‘Oldest continuously serving bar’ in NC is destroyed during ice storm, city says

A century-old building that housed “the oldest continuously serving bar in North Carolina” had to be intentionally destroyed during Sunday’s ice storm, according to officials in Blowing Rock.

Firefighters made the “difficult call” after discovering a fire was burning beneath the building that housed Bistro Roca and Antler’s Bar, town officials said in a Jan. 25 Facebook post.

“The fire is in the basement and unable to be extinguished from the surface. The difficult call has been made for the structure to be backhoed to reach the basement,” town officials wrote.

Antlers Bar was the state’s “oldest continuously serving bar” and had been in operation since 1932, according to the Bistro Roca website. Bistro Roca began sharing the building in 2005, and has been featured in Southern Living. The rustic interior included wood-paneled walls and ceilings, and a large collection of dog photos.

“Within its walls lived decades of stories, meals shared, laughter, and hundreds of photographs of our community’s dogs. ... We are still in shock,” Bistro Roca wrote in a Facebook post. “This community ... made Bistro Roca a staple in Blowing Rock. We will rebuild, whatever that might look like.”

The cause of the fire has not been released. No injuries were reported.

A Facebook post about the restaurant’s demise had amassed nearly 6,000 reactions and comments within a day, including many who shared family photos taken inside the building.

“That place raised me in college,” Anna-Jane Tabler wrote on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

“Been heartbroken all day after hearing this news. Bistro Roca has been such a vital part of this community,” Sharon Crisman posted.

“This place has been so much more than a restaurant for generations: stories, laughter, shared meals, and yes… all those beloved dog portraits that made it feel like home. Our family was proud to have five dogs on those walls,” Michele McCubbins said. “We will stand with you as you rebuild.”

Blowing Rock is about a 95-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published January 26, 2026 at 12:48 PM with the headline "‘Oldest continuously serving bar’ in NC is destroyed during ice storm, city says."