NRV’s Premier Lifestyle Magazine
New River Valley November/December 2019
nrvmagazine.com
Toy Story Wood Heat NRV Entrepreneurs Mall Transformations
Happy Holidays
Calendar of Events
When it comes to celebrating the holidays, there’s always room at
2019
GRAND THANKSGIVING BUFFET
Thursday, November 28 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Join us for our annual Grand Thanksgiving Buffet in our Latham Ballroom featuring traditional dishes and live music! Leave the meal planning and clean-up to us while you relax and enjoy this special time with family and friends. Reservations required. Please call 540.231.0120 for reservations.
FASHIONS FOR EVERGREENS
Trees on Display November 28-January 1 Our foyer's 18 creatively designed trees present awe-inspiring decorating ideas in an extraordinary display. After you take in all of the dazzling trees, be sure to cast a vote for your favorite.
SEAFOOD BUFFET AT PRESTON'S
Friday, December 6, 13 & 20 | 5-9 p.m. Calling all seafood lovers aboard for our Seafood Buffet at Preston's this holiday season! Enjoy a wide variety of delicious seafood dishes alongside our salad bar, dessert display, and options for land lovers too. Reservations required. Please call Preston's at 540.231.0120 for reservations.
HOLIDAY CAROLERS
Friday, December 6, 13 & 20 | 6-8 p.m. Cozy up with a complimentary mug of hot cocoa for live festive entertainment. Strolling carolers will ring in the season with Christmas carols and other holiday favorites.
VISIT FROM SANTA
Friday, December 6 | Performance starts at 5:30 p.m. Experience the magic of Santa Claus at The Inn! Listen to Santa’s stories, sing songs, and share a magical experience. Children sit on the floor or move about the room comfortably, getting to know Santa at their own pace. This is not a traditional photo session with Santa, but photographs are allowed, so be sure to bring your camera! Space is limited, reservations required. Please contact Hannah Allen at 540.231.0113 or hvogel@vt.edu for reservations.
SUNDAY BRUNCH WITH SANTA
Sunday, December 1, 8, 15 & 22 | 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Santa is your host for this bountiful brunch buffet. Join him for bowl-full-of-jelly laughs and tell him what you really want for Christmas. Brunch patrons will enjoy a complimentary photo with Santa. Reservations required. Please call Preston's at 540.231.0120 for reservations.
CHRISTMAS EVE AT PRESTON’S
Tuesday, December 24 | 5-9 p.m. ’Tis the season for entertaining! Enjoy this festive night with a special holiday plated dinner. Reservations required. Please call Preston's at 540.231.0120 for reservations.
CHRISTMAS DAY BRUNCH AT PRESTON'S Wednesday, December 25 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. A meal at Preston's is always special, but the holiday season holds a unique charm. Come enjoy the sights and sounds of the season and our genuine wishes for a joyous holiday. Reservations required. Please call Preston's at 540.231.0120 for reservations.
NEW YEAR’S EVENING AT PRESTON’S
Tuesday, December 31 | 5-9 p.m. Close out 2019 "Inn"-style with live entertainment, a plated dinner and a champagne toast. Reservations required. Please call Preston's at 540.231.0120 for reservations.
901 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061 | 540.231.8000 | InnatVirginiaTech.com
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NRV MAGAZINE
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CONTENTS
November/December
Pa sture Talk
2019
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Bl endi ng Ol d & New 1 0 I ma gi na t i ons Wi ndow 1 4 Thi rd G en. NRV Farm 1 8 Ma l l Transforma t i ons 22
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Ri de: S unb eam Ti ger 26 Kev i n Meredi t h 3 0
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J on Coburn 32 J ane Bonomo 3 4 Toy Stor y 3 6 G i ft G ui de 40 Fo o d Fare 42
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Wo o d Hea t 4 4
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Pasture Talk
NEW RIVER VALLEY M
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P. O. Box 11816 Blacksburg, VA 24062 o: 540-961-2015 nrvmagazine@msn.com www.nrvmagazine.com
PUBLISHER Country Media, Inc. Phillip Vaught MANAGING EDITOR Joanne Anderson ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Sabrina Sexton ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Kim Walsh DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Dennis Shelor WRITERS Joanne Anderson Karl Kazaks Krisha Chachra Emily Alberts Jennifer Cooper Becky Hepler Astleigh Hill Nancy Moseley PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristie Lea Photography Kevin Riley Always and Forever Photography Tom Wallace Silver Pebble Photography Nathan Cooke Photography
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Cover image: Imaginations Toys & Furniture Photos by Kristie Lea Photography Š 2019 Country Media, Inc. Country Media, Inc. will not knowingly publish any advertisement that is illegal or misleading to its readers. Neither the advertiser nor Country Media, Inc. will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors. The publisher assumes no financial liability for copy omissions by Country Media, Inc. other than the cost of the space occupied by the error. Corrections or cancellations to be made by an advertiser shall be received no later than 5 p.m. the 20th of each publishing month. No claim shall be allowed for errors not affecting the value of the advertisement. Paid advertising does not represent an endorsement by this publication. Content cannot be reproduced without written consent from Country Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Real Estate advertised in this publication is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.
