Please help us repair the Historic Micaville Building, the cornerstone of Micaville in Yancey County, North Carolina, destroyed by Hurricane Helene.

I’m Kari Weaver, and since 2014, I’ve owned the building that’s been the anchor of Micaville for over 100 years. Locals have known it as the Robinson’s General Merchandise among other names, and most recently as Micaville Outpost. I ran the OOAK Art Gallery there for over 12 years from 2011 to 2023.

Hurricane Helene and the “geological event” that Helene brought with her left Micaville in tatters. My building took on 5-6 feet of flood water and left behind almost total destruction of Micaville Outpost’s business underneath 8” of mud.

When I first saw the building, I was devastated and heartbroken. I thought that I might have to demolish it. I couldn’t imagine driving north on NC 80 S from the Blue Ridge Parkway through the South Toe River Valley and not seeing the building at the intersection of 80 S and the Micaville Loop. Can you?

The damage to the building was severe but not fatal. The engineer’s report confirmed that the foundation and structure are sound, and there’s no reason that the building cannot be saved. With volunteer efforts, we’ve shoveled out the mud, torn out wet and unsalvageable building materials, and started the painstaking cleaning of historical features like the shiplap siding, built-in shelves and the gorgeous wood floors.

Now I need to hire professional contractors to make construction repairs and to remediate mold. The crawlspace needs to be cleared of all debris, and the underside of the floor needs to be treated for mold. The east front corner of the building, including the window, was damaged. We need to restore electric service. Water service will need to be addressed, plumbing inspected, and the septic will require inspection. We need to remove three giant piles of dirt and sand from the back yard.

The money you donate will help pay for $1680 for structural engineering services, $1200 for gutter repairs, $8000-$10,000 for mold remediation, $800 for materials to secure the building for the winter, among other necessary services and repairs.

It’s hard to grasp that in a 48-hour period I lost my income and retirement, and that Yancey County almost lost one of its oldest historic buildings. I can’t afford these repairs on my own, and there is no government assistance available to me. Any and all help is appreciated, as we work to rebuild this historic landmark for Micaville and Yancey County. Thank you for your time and donations and please feel free to share this widely.