Asheville LGBTQ+ bar destroyed by Hurricane Helene is reopening 'twice as big' (exclusive)
An LGBTQ+ bar and event space in Asheville, North Carolina that was destroyed by Hurricane Helene is reopening, and its owners are promising to be "bigger, gayer, and louder" than ever.
Keep up with the latest in + news and politics.
Day Trip, owned by Brandon Davis and his husband, Davie, had to close after just 31 days in business, leaving the two with over $200,000 in loans and no source of income. Four months later, the couple is preparing to reopen at a new location "twice as big as what we had before."
"Once we hit our GoFundMe goal, we knew that we had to get back up and running as soon as possible," Davis tells The Advocate. "With everything going on in North Carolina and everything going on in California, it's nice to know you can come back and you can come back stronger."
The couple wasn't expecting to go viral, but the donations came pouring in — a large share from LGBTQ+ people who expressed their solidarity. Davis says it made them "feel more of a part of the community," which made them want to give back. They specifically hope to do more events for queer youth in the future, since "so many teenagers donated to our GoFundMe."
Though a space double the size of their first location is "a lot to take on," it allows Day Trip to open a full cafe alongside their cocktail bar, and host even larger events. Davis promises that "we're going to be bigger, we're going to be gayer, we're going to be louder."
"I don't want to put anyone's money in a situation where I'm doing it half-assed. I want to do it right and I want people who donated to be like, 'This is why I donated,'" he says. "I want to represent not only the Asheville community, but just the queer community, because if they didn't step up for me, we would have lost our house. We wouldn't have been able to reopen."
Davis says that he experienced a form of tunnel vision after his business was destroyed and his home became unlivable. While the support felt like a "good dream," the situation his family was living was like a "nightmare." Rebuilding Day Trip was "the only thing that kept me occupied."
"I'm so grateful for all the people who just kept lifting us up during that time, because it was almost too much for me to lift myself up," Davis says. "I feel like if I didn't have that to focus on, I would have just sunk into a really dark place."
"It's weird to have a conversation during the natural disaster or during a traumatic event like that, as opposed to when you're months out of it," he continues. "Even though we had so much constant news being shown to us on our phones, it was like we hadn't processed any of it yet. We were reading what was happening, but we weren't really understanding deeply what was happening."
Now, Davis feels like "it's the same thing in L.A." as communities are still grappling with devastating wildfires. Though the disaster is occurring on the other side of the country, Davis feels connected to the people there as they experience similar losses to him. He believes that it reflects how "nowhere feels safe."
"It's gonna get worse, [natural disasters] are gonna get more frequent, they're gonna get more devastating, more traumatizing," he says. "When are people gonna wake up? ... Eventually you're going to be the video people are watching, because nowhere is safe if we don't act on it."
Asheville, like Day Trip, is still rebuilding over 100 days later. Davis says that at their old location, it still "looks like the hurricane just happened yesterday" with collapsed buildings and bridges, cars abandoned in the mud, and debris hanging from the trees. While the rest of the country moves on, Hurricane Helene is "going to be something that sticks with us for forever."
Davis, like the people in Los Angeles, "didn't know what to do" when disaster struck. All the community knew in the following days was that "they needed to band together to help who they can." Now, as Day Trip prepares to reopen in April, he knows first-hand that recovery isn't just possible — it's inevitable.
