Lennox Station to bring dining, drinking and more to Ecusta Trail

Written by lsadmin on March 9, 2022. Posted in Uncategorized.

April 11, 2022

Rebecca Walter Hendersonville Times-NewsView Comments

A community gathering spot along the Ecusta Trail for dining, drinking, recreation and more will soon become a reality, thanks to the dream of three local couples.

Lennox Station, located at 441 South Whitted St. in Hendersonville, just a half mile from Main Street, plans to be a welcome start and end point for the Ecusta Trail.

Dale Salvaggio-Bradshaw and Steve Bradshaw, Dr. Charlotte Riddle and Clement Riddle and Alisa and Bart Salvaggio raised their children together in Hendersonville and have been friends for over 20 years. The families are all lovers of the outdoors and consider the property the perfect location for their vision.

Official plans for the project began to fall into place at the beginning of the year, according to Charlotte Riddle. The vision for the space includes a neighborhood grocery with locally-sourced meats and produce, a bakery and café, brewery and a restaurant.

The hope is the spot can be an energizing launching point for those starting their day on the Ecusta Trail, and the peaceful environment to unwind at the end of the journey. Lennox Station will be both child and pet friendly. Ample parking will also be available, which Riddle knows is important to patrons.

New:Hendersonville requests to have Ecusta trailhead moved to South Main Street

Previously:City seeks public input on proposal to connect Ecusta Trail to Oklawaha Greenway

Trailside Brewing Company will have space at Lennox Station. Options for a restaurant are still under consideration.

“We want to make sure it is the right fit for the community,” Riddle said. “We are taking our time to find something that will appeal to all generations.”

As for the timeline, work will begin for Trailside Brewing later this month. The hope is infrastructure will be in place to open and greet the community in the next 12-18 months when the trail opens.

The founders of Lennox Station, Dale Salvaggio-Bradshaw and Steve Bradshaw, Dr. Charlotte Riddle and Clement Riddle and Alisa and Bart Salvaggio.

Riddle said the response from the community has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

“I think people are really ready to get out…” she said. “They are so excited to have this beautiful space we can all gather. Everyone is so excited for the launching of their trail and what it will mean for the community.”

Rail trails like the Ecusta Trail, which will connect Hendersonville and Brevard, bring great energy to places, according to Riddle. Your stories live here.Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it.Create Account

“I think that it is so important for people to have space where they can really enjoy what our community has to offer, and also take care of themselves,” said Riddle, who is a pediatrician. “…This provides whole-person care, where people come together and eat well, exercise and enjoy comradery.

“We know the (Ecusta Trail) is vital to this. We want to be that trail-side spot.”

Background

The history of Lennox Station’s location spans over 100 years.

Lennox Station is at the heart of the Lennox Park Historic District in Hendersonville, which dates back to 1908.

Early in its history, tourists, residents and employees of local businesses came together to enjoy the park-like setting Lennox Station occupies today, according to the development’s website. The original building, which still exists, was built in 1915 and retains much of the character of the initial structure.

“This is such a beautiful spot,” Riddle said. “We are hoping to maintain a lot of the original character of the buildings.”

Lennox Station has been the home to the Freeze-Bacon Hosiery Mill, the Wing Paper Box Company and later the first Hendersonville Lowes. In the 1920s the Lennox Park Historic District was a railroad-related industrial development and tourism center where residents took in summer boarders from across the Southeast, according to the Lennox Station website. The Lennox Park Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Riddle describes the area as a hidden gem.

“We are just so excited to revitalize (the building) and make it a community gathering spot for all generations,” she said.

For more information on Lennox Station and to follow along with updates, go to lennoxstation.com or search Lennox Station on Facebook.

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