Bold Rock Hard Cider announced plans to open a taproom downtown in the space formerly occupied by CANarchy’s “The Collaboratory” concept.

The 8,000 sq ft. cidery and taproom will be at 39 N. Lexington Avenue and will feature a small-batch cider production system, scratch kitchen, and private event space.

“We are fortunate that the North Carolina community truly embraced us when we arrived here in 2015, says Brian Shanks, Bold Rock co-founder. “Now, we look forward to bringing the successes and popularity of the Bold Rock brand and of our Mills River experience to the heart of Asheville.  We believe, this summer will mark the return to on-premise consumption channels and we also see a rebound occurring in the adult beverage-related tourism industry.  With Asheville’s rapidly rising reputation of being the US top city for adult craft beverages, the timing for the project couldn’t be better.”

What began out of a humble barn nestled in the Virginia foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains has grown to become the #2 best-selling cider brand in the country.  Featuring a wide variety of hard cider styles like Granny Smith Apple, Sangria, Watermelon, and Pineapple ciders, Bold Rock also offers hard tea, hard lemonade, hard seltzer, and ready-to-drink craft cocktails.

The new Ashville cidery and taproom’s design will reflect Bold Rock’s rustic roots and its connection with the Blue Ridge Mountains. You’ll find a full-service menu heavily influenced by local tastes featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Co-founder, John Washburn says “Asheville is the perfect place for Bold Rock to branch out with a stunning new cidery and taproom.  In 2015, we were welcomed as part of the North Carolina community when we located our hard cider production and taproom in nearby Mills River.  At my family’s home outside of Asheville and as a boy at summer camp in Hendersonville, I drank fresh cold apple juice in the orchard every morning.  The Mills River location allowed us to take advantage of the high-quality apples from local orchards in the Blue Ridge mountains.  Now, with the thriving craft beverage scene in Asheville, this is obviously the place for us to be.  Locals and tourists alike can join us for a hard cider and a wonderful North Carolina experience.”

The new space is projected to open later this year.