Spotlight FRONT’n About

Gene Marrano

Retail arm of longtime furniture maker opens retail showroom >

An 87-year-old commercial furniture manufacturer based in Southeast Roanoke branched out last year by launching a retail division, TXTUR. Today they cut the ribbon on a showroom on 9th Street Southeast in the Industrial Park that was once home to American Viscose. The parent company Chervan, also based in Southeast Roanoke, manufactures and sells furniture to banks, hotels and other public spaces, and takes back used pieces to “upcycle” them. It employs close to 200 people. Over the past year TXTUR had been selling its retail line at Black Dog Salvage. Greg Terrill is the president: “building a brand from scratch takes some time. I think our message is interesting and timely. When COVID hit we said it was time to move this plan up.” A PPE loan helped that process along: “we wanted to keep our staff busy. That’s when we made the plunge. Lately we feel like we’re really picking up momentum.”

The showroom will have weekend hours according to Terrill. The 9th street industrial park is slowly being transformed; it now features a Carilion sports fitness and rehab clinic, a gourmet coffee shop, Southwest Virginia Ballet, artist studios, plans for apartments and now TXTUR. “I remember when this was nothing except the warehouses,” Roanoke City Councilman Joe Cobb said at the ribbon cutting, “this is part of the renaissance of Southeast.” Some of the line is from the Chervan commercial catalog, modified for the residential market. Much of TXTUR’s furniture is hand crafted, often featuring foam and recycled materials that others consider to be waste. TXTUR will also take back old pieces and turn them into new ones. Alexander Monroe is the director of product development – just graduated from the Industrial Design program at Virginia Tech. He spent time as an intern designing products for TXTUR. In a switch, the Southern California native who came east for college decided to stay here after graduating. (One of his classes was with Elham Morshedzadeh, an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design featured here last month.) “I manage everything from initial concept to production runs. It’s a really cool job,” says Monroe.

Tom Field

FRONT on Front Porch >

Like so many festivals had to do, Front Porch Fest 12 returned this summer after a COVID-hiatus last year. The four-day early September event in the back hills of Patrick County on Spirithaven Farm in Stuart, featured an impressive musical lineup of 32 bands/ performers that ranged from folk and international to bluegrass, rock, reggae, and jazz-infusion-prog.

FPF director/organizer Sarah Wray (pictured right) said she and the staff were so happy for the return of the highly anticipated festival. Chris Prutting writes “we have dreamed of this weekend with you” in the program. “This year has caused us to flex our creativity, to face new directions about safety, to think in innovative ways; but even with all the challenges as our team works to keep everyone safer, we are so grateful to be here with you, to share our old memories and make new. Sit back and take it all in!”

Melissa, from Pennsylvania, called Front Porch Fest 12 a “beautiful slice of heaven on earth,” while Jim from Staunton said “this was our first year; only took a few minutes to fall in love. We will be back.”

Front Porch Fest included food and merchandise vendors, arts and wellness activities, and was sponsored by Patrick County, Virginia. It’s a One Family Productions.