Early Thursday morning, a suspected arson tore through High Five Coffee, the small riverside shop that had become one of Woodfin’s best-known gathering spots. Fire crews battled the blaze, but the building was later declared a total loss. No injuries were reported. Detectives arrested a man near the scene after a brief foot chase, according to police and town officials.
According to The Charlotte Observer, the Woodfin Police Department said in a Facebook post that crews were called just after 1 a.m. to a structure fire behind the Mill at Riverside. The post states that High Five Coffee, a compact building along the French Broad River, was found engulfed in flames and that "fire officials responded quickly and worked to suppress the blaze," but the structure is considered a total loss.
Local outlets reported that investigators used surveillance footage to identify a suspect, and officers arrested 36-year-old Nicholas Hunter Grigsby near the scene following a short foot chase. FOX Carolina reports that Grigsby has been charged with felony burning of a commercial building, violating a domestic violence protective order, resisting arrest, felony possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $100,000 bond.
The riverside shop had become a symbol of recovery after Tropical Storm Helene inundated parts of western North Carolina in September 2024. The North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management's damage-and-needs assessment shows Helene dropped as much as 30 inches of rain in some places and contributed to nearly $60 billion in statewide damage, and High Five's reopening last year was widely seen as a sign the community was rebuilding. The loss has hit residents hard, especially those who had only recently begun to put the storm behind them.
Town Reaction And Relief Efforts
News of the fire quickly sparked a wave of responses online, and a GoFundMe to support staff began circulating, The Charlotte Observer reported. Town officials told the paper they are "saddened by the loss" and will "do everything we can to support the owners and operators of High Five." Neighbors and former customers shared memories of coffees by the river and urged others to rally around employees who suddenly lost wages and tips.
Charges And Legal Fallout
Prosecutors will review the evidence and decide how to proceed as the case moves through Buncombe County courts. Under North Carolina law, the burning of a commercial structure is punishable as a Class D felony if the building is occupied at the time and as a Class E felony if it is unoccupied, the state criminal code shows in the state statutes. If convicted, defendants can face years in prison and significant fines, with the exact penalty depending on how prosecutors classify the offense and any enhancements they pursue.
Woodfin detectives say the investigation remains active and that additional charges are possible as they review video and other evidence. Officials have not given a timeline for upcoming court filings, and anyone with information has been asked to contact the Woodfin Police Department.