"If you have the support behind you, then you can do anything," Davis says. "And sometimes that just takes you asking for it."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
City of St. Petersburg to launch yearlong planning effort for rapidly growing District 2
The Brief St. Petersburg's District 2 will be the focus of a city-led planning initiative. With its rapid development comes a notable population increase. District 2 now has the second-highest population growth rate in all of St. Petersburg. The planning process will unfold throughout the next year, with numerous opportunities for public input. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - St. Petersburg's District 2, one of the city's fastest-growing areas, is now the focus of a major city-led planning initiative. With redevelopment already underway, city officials are dedicating the next year to crafting a comprehensive master plan—ensuring that the district's future growth is both strategic and community-driven. Dig deeper Located in North St. Pete and connected by both the Gandy and Howard Frankland Bridges, District 2 has become a magnet for development. Construction sites and real estate signs are now common sights across the area. It also serves as a critical employment hub for the region, home to major companies like Raymond James. READ:St. Pete consignment shop abruptly closes, thousands of dollars in designer goods missing Later this year, Foot Locker is set to relocate its corporate headquarters from New York to the district. "This is one of the largest employment centers in the Tampa Bay region," city officials noted, underscoring the district's growing economic significance. With its rapid development comes a notable population increase. District 2 now has the second-highest population growth rate in all of St. Petersburg. But along with this growth comes risk. READ: St. Pete approves projects to make sewer system more resilient About 95 percent of the district lies within a coastal high-hazard zone. Neighborhoods like Riviera Bay were especially hard hit during Hurricane Helene. Infrastructure challenges remain, and with more development on the horizon, city leaders say intentional planning is critical. What they're saying "We wanted to make sure that when this redevelopment comes our way—because we know it's coming—that it comes with an idea that comes from the community, with a guiding document," said District 2 City Councilmember Brandi Gabbard. What's next To help create that vision, the city has hired a consulting firm to work directly with residents and business owners. Over the next year, the firm will gather feedback and help design a long-term master plan that reflects the community's priorities. READ:St. Pete man sailing over 5,500 miles for Ronald McDonald House Charities City planners are also embracing technology to help bring the vision to life. Staff say they'll use ESRI Story Maps—interactive digital maps used in urban planning—to give residents a hands-on way to shape the future of District 2. The planning process will unfold throughout the next year, with numerous opportunities for public input. City officials hope it will result in a thoughtful blueprint for sustainable, inclusive growth in one of St. Pete's most dynamic districts. The Source This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Georgia Power working to reduce number, length of outages
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Whether it's a brief shower or a severe storm, Georgia Power said they are investing in their infrastructure by upgrading their energy grid for their 2.7 million customers. Georgia Power spokesperson Matthew Kent said they're doing this through smart grid technology. The company hopes to reduce outages when severe weather moves in. 'The technology can remotely restore power in the event that a line is down if there's an available way to reroute that power,' Kent said. 'But also at your home, smart meters and other smart technology on the lines, we're using all of that together to make sure that we can make your power outage times as minimal as possible after a storm,' Kent said. 'The main goal is to minimize any disruption. We know how difficult it is to be without power.' In 2023, the company reported customers were seeing up to 50% improvement. According to Kent, Hurricane Helene last year gave the company an opportunity to upgrade damaged technology. 'We had something like 11,000 poles, 1,000 miles of wire down and 3,000 transmitters. It was a lot of work to restore that,' Kent said. The Public Service Commission is voting this month on whether or not to freeze the base rate for three years. Your rate is dependent on the plan you have. Georgia Power sent WSAV the following statement on the rate freeze: 'At Georgia Power, customers are at the center of everything we do. As costs around the country rise, Georgia Power remains committed to providing our customers with clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy. We are well-positioned to balance mutual benefits that are available as a result of the extraordinary economic growth taking place in our state. This stipulated agreement helps balance the affordability needs of our customers while ensuring Georgia Power remains equipped to continue its support of our state's incredible growth – which is good for all of our stakeholders. We're always working to keep energy reliable and affordable for customers, and this stipulated agreement means no base rate increases for three years – that's great news for every customer. Reaching this agreement is just the start of an open and transparent process, leading up to a vote by the Georgia PSC, which will include opportunities for comment and input from intervenors and the public.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lawmakers backtracking on July 1 deadline for NC budget
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Top North Carolina lawmakers say they likely will not have an approved budget by the end of this month, backtracking on previous hopes of having it done by then. Senator Phil Berger says you just need to look at the two budgets from the House and Senate and you'll see hundreds of differences that need working out. 'My sense is we've got to resolve the issues with reference to revenue package before we can have productive, substantive discussions about a full budget on those other issues,' Senator Berger said. On the House side, there's no real urgency. 'We don't feel a pressure here really to pass a budget by July 1, again because of the prior changes in the law, the money continues on just like it was under the prior budget,' Representative Destin Hall said. That means even without a final budget, state employees still get paid, and the government continues. But top Democrats say the state needs a budget and it's not up to them anymore. 'We actually have Republicans running both the House and the Senate, they have the override here, and yet we don't actually have a budget, so this is infighting between Republicans,' Senator Sydney Batch said. If there's no final budget by July 1st, Senator Berger says lawmakers will likely take a break and then come back. Democrats take issue with that if it means Hurricane Helene relief is delayed. 'We're going to go home and take a break, and they never take a break from not having a house, not having any food, not having a school for their kids to go to,' Senator Batch said. But that may not be the case. 'The sense within the Senate is that if we do adjourn at the end of the month without a budget and plan to come back at a certain time, there are some things with reference to Helene recovery that we'll probably need to do before we leave town,' Senator Berger said. Representative Destin Hall also says they do have a commitment to state employees and teachers to get them raises in a timely manner, so he's keeping that in mind as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