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Pulling together the eggnog recipe for this issue brought back fun memories of my mom making eggnog for us at lunch with a raw egg, milk, vanilla and nutmeg, blended with a hand eggbeater, not cooked. She gave us a tablespoon of molasses once a week, and we ate yeast cakes from time to time. My mother and grandfather were original health food nuts, which made me and my brother the only kids in the '50s with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat bread. We thought Wonder bread was a wonder until a friend left a piece out for days, and it didn't grow any mold. Only then did we question what was really in it. Thinking of Christmas memories, there was the year we took all the very dry spruce boughs off the mantle plus the homemade wreath, stuffed them into the fireplace, lit a match and forgot to open the damper. The homeowners profiled in this issue are flooded with memories as they decorate their homes, as surely you are while decorating and enjoying current holiday activities. Having lived the entrepreneurial experience most of my life, I applaud all of them. We have profiled three, and I'd love to interview three budding entrepreneurs in the 20-something generation if you know someone. Paula Bolte is quoted (in the toy story) as saying 20-somethings "are more interested in shopping local
Nov-Dec
and touching what they buy." They are the iGen or Gen Z or Centennials. In case there is any confusion, here's a refresher on the generation labels: Baby Boomers, 1946 - 1964 Generation X, 1965 - 1976 Millennials (or Gen Y), 1977 - 1995 Gen Z (or iGen or Centennials), 1996 to present Half the fun of living in the New River Valley is the breadth of ages. My dad started college (think: GI bill) the day I started kindergarten. He picked up a hitchhiker (having hitchhiked home many times during his service in World War II), and the kid saw textbooks on the front seat and asked if he was a professor. "No, I'm a student," he responded, to which the younger student exclaimed: "Wow, you can go to college at any age!" My dad was 30. It's fun to see lots of college students in every generation strolling around campus with textbooks, heading to their next class with dreams and lofty aspirations of their own. This is a wonderful season for love, joy, peace and memories of all kinds. Cherish them, hold them dear, make new ones and find something warm in a mug to wrap your fingers around while you count your blessings. Living in the beautiful New River Valley is on that list.
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Joanne Anderson ManagingEditor jmawriter@aol.com
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NRV Home
Blending Old & New in Christmas Decorating
Text by Joanne M. Anderson | Photos by Kristie Lea Photography Kelly Rowland patiently waits until Nov. 1 to secretly begin listening to Christmas music in her car and pull out her decorations. "The first week of November, I unpack and place the decorations on tables in a storage area," she reveals, strategizing a plan for the coming decorating occasion. She does not wish to interfere with the beauty of Thanksgiving, but the day after, it all begins to unfold. "I taught Virginia studies in the New River Valley and in Winchester. I love Williamsburg and everything in and around the NRV, so the tree downstairs is decorated with all Virginia ornaments," she explains. "I believe strongly that roots make you who you are, and I want that Virginia connection to be represented in one of my trees." The upstairs Christmas tree 10
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rests on gorgeous oak floors next to the stunning granite tile surround fireplace with white trim, all decorated beautifully for the holidays. An array of Santas from around the world adorns table tops and ledges. "My father brought me a Santa Claus from different countries when he traveled. Each one has a story, and it fills my heart to decorate with them," Kelly relates. Her mom, Sandy Olsen, takes a walk down memory lane each year looking at every one and remembering wonderful travels and adventures with her late husband, Michael Olsen. The eclectic Christmas blend that Kelly places around the house is a mixture of old and new. She uses her husband Keith's grandmother's dishes with newer pieces. Family history, their roots and the Christmas ornaments, stockings, lights
and Santas mix up old with new providing a glimpse into the past intermingled with contemporary life of today. Kelly is a Blacksburg native who moved away for Keith's job. When her dad died in 2012, she felt the calling to come home and live near family. After driving all over the area, they spotted this acre+ lot on the edge of Blacksburg only to discover another family already claimed it. But that potential buyer went in another direction, and the Rowlands were able to purchase it. They broke ground with Legacy Builders for this charming brick and vinyl ranch [with full finished basement] in late summer of 2014 and moved in November - ah, just in time for her to decorate. Keith lends his hands decorating the trees as well. And the entire home exudes an exceptionally warm Christmas spirit across the centuries.
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"My father brought me a Santa Claus from different countries when he traveled. Each one has a story, and it fills my heart to decorate with them," Kelly relates.
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Tear Open the Shutters
Imaginations holiday window sets stage for the season
Text by Nancy S. Moseley Photos by Kristie Lea Photography When asked if she has ever been to see the storied holiday windows in New York City, self-proclaimed toy lady Paula Bolte beams: “That’s on my bucket list!” Bolte, the owner of Imaginations Toy & Furniture on South Main Street in Blacksburg for 22 years, hasn’t let the lack of big city inspiration stop her from creating her own wonderland windows over the years. The tradition of a holiday display started out very simple around 10 years ago. But thanks to a handful of 14
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particularly creative employees, bigger ideas started swirling, and the excitement of how fun it would be to up the ante took over. Every year employees gather at the store the Sunday after Halloween to build the anticipated display under the guise of a paper-covered window. The theme is kept secret until the big reveal, which is typically a Friday in early November. The reveal evening is open to the public and starts with cookies and hot chocolate inside the store, then everyone heads outside for the climactic moment.
Kids sit along the bottom of the window while Bolte climbs a ladder, initiates a countdown and pulls the paper away. The effect is enchanting. It’s exactly what Bolte was seeking when she incepted a party to celebrate the unveiling. “It’s probably my favorite two minutes of the entire season. I almost always cry,” she states. Bolte initially thought all items in the display needed to be products for sale inside the store. Once she realized it wasn’t necessary to sell everything, the possibilities for more whimsical windows
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Fo ot ball
opened up. The little white mice were the only items for sale in 2018’s holiday scene [which are the photos accompanying this article]. The floor-to-ceiling size of the space allows for a lifesize imagination to be realized. In years past, there has been a giant advent calendar made out of boxes and even a full-size igloo. Yet there are almost always special trinkets hidden down on a child’s level awaiting discovery. The budget is small, what you might imagine for a mom-n-pop business. Repurposed items are used as much as possible. The oven in these photos was actually tucked away in Bolte’s home waiting to be recycled when it found new life in Mrs. Claus’s kitchen after being spray-painted red. Since the holiday display takes so much effort, they try to stretch out its relevance as long as possible. Last year’s Christmas bakery theme, after a quick color switch from red to pink, became a Valentine’s bakery offering heart-shaped cookies. Subsequent displays change seasonally or if there is a particularly compelling current event, like the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon mission last July. But everyone is usually brainstorming concepts for Christmas year-round. 16
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“It has nothing to do with actually selling anything,” Bolte admits. “The holiday display and the reveal party are really about community.” And isn’t that what the season is precisely about? “It has nothing to do with actually selling anything,” Bolte admits. “The holiday display and the reveal party are really about community.” And isn’t that what the season is precisely about? It’s significantly more powerful to sell nostalgia, to market magic, to advertise emotion. The ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from wide-eyed children are a way richer currency to bank on. It’s a brief snapshot of time in a hurried holiday season. Cherish the opportunity to let the wave of warmth and togetherness wash over you and forget about buying things, for just a moment.
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NRV Ho me
Third Generation NRV Farm Radiates the Christmas Spirit
Text by Joanne M. Anderson Photos by Always and Forever Photography Like most serious Christmas decorators, Nancy Wilmina Alexander begins placing out her Christmas collection the day after Thanksgiving. Her daughter, Kay, always comes from North Carolina to assist, and together they lovingly unwrap special ornaments, angels, Santas and manger scenes collected or received across decades. Her late sister Clara started giving her Hallmark Santas about 30 years ago, so 18
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handling each one of those gives Mrs. Alexander a sweet, emotional walk down memory lane. She has received many White House ornaments from her sister, June. She is a personal fan of Jim Shore, a South Carolina artist known for Heartwood CreekTM and Disney TraditionsTM, along with other interesting art pieces. Shore is "the son of artistic parents who instilled a love of American
folk art. His grandmother was a master quilter who taught him the patience and skill to bring intricate designs to life." [ jimshore.com] This most likely explains the pretty quilts in one of the manger scenes. The charming ceramic pots holding poinsettias on each step of the staircase are also used to decorate a church holiday dinner and other functions where Mrs. Alexander is
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Meet the Artist
Gallery Open House, Dec. 21-22
Christmas Day
216 S. Main Street, Kent Square Blacksburg, VA 24060 (540) 552-6446 blacksburggallery@pbuckleymoss.com
www.pbuckleymoss.com
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NRV Ho me
involved in lending her Christmas touch. "These have been very well-used since I bought them in a dollar store years ago," she relates. The larger Christmas tree graces the foyer nestled in the curve of the stairway, and a second smaller tree stands in the family room. Mrs. Alexander and her husband, Kenneth Alexander Jr., are both natives of Pulaski County and occasionally wonder why they built such a big house when they were 25 years old and had been married 20
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four years. They have marked 58 years of marriage, raised three kids here and have six grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. The 500-acre cattle farm property has been in the family three generations, and there is now a Kenneth Alexander III and Kenneth Alexander IV. A two-car garage is housed on one end of their 2-story, brick colonial home. They built an apartment for his parents on the other end, never expecting that the apartment would
work for his parents, an aunt, a friend dying of cancer, a granddaughter and great-granddaughter, then another family member. Mrs. Alexander is gifted with her Christmas decorating, but has risen to her higher calling as a caregiver in ways she never expected when they added the apartment. Her personality exudes a gentle warmth, and her home is inviting throughout the holiday season and, we suspect, all the rest of the year.
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Shopping Mall Transformation
Text by Melody Warnick Photos by Tom Wallace Most shopping malls across the country parade such a similar line-up of stores that you barely need to go inside to know what you’ll find there. Hallmark? Victoria’s Secret? Bath & Body Works? Check, check and check. But what about a children’s museum? A community college campus? A rock climbing wall? An indoor BMX park? An apartment complex? With 8 in 10 Americans doing most of their shopping online, mall developers are busily re-creating malls as innovative new play/work/live/shop spaces—and the trend is growing in the New River Valley. Consider Christiansburg’s New River Valley Mall an early adopter, since it installed a satellite campus of the New River Valley Community College near 22
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the food court around 2010. In the past two years, the mall, which opened in 1988, has annexed even more space to non-retail purposes, including the Dish Network call center and Planet Fitness gym that fills former clothing and shoe stores with ellipticals, stationary bikes, rowing machines and treadmills. Most dramatic is Wonder Universe, the retooled Blacksburg Children’s Museum, which is opening soon in 15,000 square feet of mall space that used to encompass a Charlotte Russe and the food court. Inside, kids can create and race toy cars, treat stuffed animals at a vet’s office, and build with massive foam blocks, among other activities that cater to kids 0 to 12. “We looked at a bunch of other places and decided this was the
location,” explains Kristin Kirk, Wonder Universe board president. “It is central to the New River Valley which allows us to expand our reach in all directions.” Similar changes have been afoot elsewhere. At the University Mall in Blacksburg, a steady stream of residents head to the Weight Club, a beloved local gym, and the Math Emporium, Virginia Tech’s study and testing center for math students. In Roanoke’s Tanglewood Mall, Carilion will install a $30 million pediatric services center in the 150,000 square feet abandoned by J.C. Penney in June of 2017. Ideas for the empty Sears space at Valley View Mall include mixed-use housing or an entertainment center that attracts Millennials eager to spend money on experiences instead of objects — the
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Why Buy Local?
