The original site of Magnolia’s dates back to 1885, when Mrs. Lula Stepp built a one story building next to her residence on North Market Street. This building was leased to Mr. Chambers and operated as a livery stable up until 1919. Located on the south side of the building were eight stable doors and a carriage entrance.
In 1912, the building was purchased by Mr. MacArthur as an investment property shortly before WWI. Mrs. Stepp’s residence was demolished and another one-story building was constructed, which is now known as our Magnolia Room. In those days, this buildings big claim to fame was that it possessed “modern indoor plumbing.”
In 1919, the whole property became the new base for the MacArthur Tire Company. They were Western North Carolina and East Tennessee distributors for Good Year Tires. The business thrived and was given a great boost by the advent of re-capping in the late 1930’s.
In 1929, at the insistence of Goodyear, the Magnolia Room was renovated as an office and warehouse. Blue tile was added to the front of the building, as well as various art deco type stucco to enhance the appearance. One of the very first illuminated signs in Asheville was placed on the roof. Around this time, North Market was a brick street, while Walnut Street was merely a dirt road. It is worth noting that North Market Street now remains the last brick street in Asheville.
In 1947, the Magnolia Room underwent another change and became the home of MacArthur-Krause Florist, a successful business which operated up until 1987 supplying fresh cut flowers to local downtown businesses. Once again, the Magnolia Room underwent modernization and acquired central heating to replace the old oil burners and a new roof to replace the original one that was still on the building.
On June 13, 1987, the entire property was sold to two local Ashevillians who believed downtown Asheville was ready for revitalization and could once again experience the rapid expansion it once had back in the 1920’s. With a simple dream of creating a good Southern Restaurant with charm and hospitality, Magnolia’s opened in April of 1988.
About our Chef ~
Magnolia’s executive chef, Mr. Terry Maultsby, has 9 years in the food service business. He has a business administration degree from Blue Ridge Community College and his culinary education was obtained from Asheville's A-B Tech’s acclaimed Culinary Arts Program. His experience started at The Blue Ridge Chophouse in Arden, NC where he worked his way up to kitchen manager. From there, he went to Southside Café in Asheville, NC where he spent three years before moving on to The Wildflower, also in Asheville where he was the sous chef. He came to Magnolia’s in the summer of 2002 and was awarded the executive chef‘s position in 2007. His passion for cooking is expressed in his dishes by combining southern traditions with gourmet flair. Chef Maultsby believes it is imperative to stay informed on the latest trends in food as well as what is new with fusions and combinations of flavors. It is with this combination of knowledge and his passion for cooking that he