Dripolator opens new café in Gerber Village South Asheville - Citizen Times

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ASHEVILLE - South Asheville has more reasons to perk up now that a new coffee shop has made its soft opening debut.

On June 16, The Dripolator opened its doors at 20 Gala Road, suite 101, and the first guests began to trickle in to see what the café had to offer. It didn’t take long for community members to find the business and settle in.

“We put it on our Instagram, but we didn’t put it out there that much,” said co-owner Joshua Valdes. “People have heard, and there’s some murmuring that we’re in the space, and they’re finding us. It’s happening organically, and they’re showing up.”

Dripolator is in Gerber Village, a mixed-use development consisting of residential homes and restaurants, medical offices and retail businesses at Gerber Road and Hendersonville Road. The parking lot extends to other retailers, including Publix.

“We’ve always wanted to come south because, basically, once you leave Biltmore Village there’s not a whole lot as far as neighborhood, independent coffee shops and that seems to be a theme and a space we’re trying to fill,” Valdes said.

Getting cozy at 'The Drip'

The Dripolator ― also known as The Drip ― is new to Gerber Village in South Asheville, but the business has served Western North Carolina customers for more than 20 years.

In 1999, Dripolator, founded by Amy Vermillion, opened at 221 W. State St. in Black Mountain. In 2022, the second store opened at 909 Smokey Park Highway in Candler.

Each café embodies its own look, layout and feel while reflecting the brand’s style that’s aimed to create a laid-back getaway.

“We just like having fun with things that are pretty that we like,” Valdes said. “Art deco has always been a theme that resonates with our logo and who we are and the beginning, but we also wanted a space that was feminine and strong.”

The Gerber Village shop is intimate with a dining room that wraps around the center counter. One side of the café is lined with a high-top bar that looks out of a large window. More high tables and chairs are directly in front of the order counter.

A larger, open area ― referred to as the “living room” or the “parlor” ― is furnished with vintage lounge chairs, couches and wooden tables with original artwork by the Black Mountain shop’s barista manager, Madeline Marra.

“We wanted, when you walk in, for it to be a traditional coffee bar seating with the high tops, then we wanted to transition to a space that’s a little more eclectic, a little more free-spirited. Beautiful, feminine and comfortable,” Valdes said.

A garage door rolls up to a spacious patio with additional seating for about 20 people.  

Tin tiles line the ceiling, and the unfinished floors that remained from the former tenants, Holy Water Seltzer Brew Pub, add character.

“It’s things we couldn’t change, a feeling that this organic; this is really nice,” Valdes said. “We’re happy. It’s such a beautiful spot, and we’re happy and fortunate to serve Gerber and whoever is in this community.”

Dripolator favorites

A dripolator, a pour-over coffee maker popular in the art deco era of the early 1900s, accents the counter.

The drink and dining menus feature many of the same items offered at Dripolator’s other shops, though there are a few variations.

Signature drinks and flavored syrups are available for those who are up for trying something different, but the offerings are diversified for crossover appeal.

“We want to be approachable,” he said. “We don’t want to go too crazy into experimentation. We want to keep it fresh, but we want anybody to come in here and feel like they can get a drink and enjoy it.”

The Killer Bee ― a latte infused with honey and cinnamon that’s served hot or cold ― remains the most popular drink on the menu, Valdes said, though the Cubano is his favorite.

Summertime recommendations include the Cherry Espresso Tonic, which may sound like an odd combination, but Valdes assures is delicious. It’s made with cherry syrup, espresso and tonic water that’s served over ice.

“It’s one of those things you see on Instagram and you’re like, ‘I don’t know about that,’ then you put it together. … It’s just so nice,” he said.

Many other options are on the menu, including frappes and fruit smoothies.

Dripolator makes a large portion of its baked goods with croissants sourced from Four Sisters Bakery in Black Mountain. Breakfast sandwiches and more treats are available.

Also, Dripolator roasts its coffee at its Candler café-roastery.  

Coffee may be purchased at the shop by the bag. The café offers a refillable jar program, too, in which customers may receive a discount on their roasts when they bring back the designated glass container.

The small jar is $19 for the jar and beans but after that, it’s $7.50 to refill the jar, which holds nearly a pound of coffee, Valdes said.

The Dripolator

Where: 20 Gala Road, suite 101, Asheville

Hours: 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Info: For more, follow on social media at https://www.facebook.com/thedripolatorcoffeehouse and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dripolatorcoffeehouse.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

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