HOT SPRINGS – Vaste Riviére Provisions owner Keith Galloway remembers watching from the business on Sept. 27, 2024, as the floodwaters from Tropical Storm Helene engulfed downtown Hot Springs, and wondering whether he’d be able to reopen again.
But after roughly a year of rebuilding, the gourmet deli and market reopened its doors at its original Bridge Street location. Calloway owns the business with his wife, Sarah. The couple opened Vaste Riviére in 2020.
Helene ravaged Hot Springs when it made landfall, causing severe flooding from the French Broad River and Spring Creek that devastated the downtown area, damaged the historic spa, and destroyed roads, bridges and homes. The town has received more than $11 million in state grants for recovery and is rebuilding, with a focus on restoring water and sewer systems and supporting local businesses. Helene killed more than 100 people and caused nearly $60 billion in damage across the state…