Another place to enjoy spirited beverages and quality food is now open in downtown Hendersonville, just in time for the holiday season.
Claywood Wine-Whiskey Social, located at 317 Seventh Ave. East, is a wine and whiskey restaurant that officially opened on Nov. 15 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce.
The venue, which offers artisan charcuterie selections, including venison and bacon-wrapped wild game, is owned by Carly Buntin, her husband, Scott, and Carly’s mother, Jean Reinhardt. In addition to the bar and main dining room, there is also a Social Room for small gatherings, according to Claywood’s website.
Originally from the Midwest, Carly Buntin told the Times-News she moved to Chicago after high school and was there for about 12 years, obtaining her degree in marketing and branding.
“I worked for several bars and restaurants, putting myself through college after graduation. I started to work with major retail brands through their launches in marketing campaigns. I accepted a job with a NorthFace and moved to San Francisco to work out of their corporate offices, where I was an executive in the retail industry,” she said.
That’s when she met her future husband Scott, who was born and raised on the outskirts of San Francisco, she said. After marriage, she became a fine art photographer.
“I grew that business in San Francisco while also having our second child, Logan, who is now 4 years old. About two years ago we made a decision to move to (Western North Carolina), as our small, sleepy town outside of San Francisco became very, very busy as the infrastructure was not set up for that type of influx,” she said. “We wanted to find a town where we could see raising our toddlers and getting into the community and adding value in a new business venture.”
Living in Hendersonville, the couple came up with the idea of Claywood when they would go out on date nights, she said.
“We had plans of a wine bar, but didn’t really know when we would start something like Claywood,” she said. “We are not a couple that likes to sit across from each other on Valentine’s Day, trying not to talk about the kids sharing a meal together. We would much more prefer going to an event meeting new people and socializing together. We enjoy communal environments and meeting new neighbors.
“Scott has a love for whiskey and has traveled all over visiting distilleries and learning about new favorite bourbon or whiskey cocktails. You can definitely catch him in the evenings smoking his favorite whiskey. From a communal standpoint, we truly enjoy plate sharing, and charcuterie was definitely a French-based concept that supported the overall vision we had for this gathering place.”
Carly Buntin said when she and her husband shared the vision with her mother, she was on board.
“She has been an executive for the Hilton within the food and beverage industry for many years. She’s now retired but felt like this was a fun concept to support us,” she said.
As for the menu, Carly Buntin said they are starting out simple and then adding more selections in the future, including more rare, exotic meats and different pairings.
For more information or to make a reservation, go to the restaurant’s website at https://claywoodnc.com or call 828-471-7500.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
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