“experience economy,” as it’s known. Those new uses perfectly fit the vision that Sharon Scott, executive director of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, sees for a revitalized shopping mall. “Malls used to be the community center,” she says. “It was somewhere that a family could go together. If you think about malls, it wasn’t always about the shopping, it was about who you could run into.” Social and cultural changes have shifted expectations, and Americans are so busy they don’t have time to “wander the mall”; they want to grab what they need and go. But with creative non-retail uses pushing retail spaces to the periphery, “once again malls are becoming a community center,” Scott says. “For me that’s just exciting and invigorating.” Back in the 1970s and 80s, all the cool kids hung out at the mall. (Exhibit A: this summer’s Netflix blockbuster Stranger Things 3, which showed that even being attacked by mind-flaying monsters is more fun at the mall.) But the dimly lit, enclosed spaces lost a lot of their appeal in the 2000s, when, ironically, 24
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customers began moving back toward a “town center” model of shopping in open-air communities with outdoor restaurants. As Ian Bogost wrote in The Atlantic: “Americans loved malls, then they loved to hate them.” Nationwide, developers are thinking way outside the (big) box to repurpose the huge swaths of real estate left over when anchor stores heave ho. In Providence, R. I., the country’s oldest shopping mall has been transformed into a mix of micro-apartments (most 300 square feet or less) and small businesses, like a hair salon and a coffee shop. Millcreek Mall in Salt Lake City includes a rock-climbing gym. An indoor BMX track took up residence in a former movie theater at North Towne Mall in Rockford, Ill. Malls are not what you think anymore. Converting them into offices, classrooms and community gathering places may be the best way to save them.
Melody Warnick is a Blacksburg-based freelance writer and author of "This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are." Find her online at melodywarnick.com.
Just as malls are staging a comeback, so are downtown shopping districts and locally-owned businesses. That’s good news for a few reasons: shopping locally creates a sense of community, supports local entrepreneurs, is more environmentally friendly, and circulates eight times the revenue locally — a little something called the “local multiplier effect.”
How to buy local in three simple steps: • Save some of your cash for Shop Small Saturday, celebrated in locallyowned businesses across the NRV the day after Black Friday with discounts, freebies and treats. Find a map of participating NRV businesses at ShopSmallNow.AmericanExpress. com. Save the date: Nov. 30, 2019. • Take the 3-50 Challenge by spending $50 a month at three independent businesses in your community. • Pick one holiday item — the pies, the family photo, Christmas tree, greeting cards — and buy it from a local entrepreneur instead of a chain store. Have every family member participate.
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Performance with Style and Comfort ~ The Sunbeam Tiger
Text by Karl H. Kazaks Photos by Tom Wallace American muscle cars of the 1960s brought new levels of power and speed to the driving public and are still beloved by many. The classic British roadsters of that era were and are still loved for their stylish looks and touring heritage. The Sunbeam Tiger – produced by the British Rootes Group from 1964 to 1967 – combined the torque of an American V-8 with the cool air of an LBC (little British car). American performance car legend Carroll Shelby built a prototype of the Tiger by modifying a Sunbeam Alpine, a two-seater coupe. Out came the Alpine’s 4-cylinder, 1.7 liter engine and in went a 260 Ford V8. The result was a jump in horsepower from 82 to 164, with only a 20% increase in weight. “It was advanced for its time,” relates Floyd resident Chris Thompson, 26
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who has owned a 1966 Tiger for about 30 years. “It was one of the top sports cars you could have on the road.” Tigers were built in England: Ford engine, British chassis, unibody design. Their signature quality is the combination of performance with style and comfort. Straight from the showroom floor, original buyers could hit the street and reach 60 mph in just 7.8 seconds, comfortable in a deep-cushioned low back bucket seat, adjustable steering wheel in hand, wood paneled instrument display in their gaze. Spectators would be wowed, watching the car’s 13-inch tires spin. But many of the early Sunbeam Tiger owners were not content with factory levels of power and speed. They sought additional juice for the roadster by upgrading from a two-barrel to a
four-barrel carburetor. Some would take out the 260 engine and drop in a 302. “When you do that,” Thompson explains, “the cars run hot and then you have to modify the cooling system.” The result is that most Tigers extant today have been hot-rodded – but not Thompson’s, and that’s how he likes it. “I wanted one that was extremely original.” Thompson’s car, which he found in California, is original except some pieces like hose clamps. It even has an original, wooden steering wheel, a rarity for the car. A few years ago, Thompson took his Tiger to a concours of Tigers. Hundreds were categorized as modified, with only five - including Thompson’s – qualifying for the stock category. Just over 7,100 Tigers were made over its short production history, which ended in 1967 when Chrysler bought
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out Rootes and did not have an engine which would fit under the bonnet of the car. Thompson’s car has a roll bar, a good safety feature when he would run the Tiger hard at Virginia International Raceway, the road course track near Martinsville. The Tiger is not the only car Thompson has driven on a highperformance track. He started out racing a Dodge Stealth Twin Turbo about 20 years ago. His favorite track for the Stealth was the Charlotte Motor Speedway. “That car was a blast on that track.” From there, Thompson moved on to a 1969 Lotus, the four-speed, no-reverse classic Formula Ford racecar. The Lotus, famous for its grown-up-soapbox-car look, has 28
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incredible pickup. “It could go zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds,” Thompson recalls. The Lotus had only 100hp but since it only weighed 900 pounds (compared to the Tiger’s approximately 2,300 pounds), it could accelerate like the wind. The car’s engine also had to be rebuilt every 50 hours. “That car was a blast. It was purpose-built for a track like VIR. It was my favorite car to try – double clutch, no synchros. And I only wrecked it once.” Thompson did become an instructor for the National Automobile Safety Association. Thompson no longer has the Lotus, but in addition to the Sunbeam
Tiger he does have a 1963 Jaguar XKE, which being able to motor at 150mph made it one of the fastest cars of all types when it was released. It has a long, thin, low-slung nose and simple, clean cabin design. The cabin is compact – so low that Thompson can’t fit in it with a helmet, rendering him unable to run the Jaguar on a track like VIR. The Jaguar mainly stays parked while Thompson takes the Tiger out when he wants to ride around Floyd with his partner, Trish. Sometime he just takes the Tiger out on his own, too. “It sounds great, and it’s a lot of fun.”
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Elevate Your Gift Giving Special Holiday Savings! Free local delivery
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NRV Entrepreneu r
Kevin Meredith
Text by Nancy Moseley Photo courtesy of Kristina Rose Photography The path to owning a hair salon wasn’t an obvious one for Kevin Meredith of Meredith’s Salon in Christiansburg. After graduating from Radford High School and dabbling in the “real” working world, Meredith decided to go to cosmetology school. “I cut one of my roommates 30
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hair once and he said, ‘You should be a hairdresser.’ As it turns out, I was pretty good at it,” Meredith laughs, thinking back. He spent the next several years working for two different local salons. When he reached a plateau of creative contribution, it was time to figure out what’s next. Meredith, with the support of co-
owner Jim Kinion, opened his own salon in 2007. Meredith knew his strengths did not lie in business management, so Kinion handled the business end of the business and Meredith stayed “behind the chair” working directly with stylists and customers. In his downtime, Meredith likes to draw, paint, sew and hand embroider. But what fuels him is the interaction and connection with people. His joy lies in making clients happy. “You’re not just doing hair. We build and maintain healthy egos. People come to us for a lot more than just a trim. They’re choosing to come to us so we honor that by giving them the best service we can possibly can,” Meredith offers. Meredith cites Kinion and his salon manager, Stephanie Rockafellow, for the sustained success of the business. While Meredith is quick to emphasize his strengths do not lie in the numbers, Rockafellow defends him: “But it takes a smart businessperson to know his strong suit and the ability to choose the right people to trust with the other responsibilities,” which is exactly what Meredith has done. A combination of selfawareness and even self-doubt is paramount to the success of a business, Meredith feels. “Doubt makes you stop and check in to make sure things are still moving in the direction you want them to. If you’re not periodically questioning what you’re doing, you may not be paying enough attention.” Following a childhood passion, Meredith is scheduled to complete a bachelor’s degree in fashion from Radford University in 2021. It says a lot about the integrity of a business and the dedication of its team members when the namesake stylist is able to step away and nary a beat is missed. “We all support him 100%,” Rockafellow declares. It’s imperative to always bring in new information, Meredith feels; it’s ultimately what propels you forward.
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NRV Entrepreneu r
Jon Coburn
Text by Nancy Moseley Photo by Nathan Cooke As a medical device rep, Jon Coburn traveled all over the United States. “I would visit breweries and eat in awesome restaurants, places where young professionals would hang out. When I wanted to take a physician out for a meal around here, I would drive to Roanoke. We 32
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had little that wasn’t a chain or a college bar, nothing like this,” Coburn relates, gesturing around his restaurant, Blacksburg’s Bull & Bones Brewhaus at First & Main. Coburn graduated with advanced degrees from West Virginia University in 2000 and moved to Blacksburg shortly
thereafter. On his decision to try opening a restaurant, he states: “There was definitely a market need. And it doesn’t hurt to also love beer and BBQ.” Coburn worked as a server and bartender in college, so he was intimately familiar with, and enjoyed, the industry. Bull & Bones opened in 2008, but he continued to rep medical devices for four years. After all, Blacksburg is a transient environment, food service is a volatile industry, and it was a challenging economic time. “It’s hard to scare me now,” he chuckles. The layout, initially sketched out on a napkin, is a tribute to some of his favorite places across the country. The frost rail was inspired by Henry’s Tavern in Portland, Ore. And a brewery in Michigan gave him the idea to place the bar in the middle to feed both the restaurant and the pool hall with energy. Bull & Bones was the first brewery in a two-hour radius. It was the first highend pool hall. It was the first local restaurant to have a smoker and a wood-fired grill. Coburn is a charter member of the Virginia Brewer’s Guild. He is also the first in the Commonwealth to sell CBD infusions, thanks to the Floyd Hemp Factory that he co-owns with Ryan Turman and Chad Quesenberry. This year Coburn also acquired The Black Hen in downtown Blacksburg and opened a second Bull & Bones location in Christiansburg. He is part owner of Kairos, an outdoor recreation mecca on the border of Virginia and West Virginia, and he and his family live at Canterbury Farms, a horse boarding and training facility, an additional endeavor. He is currently exploring Roanoke, Salem, Wytheville or Giles for another Bull & Bones location. “You have to have good people whom you can trust and then know how to delegate and get out of their way.” Coburn is extremely proud of the work family he has gathered. “I’m proud of my people, of watching them develop and grow personally.” And, when your office is essentially a bar, you must be doing something right.
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NRV Entrepreneu r
Jane Bonomo
Text by Nancy Moseley Photo by Nathan Cooke When Jane Bonomo opened her first boutique shop in 1973, it was in a small building on Church Street just off Main Street in downtown Blacksburg. Now she owns a whole plaza across town on University City Boulevard. Bonomo grew up in Pennsylvania and attributes much of her work ethic to her father, a newspaperman. She 34
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accompanied him to work at the age of nine and started doing odd jobs shortly thereafter. “I hung out in the printing plant and watched how he treated people. I learned a lot from him,” Bonomo offers. She moved to Blacksburg in 1968 and after visiting a similar store in Winston-Salem decided that was exactly what she wanted to do: run a boutique
shop. “I copied that store exactly. I stayed with them for a few days and copied everything they did,” Bonomo states. She moved her store to University Mall when it first opened, fully understanding that retail needed ample parking. Coincidentally, her original location is now a parking lot. At the peak of business she owned seven stores in the region from Radford to Lynchburg – all called Bonomo’s. When it became clear certain stores weren’t doing well or she tired of traveling to them, she would simply close them. When rent kept increasing at the mall, Bonomo started looking for other options and had her eye on a building in foreclosure across the street. She operated there until Starbucks showed interest, then she moved across the parking lot into the current location. Bonomo does all her own buying. Staying relevant can be a challenge, but she relishes being able to touch and feel the products and listen to the salesperson's expertise on the current market. Staff and customers also regularly give opinions. Her target customer? “People who care about how they look, who want to look nice,” she responds. She agrees that being an entrepreneur requires a certain amount of relentlessness – in a good way. It also requires the ability to adapt and the courage to change if something’s not working. “I really enjoy coming to work. I love being around people, and I like to see women do well in business.” Bonomo will keep coming to work until someone decides she can’t breathe, she states in all seriousness with just a glint of jest. When that love of work and dedication to craft is forefront, it’s no question how your business becomes a household name and a story of success for more than 40 years.
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TOY STORY Adventure Hobbies & Toys
Text by Jennifer Poff Cooper Imaginations Toys & Furniture - Photos by Kristie Lea Photography Adventure Hobbies & Toys - Photos by Tom Wallace
The annual U.S. market for the toy industry is $28 billion, so there’s a lot to know about something that seems as elementary as toys. Research shows that learning through play is an important part of children’s development including: • Fine and gross motor skills • Nurturing creativity and imagination • Problem solving and learning cause and effect • Learning how to play with others through compromise, conflict resolution and sharing • Discovering independence and positive self-esteem. Children can benefit from educational toys as early as one month old. Electronics can interfere with this process. “Parents are not giving kids toys but instead phones and tablets,” says Stacy Martin, owner of Adventure Hobbies & Toys in the New River Valley Mall. In fact, he pointed toward toy maker Melissa & Doug’s national push to teach parents who have grown up on screens how to play, so they can teach their kids how to play. 36
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Right now, Martin points out, besides games and puzzles, educational toys and books do not sell well at his store. Still, some independent toy stores such as Imaginations Toy & Furniture in Blacksburg specialize in educational toys. Owner Paula Bolte says there are quality toys that never go out of favor, like balls and wooden train sets such as Brio. Stocking stuffers such as Slinky, pick-up sticks, yo-yos and jacks are classic. Books and stuffed animals are also popular. “Our philosophy is to get families to spend time together,” says Bolte. She extols the value of toys that allow for creative play. “Kids will make up their own stories,” she adds, if not fed storylines from movies or television shows. But there is a fine balance between pop culture and classic toys. This year, Martin has seen a big connection between toys and the “Dumbo” movie. A consistent winner at Imaginations is Playmobil®, sets of small people, animals and buildings that promote pretend play. Playmobil comprises about 10% of the store’s
sales in any given month. At Adventure Hobbies & Toys, Melissa & Doug (wood, non-licensed toys), LEGO® sets, Barbie dolls, Fisher-Price® products and Hot Wheels are prevalent. Martin says that sensory toys – anything kids can squish, squeeze or manipulate, like Slime, also sell well. Calico Critters and dinosaurs remain popular. Other best-sellers are kits for science experiments, marble tracks and arts and crafts. Potholder looms, for example, have been around for decades. "Children think they are just making something for Grandma when really they are learning skills they need without realizing it," Bolte remarks. Technological innovations generate excitement. Martin feels that the Thames & Kosmos gumball machine maker will be a hit this year. Imaginations stocks the Elenco robotic kit that has children exploring basic coding to make the robot do things. Imaginations also carries infant toys that sell for baby showers through items for adults, as sometimes they enter a second childhood. Bolte is saddened that parents of children
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Imaginations Toys & Furniture
Adventure Hobbies & Toys
ages nine or 10 say the kids are not playing much anymore. The store used to sell toys frequently to kids aged 12 or 13. Adventures Hobbies & Toys caters to ages zero to 100 with hobby items such as drones, helicopters and radio cars. Both toy shop owners like toys that work for all ages. Jigsaw puzzles bridge the age gap. Bolte says her sales are down from 15 years ago as the retail landscape has drastically changed. “It is getting harder and harder,” she relates when asked about competing with Walmart and Amazon. Martin concurs: “The toy industry is in complete turmoil.” Indeed, sales in the industry fell two percent last year as toy manufacturers endured their first Christmas without Toys ‘R’ Us in more than 60 years. While a number of retailers, including Target, Walmart and even drug stores, expanded their toy sections this past holiday season, there were still far fewer shelves showcasing toys in 2018 than in years prior. Martin says that when Toys ‘R’ Us sold its remaining stock in bankruptcy proceedings, discounters like Ollie’s were able to obtain most of the toys and undercut the prices of stores like his. While Martin agrees that toy sales have been down, he sees them trending back in the right direction. In fact, he is opening a satellite store in Valley View Mall, at least for this holiday season. As for the future, Bolte says that many toy store owners are aging and younger folks do not want the hard work and risk of being small business owners. However, she has hope. Twenty-somethings seem to be more interested in shopping local and touching what they buy than the next older generation. And, she adds: “Companies and stores with quality products and fair pricing will stay in business.” 38
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Novemb er/Decemb er 2019
Radford’s Holiday Parade Friday, December 6, at 7:30 PM
Annual holiday parade, great fun for the whole family. Bring a chair, pick a spot along historic Main Street and enjoy all of the community participants! Special guest of honor-Santa! Theme this year: Light Up the Night!
Join us for local shopping and dining in Radford For more information go to: VisitRadford.com
DCJS #11-9804
HOME Y SECURIT
Home Safe Home
citizens.coop/security ¡ 745-2111
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GiftGuide
2019 Buy Local
alligator alley
This holiday season, shop at Alligator Alley for all of your men’s and women’s original brands like Vineyard Vines, Barbour, Lacoste, Fish Hippie, Duck Head, Sperry and others. You’re sure to find something right up your alley – when you shop at Alligator Alley. The Shops at Clay Court 401 South Main St. Blacksburg The Corners Shopping Center 5207 Bernard Dr. Roanoke. Blacksburg - 540-552-4287 Roanoke - 540-772-4287 BARBOUR CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES ARE AVAILABLE AT: THE CORNERS SHOPPING CENTER 5207 BERNARD DR ROANOKE 540 772 4287 THE SHOPS AT CLAY COURT 401 SOUTH MAIN ST BLACKSBURG 540 552 4287
pearis Mercantile
FISH HIPPIE CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES ARE AVAILABLE AT: THE CORNERS SHOPPING CENTER 5207 BERNARD DR ROANOKE 540 772 4287 THE SHOPS AT CLAY COURT 401 SOUTH MAIN ST BLACKSBURG 540 552 4287
Are you looking for a treasure for yourself or maybe for someone special? Then Pearis Mercantile is the place to be! Located in Downtown Pearisburg, you will find unique shopping with 35 Artisan Consigners, speciality gifts and ideas. Shop the holiday ornaments & home décor for inside or outdoor. You will find so many wonderful items it may be hard to make a decision. The friendly sales staff can help with your selection & a gift bag comes with every purchase. Open daily with special Sunday Hours that start before Thanksgiving until Christmas. 200 N. Main St. 540.921.2260
Adventures Hobbies & Toys
is sure to delight the children in your life and awaken your inner child! Adventure Hobbies & Toys offers a wide variety of your favorite classic toys and games, S.T.E.A.M focused building, art, and science kits, cuddly stuffies of ALL sizes, Fun fidget toys, LEGO, CAT Trucks and Vehicles, Barbie, a huge Melissa & Doug selection, Surface Radio Controlled Trucks, and hobby supplies galore! Layaway available.
Conveniently located in the New River Valley Mall and online @adventurehobbiesandtoys.com! 40
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Tea & Totally Gifts
Looking for that perfect gift for someone who has everything? Tea & Totally Gifts has just what you're looking for! This locally owned unique shop has something for every taste. Stop in to explore their eclectic array of gift's, Mugs that fit any mood from funny to sentimental, Chocolates, European gifts and foods, gourmet foods & sauces, and the largest Simply Southern selection in the NRV. Tea lover? We have over 200 teas available and offer free in-store samples daily. Brew your favorite tea and pamper yourself with naturally luxurious Bath and Body products. NRV Mall. Novemb er/Decemb er 2019
2019
Buy Local Gift Guide
Paris Mountain Stables
Enjoy the Wonder of Horses! • Full Service Boarding • Over 700 Acres to ride • Guided Trail Rides • Lessons for All Ages • Yearly Camps Capones Fine Jewelry Children Fine – Teens Just a year ago –Capone’s Jewelry moved into the Historic • 15 minutes from VT Brownstone, Main St., Blacksburg. Since the move, they have • Find us on FB established2612 a remarkable showroom Catawba Rd. Blacksburgand repair space. Now in
their 31st ParisMountainStables.com year, Capone’s continues to offer custom designs of a special flair, repairs and evaluation services. Their goal is to 540-835-9073 provide the finest quality in precious gems, designs and customer service to the NRV. The Capone Family would like to invite Historic Orange your family toThe visit them soon for the Holidays.Smithfield Convenient Baskets parking isBandana provided behind the shop off Historic of Washington St. will be Smithfield Unwrap a taste of home this caponesjewelry.com
holiday season540-953-1000 with locallymade gift baskets. Our gifts feature everything from velvety wines and spa products to delicious treats from small businesses. Online shopping and nationwide shipping ensures Santa gets there on time. (540) 250-1625 theorangebandana.com
Matrix Gallery
A great little gallery full of quality American Crafts by local, regional and national artists. Pottery, Glass, Jewelry, Wood, Leather, and more. Beautiful holiday gifts that are functional, decorative, and fun! Located at 115 N. Main St. in Downtown Blacksburg 540.951.3566
Allure Spa & Skin Health Boutique
Offering:Lash Lifts and Tint, Facials, Microdermabrasion, Chemical Peels, Dermaplane, Microcurrent, & much more! Bridal & Special Occasion packages Professional skin care lines:Dermalogica & Jane Iredale mineral makeup in stock GIFT CERTIFICATES & online booking available. 200 Country Club Drive SW Suite C-1 | Blacksburg allurespaskinhealth.com
hosting their annual year-end Holiday event: "A Colonial Christmas at Smithfield" on Saturday, December 1 and Sunday, December 2, 2018. Shopping in the museum store is available during the event. The museum store will be open on Saturday, December 8 from 12:00pm -5:00pm and will offer a 20% discount on items. 1000
Smithfield Plantation Blacksburg
Road,
540.231.3947
Downtown Blacksburg Inc.
