ASHEVILLE – When one door opens, another one closes for a popular chain restaurant in Asheville.
On July 7, Cracker Barrel permanently closed at 34 Tunnel Road.
A sign in the parking lot posted by Cracker Barrel stated:
“We’ve been honored to welcome guests in for nearly 20 years and have valued the opportunity to be part of so many special occasions for our guests and community.”
Contractors on-site as Cracker Barrel was dismantled on Tunnel Road on July 8, 2025.
On July 8, a Cracker Barrel spokesperson told the Citizen Times in an email that the decision to close the store, effective immediately, was based on continued evaluation of store performance, using various criteria to ensure the company meets the needs of its guests and the business.
Former Cracker Barrel-Tunnel Road employees shared on multiple social media posts that they arrived at work and learned about the immediate closure on July 7.
“The decision to close a store is never one we take lightly, and we are assisting our impacted employees and managers during the transition, including offering them a severance package as well as the opportunity to transfer to nearby locations,” the Cracker Barrel spokesperson stated in the July 8 email.
The Tunnel Road closure comes less than a week after Cracker Barrel’s location at 5 Crowell Road in West Asheville reopened, having temporarily closed for renovations from June 24 to July 2.
Cracker Barrel on Tunnel Road has permanently closed. A sign thanks customers for years of support.
A Cracker Barrel spokesperson told the Citizen Times via email on June 24 that the renovation is part of a multi-year transformation across approximately 60 restaurants nationwide.
On the morning of July 8, trucks were on-site, appearing to remove equipment from the Tunnel Road building.
“We’re also partnering with Rathbun House, a hospitality house designed for the family members of patients at Mission Hospital and other nearby healthcare facilities, to donate some of our retail product that would be helpful to families and staff,” the Cracker Barrel spokesperson stated on July 8.
According to Cracker Barrel, the company was founded in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee, and currently operates 660 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations across 43 states. It also owns the fast-casual breakfast eatery, Maple Street Biscuit Company.
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Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Tips, comments, questions? Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Cracker Barrel closes one restaurant, renovates another in Asheville
