Ecusta Market & Café
By Lauren Stepp
When Robert and Emily Gunn met a decade ago, healthy eating wasn’t at the top of their priority list. Exhausted from working long shifts—Emily at Wicked Weed Brewing and Robert for Chai Pani Restaurant Group—the young couple would grab dinner at a late-night bar in downtown Asheville each night.
Emily, Robert and Goldie Gunn
But all that changed after the couple’s honeymoon in Southeast Asia. “Returning home, Robert experienced a severe reaction to an antibiotic, prompting us to reevaluate our approach to wellness,” Emily explains. “Along the way, we discovered something deeper: a sense of connection and fulfillment that comes from knowing where your food comes from—how it’s grown, raised and cared for.”
It’s this belief that motivated the Gunns to open Ecusta Market late last fall.
Situated along the eponymous Ecusta Trail in Hendersonville, the natural grocer offers an impressive selection of meat, produce, dairy, artisanal gifts and non-toxic household goods. Many of these products are sourced as local as it gets—literally from farms just minutes down the road. “The market creates space to support local growers, makers and artisans while offering better-for-you groceries,” says Emily.
Robert agrees, adding that he and his wife are “committed to complementing the vibrant farmers market scene by offering more traditional grocery store hours—making local, quality products accessible whenever you need them.”
Ecusta Market
This is good news for farmers, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene. When the Category 4 storm thundered into the region, it caused widespread devastation, washing away crops and severely damaging agricultural infrastructure. But with the support of the Gunns, local farmers now have a platform to reach customers and begin rebuilding their businesses.
“Having a central market in which to showcase local vendors brings a wholesomeness that is difficult to describe in words,” says Carolyn Shepherd, who grows microgreens on her Hendersonville farm, HiBear Ridge Homestead. “This atmosphere generates ingenuity, entrepreneurship and a strong sense of community.”
Megan Knights, owner of Salt + Light Acres in Saluda, echoes this sentiment. “Every purchase helps provide feed and routine medical care for our animals,” says Knights, who crafts goat milk bath and body products. “It’s important to have a local business support us so we can meet the goals we have for our family.”
Microgreens from HiBear Ridge Homestead
But it’s not just farmers who benefit from Ecusta Market. It’s also local artists like Macon York, a Henderson County printmaker who crafts greeting cards inspired by native flora and fauna.
“In these busy times, I create work that celebrates kindness, sincerity and slow living—reminding us to pause and find beauty in life’s simple moments,” says York. “Having a local venue like Ecusta Market means my art is not only supporting the community but is also rooted in the place that inspires it.”
So far, folks have been lining up to buy York’s quippy cards, tangy goat cheese from Round Mountain Creamery, freshly roasted coffee from ShareWell Coffee Co. & Roastery and everything in between.
“The most rewarding part has been seeing our customers’ reactions and talking to people in the neighborhood who are excited and proud of what we’ve built and are eager to support us,” says Robert. “Those conversations remind us why we took this leap in the first place.”
Bath products from Salt + Light Acres
Later this year, the couple will take another leap of faith as they open a café in the building next door. According to Emily, the eatery will be a family-centered space where people can “gather as a community” and connect over local food.
“I absolutely believe local food has the potential to change the world,” says Robert. “Choosing local food means putting money into your neighbor’s pocket instead of padding the bottom line of a CEO at a giant corporation. It’s a tangible way to strengthen your community while reconnecting with the land and the people who grow your food.”
The Ecusta Market (877 Lennox Park Drive, Hendersonville) is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Call 828.595.3483 or visit EcustaMarketAndCafe.com for more information.