Purchase a Downtown Blacksburg Inc. Gift Certificate redeemable at over 60 downtown businesses! Gift Certificates are available at National Bank of Blacksburg’s downtown branch and make great gifts! DowntownBlacksburg.com Buy, Eat, Live Local 540-951-0454
Bonomo’s CLOTHIER
Enjoy lovely, affordable styles for casual, work & dressy occasions. Clothing that fits up to size 3X. Shop exquisite jewelry & accessories to complete any style. University City Blvd., Blacksburg 540-951-8102
540-553-0510 NRVMAGAZINE.com
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NR V F o o d F a re
Holiday Drinks for All Compiled by Joanne M. Anderson
There's something about wrapping your hands around a warm mug that signals autumn and winter, holidays and happiness. The exquisitely smooth rich flavor of eggnog compensates for its not being warm, simply delicious. Wassail is the drink which was carried around town in a large punch bowl on a wassailing ritual. It is thought to have originated in Ancient Rome, but details are sketchy, and myths abound. The word comes from the Anglo-Saxon hyphenated word "waes-hael" meaning "to your health". The history of eggnog is equally vague, with many attributing it to England. Yet the Merriam-Webster Dictionary relates the first use of the word around 1775 which could mean it is an American innovation. As far back as 500 BC, the Mayans were concocting drinks with water, ground cocoa seeds and spices. The Aztecs loved it, too, and along the way someone in those civilizations heated it up for hot chocolate, even though there was no winter in their region.
Holiday Egg Nog • • • • • • • •
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6 large egg yolks 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg pinch of salt 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract ground cinnamon, for topping
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until light and creamy. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine cream, milk, nutmeg and salt. Stir often until mixture reaches a bare simmer. Add a big spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Repeat, adding a big spoonful at a time, to temper the eggs. Once most of the hot milk has been added to the eggs, pour the mixture back into the saucepan on the stove. Whisk constantly for just a few minutes, until the mixture is just slightly thickened (or until it reaches about 160º F on a thermometer). It will thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour eggnog into a pitcher and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it cools. If you want a thinner, smoother consistency, put the mixture in a blender with 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk and blend until smooth. Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and fresh whipped cream, if desired. This eggnog can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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Thanksgiving Wassail 2 quarts apple cider 1-1/2 cups orange juice 3/4 cup pineapple juice 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches) Dash ground cinnamon Dash ground cloves
• 2 avocados, pitted and chopped • 1/2 cup sour cream • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro • 2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serve hot in mugs.
Puree everything in a food processor. Season as desired with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, minced garlic and/or cumin. Good with tortilla lime chips and multigrain crackers.
Winter Hot Chocolate ~ with variations • 1/2 cup Sugar In The Raw • 1/4 cup baking cocoa • Dash salt • 1/3 cup hot water • 4 cups milk • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract • Miniature marshmallows, whipped cream, peppermint or cinnamon sticks, optional In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Add water; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in milk; heat to serving temperature; do not boil. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Whisk until frothy. Swiss Mocha Cocoa: Add 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee with vanilla. Vermont Cocoa: Add 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or flavoring with vanilla. Slim-Trim Cocoa: Omit sugar. Combine cocoa, salt and water. Substitute fat-free milk. Proceed as above. Stir in vanilla with artificial sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar.
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NRV Feature
How Wood You Heat Your Home? Text by Jennifer Poff Cooper
The glow of the flame…the roar of the fire…the muscle feel of splitting logs. These – and more – are reasons folks use wood to heat their homes. The biggest driver of wood stove sales, according to Bobby Martin of Blue Ridge Heating & Air in Christiansburg, is the cost of energy. Even if you are not blessed with wood on your property, wood is economical. American Mulch and Stone’s Stacie Bolt says the Christiansburg business sells wood for $60 a cubic yard (four cubic yards equals a cord). In some cases, it is possible for a cord of wood to heat a small home for as long as four months. Wood heat is often cheaper than oil and can be more energy efficient than fossil fuel heat sources. When gas and propane prices go up, so do wood stove sales. “There’s nothing like a $1,000 propane bill to motivate someone,” Martin says. One surprising factor in wood stove usage is the political climate. When people are worried about the future, Martin relates, wood stove sales rise. Wood heat is not 44
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dependent on electricity. Many people like the self-sufficiency and control this provides. Randall Horst of Craig County has lived in a house heated solely by wood for more than 30 years. His family purchased a home in Craig County to avoid the high cost of housing in Blacksburg. One of the tradeoffs of rural living is that power can go out for six hours or six days. Horst has added propane as a back-up heat source. “I don’t like the pollution aspect of wood stoves,” he says. To that end, he purchased a more efficient stove to cut down on ash output; the better stove also emits more heat with less wood. