The Grove Arcade was the dream of E.W. Grove, a self-made millionaire who moved to Asheville in 1910.  Mr. Grove conceived of the Arcade as “the most elegant building in America.”  When it opened in 1929, it took up an entire city block and replaced the public market that had been located near City Hall several blocks away.  For the next 13 years, the Arcade was highly successful and became home to a collection of local owner-operated shops as well as offices.