unique homes, good vibes

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a month ago

🍺 Did you know you can drink beer inside actual vintage railroad cars at a brewery just outside Asheville? 🚂

Whistle Hop Brewing (@whistlehopbrewing) in Fairview takes “a beer with a view” to another level—with a historic boxcar and a bright-red caboose you can sit inside.

Grab a cold beer, settle into a piece of railroad history, and stay for fun for the whole family.

I’m Josh Thrower, an Asheville REALTOR shining a light on the area’s rich history. We’ve still got a lot of WNC stories to dig into… let’s go! 🤙✨

#craftbeer #ashevillehistory #brewery #railroadhistory #trainlovers by @joshavl

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4 days ago

🏃🏻 That’s a wrap on the 2026 Chicago Marathon!

This was my second year in a row running this incredible race, and once again, I had the pleasure of doing it with @teamronaldmcdonaldhouse!

Between last year and this year, I’ve been able to raise around $5,000 to help families with children receiving medical care who need a place to stay close to the hospital.

It costs Ronald McDonald House roughly $100 a night to provide a family with a place to stay, so knowing that these donations can help make a difference means a lot. Thanks so much to everyone who donated, shared the link, or just sent good vibes!

Having experienced firsthand just how incredible this organization is and how much support they provide families like ours, running for them felt like the perfect way to give back ❤️🏅

#runningmotivation #chicagomarathon #chdawareness #rmhc #teamrmhc by @joshavl

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5 days ago

🍊🎶 Did you know before The Orange Peel was the music venue we know today, it was once one of Asheville’s most popular roller skating rinks?

From Skateland Rollerdrome to a bowling alley, cabaret club, legendary R&B venue and eventually The Orange Peel we know today — this building has seen a lot over the last 75 years.

This is the story of The Orange Peel. taken in The Orange Peel by @joshavl

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7 days ago

🎬 Did you know the current site of Highland Brewing was once home to an Asheville movie studio?

If you’ve ever visited Highland, you may have noticed the old water tower in the parking lot that still reads “Blue Ridge Motion Pictures.”

In the early 2000s, this massive East Asheville property was transformed into a movie production facility.

For a few years, Asheville had its very own movie studio — before Highland Brewing moved into part of the complex in 2006 and eventually grew into the campus we know today.

This is the story of Blue Ridge Motion Pictures — Asheville’s (almost) forgotten movie studio.

I’m Josh Thrower, an Asheville real estate broker sharing the unique stories, places and history that helped shape the city we know today.

#ashevillehistory #highlandbrewing #filmhistory #forgottenplaces #wncstrong by @joshavl

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12 days ago

⛳️ Did you know Asheville has a surprisingly long history with miniature golf?

Long before social media took over our culture, miniature golf was one of the places to be—especially for kids and teenagers looking for something to do around town.

From the old Putt-Putt locations around Asheville to the courses that became part of local childhood memories, mini golf was more than just a game. It was date nights, birthday parties, family outings, and a whole lot of friendly competition.

This is the story of Asheville’s long history with miniature golf—and a little piece of local nostalgia that a lot of people still remember.

#AshevilleHistory #minigolf #sportshistory #nostalgia #puttputt taken in Asheville, North Carolina by @joshavl

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14 days ago

🌲 Did you know one of Asheville’s coolest brewery spaces wasn’t built to look historic—it actually is?

This is the story of Forestry Camp—a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp from the 1930s that found a new life with Burial Beer Company. Behind those old timber buildings is a chapter of Asheville history that goes far beyond beer. 🍻

I’m Josh Thrower, a local real estate agent sharing the cool stories, unique places, and forgotten history that make Asheville what it is.

#ashevillehistory #craftbeer #burialbeer #nationalparks #americanhistory taken in Forestry Camp - Burial Beer Co. by @joshavl

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18 days ago

🏔️ Did you know Asheville once had a Bavarian-themed shopping mall — and believe it or not, much of it is still standing today, mostly vacant, right on Tunnel Road?

This is the story of Innsbruck Mall (and previously called Tunnel Road Shopping Center), one of Asheville’s early enclosed shopping centers.

Long before Tunnel Road became the shopping corridor we know today, Innsbruck was part of a changing Asheville — filled with stores, restaurants and the kind of shopping-mall culture that defined an era.

Today, the property looks very different, but pieces of that original mall are still there, hiding in plain sight.

I’m Josh Thrower, an Asheville Realtor sharing the forgotten stories, places and history that helped make this city what it is today.

#ashevillehistory #abandonedmall #forgottenhistory #wncbusiness #oktoberfest taken in Innsbruck Mall by @joshavl

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21 days ago

👻 Did you know Helen’s Bridge is widely considered to be one of the most haunted places in all of Asheville?

This is the story of Helen’s Bridge, Zealandia, and one of Asheville’s most enduring urban legends.

I’m Josh Thrower, a local Asheville Realtor. Follow along if you’re into real estate, history, local stories, businesses, and everything in between.

#HelensBridge #AshevilleHistory #ghoststories #spookyseason #lore taken in Helen's Bridge by @joshavl

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25 days ago

🍕Before Chuck E. Cheese, Asheville had ShowBiz Pizza.

If you grew up in Asheville in the ’80s or ’90s (or a lot of other places in the US), there’s a good chance you remember the animatronic bears, the arcade games, the birthday parties, and the absolute chaos of the ball pit.

ShowBiz Pizza was a childhood rite of passage for an entire generation of kids out there (in Asheville and beyond). And while the kids were busy burning through tokens, the parents could kick back with a slice of pizza and a cold beer.

The Rock-afire Explosion may be long gone from 34 Tunnel Road, but for those who remember it, the nostalgia is surely still alive and well. And thankfully, the building itself where Cracker Barrel lived for the past twenty years will soon have new life with the reopening of Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi!

Like most places, Asheville has changed a lot over the years, but sometimes the places folks miss most aren’t the grand landmarks. They’re the places where they made memories without even realizing it.

Thanks to cecpizzamunch for the story idea! This is a fun one.

Credit to UncleJoJosHouse and The Dead Skeleton Show channels on YouTube for the video clips used in this reel.

#AshevilleHistory #ShowbizPizza #ChuckECheese #80sNostalgia #80sBabies taken in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store by @joshavl

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a month ago

🎢 Did you know Asheville once had its own amusement park — complete with rides, a roller coaster, and even elephants?

This is the story of the early Recreation Park, known as “Asheville’s Playground,” that once stood where the grounds of the current Recreation Park and the WNC Nature Center stand today.

I’m Josh Thrower, a local Asheville Realtor. Follow along if you’re into Asheville, local history, real estate, and everything in between.

#AshevilleHistory #amusementpark #forgottenplaces #rollercoaster #wncnaturecenter taken in WNC Nature Center by @joshavl

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a month ago

🎬 Did you know that one of Asheville’s busiest shopping areas used to be home to an epic drive-in movie theater?

This is the story of the Dreamland Drive-In — a beloved piece of Asheville history that once lit up the night where shopping centers and busy roads stand today.

I’m Josh Thrower, a local Asheville Realtor. Follow along if you’re into Asheville, history, local stories, real estate, and everything in between.

#filmhistory #AshevilleHistory #DriveInTheater #nostalgia #movielover taken in Lowe's Home Improvement by @joshavl

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a month ago