What to know about West Asheville's new underground bar, The Low Down
ASHEVILLE - For nearly a decade, The Crow & Quill has provided a covert place for cocktail enthusiasts to gather under the cloak of the night.
Like a secret society lair or speakeasy, to access the downtown bar one must be in the know. Its entrance is hidden behind an unmarked door with no signage amid a row of other local bars and businesses at 106 N. Lexington Ave.
“(The Crow & Quill) definitely has more of a gothic, Victorian vibe. It reminds me of that wand shop in Harry Potter,” said Casey Campfield, proprietor.
The Crow & Quill’s ornate wooden bar shelves overflow with bottles of spirits. The antique-style furniture, wallpaper, chandeliers and rugs with hanging dried flowers, artworks and odd pieces create a charming and haunting setting.
This October, Campfield introduced a new nightlife notion that’s akin to The Crow & Quill’s air of mystery but offers an original style and ambiance of its own.
The Low Down, at 723 Haywood Road, suite 1, also has a cloaked entryway but takes a modern approach with a sleek, elegant design.
“(The Low Down) has a very strong, clean design style that’s repeated throughout," Campfield said. "A lot more hard, angular lines rather than soft curves. It’s a fun, creative project to strike out in a different direction to do something new.”
A West Asheville welcome
Campfield’s arrival in West Asheville comes after years of entertaining downtown audiences.
“I’ve always wanted to open a more neighborhood-type pub/bar That was the idea with The Crow & Quill but that opened in 2014 and a lot changed after that,” Campfield said. “Fewer and fewer people that I knew were able to live downtown, unfortunately, so being over here where there are more Asheville residents definitely feels like the right speed.”
The Low Down is in a bustling commercial strip along Haywood Road. The walkable neighborhood is ideal for a bar that’s intended to be stumbled upon, as its signage is obscure.
Through the ground-level main door can be seen an illuminated sign with an illustration of an eye with tears backing the bar’s name. A downward-facing arrow guides guests down a flight of stairs.
“People are just discovering it by walking by and turning down the stairwell,” Campfield said.
Another door leads to a clandestine, chic one-room lounge.
“Mellow and cozy. Really that’s the idea, is to create a really warm, cozy space that’s nice to sit in,” Campfield said.
Inside The Low Down
Formerly, The Black Cloud, a metal music and beer bar, was at the address and had an aesthetic to match with dark colors and metal plating accents from the walls to bar and tabletops enveloped by blacklights.
Campfield has taken a different direction by making wood the focal point of The Low Down’s composition. Red oak and Baltic birch wood were used throughout and create contrast.
Campfield admires the fretwork style of finely articulated woodcuts, so he drew out a design and called on local artists to bring his vision to life.
J-Krush from Shapesmith Studio completed the laser cutting for the fretwork.
Tom Gibson from Ironwood Studios was commissioned for the custom woodworking.
“The bar is modeled after traditional English canopy-style pub bars,” Campfield said. “There’s cabinetry built above the bar that not only provides very functional storage space for us but creates a sense of envelopment like being held in a cozy space.”
Story Blowers assisted with many elements, such as the design of the sign and the eye mirror that anchors the front wall.
Hand-shaped scones hold light bulbs that cast a soft, warm glow and lend a touch of the eclectic.
“There’s just a broadly interpreted iconography of hands and eyes. We put them in a lot of our artwork throughout the ages and different cultures, so I leave the interpretation to the viewer,” Campfield said.
Four booth sections and bar stool seating at the bar and center of the room allow about 40 guests.
A shuffleboard table offers easy entertainment.
On certain nights, The Crow & Quill shifts into a high-energy destination with lively music and patrons. The Low Down is proposed to be the low-key counterpart with a rotating playlist that further sets the chill mood.
On the menu
The Low Down, like The Crow & Quill, is staffed with skilled beverage professionals with an arsenal of handcrafted cocktail recipes.
“One other bartender and I have been in the cocktail industry for 20 years, so we have a bit of experience in that field, and we have a new bartender who’s just come on who’s worked in town for several years, so we have a lot of strength in that department,” Campfield said.
The cocktail menu is under development and being shaped by customers’ requests.
Also, the bar offers a wide selection of wine and beer. Sake and mead are in consideration.
Nonalcoholic beverage offerings include “fancy” mocktails, tea and coffee.
“I want non-drinkers or people who are taking a break to feel comfortable in a space like this. It helps with the overall vibe if not everyone is drinking,” Campfield said.
The Low Down
Where: 723 Haywood Rd, suite 1, Asheville.
Hours: 5 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Sunday (hours subject to change).
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: The Low Down, a chic underground lounge, opens in West Asheville