INSIDE Goochland History: Local home has “contentious” past > page 2
Volume 66 Number 12 • March 24, 2022
For area eateries, challenges remain By Roslyn Ryan Editor
When real estate broker Chris Whitney was asked by a friend in 2009 to help find a location for a new restaurant venture, Whitney pointed his friend toward a building in Manakin-Sabot that had formerly housed the Red Oak restaurant. The location was a good one--so good, in
fact, that Whitney and his wife Leslie decided to go into business with their friend and open the Sunset Grill. While the business soon became a local favorite and enjoyed years of success, the Whitneys—like so many other restaurant owners—were blindsided by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that descended on the world two years ago. The pandemic almost totally closed down
the restaurant and left them with no income, remembers Leslie, but most expenses remained. They certainly weren’t alone. As the pandemic worsened, restaurant owners across the country were forced to shutter indoor dining spaces and pivot to a take-out only model. Some chose to temporarily close down while others, as the weeks and months dragged on, ceased
see Pandemic > page 4
Chowing down for a great cause
Photo courtesy of Goochland BSA Troop 710
Scouts from Goochland Boy Scout Troop 710 enjoyed a meal break during the troop’s recent fundraiser, which this year set a new record with over $13,000 raised. Pictured here, on the left side of the table from front to back, are Aiden Pudwill, Mason Woolard, Harrison Hall, Carson Krogsund, Riley Krogsund and Isabella Ortuno. Pictured on the right side from front to back are Jacob Pudwill, Miles McCray, Alexander Rosenbaum, Alex Hall, Stephen Dick and James Ortuno. For more on the fundraiser, see page 2.
Defining the local ‘brand’ is one goal of plan project By Roslyn Ryan Editor
Every resident of Goochland knows what the county looks like to them. But as county leaders push ahead on a project to create small area plans for two Goochland locations, one goal is to define how residents want the county to look to those who don’t live here. And that, says graphic designer Shawn Terpack, comes down to branding. As a member of the team of consultants that has been hired to come up with plans for Goochland’s Courthouse and Centerville Villages, Terpack will be charged with making sure that the county has a strong, recognizable “look” that can be featured on local signage and promotional items. While defining the physical boundaries of a space and diving into the economic growth potential are certainly important, Terpack told those in attendance at a recent community meeting that careful consideration should also be given to the kind of strategies a locality uses to market itself to both potential new residents and investors. The one thing Terpack insisted he and the other members of the team do
see Brand > page 5