Salvage Station has revealed its intentions to reconstruct its venue after a late-night fire devastated the Lyman Street location known as Asheville Waste Paper. The incident occurred on Thursday, April 23, around 11:15 p.m., when firefighters were called to the site. Upon arrival, they found the building fully engulfed in flames.
This event followed an earlier small fire on the same day, which was quickly extinguished without causing significant damage. The latest fire was eventually put out by 4:52 a.m. on Friday, April 24, but not before the location suffered “significant fire damage.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, a Salvage Station staff member, ScareKrow, shared concerns about ongoing issues with trespassers and squatters at the site. According to ScareKrow, the music venue has dealt with these problems for over a year and a half. “We’ve definitely seen the remnants of that every day. You’ll find things moved. People have been here over through the night,” ScareKrow said. In their opinion, this could be the reason behind the fire.
A witness named Brendan Norris described the scene when he noticed smoke while driving by. He called a firefighter friend, who confirmed the situation. “Sure enough, ten minutes later, phew, she blew up in flames,” Norris recalled.
Following the fire, Salvage Station took to social media to announce its plans to rebuild the music venue. The venue, located along Riverside Drive, was originally set to be replaced by the Interstate 26 Connector project. However, the area faced severe destruction due to Helene.
In November 2025, Salvage Station announced its move to the McMahan/Pace family property known as Asheville Waste Paper. On Saturday, April 25, the organization emphasized its commitment to bringing live music, jobs, and energy back to the River Arts District.
“This historic Asheville Waste Paper structure has long been a meaningful part of the River Arts District, and we hope portions of it can be preserved and thoughtfully incorporated into the rebuild. Honoring what came before matters to us,” the post stated.
Salvage Station also assured the community that they are committed to preserving the beloved Homer/Bender mural. “And to everyone who’s piped up about the Homer/Bender mural—rest assured, we love it too. We’re doing everything we can to keep it part of the story,” the post added.
Although no specific timeline for construction was provided, one thing is clear: Salvage Station is determined to rebuild. “We’re not going anywhere. We’re not slowing down. We’re rebuilding—with purpose and with community,” the post concluded.
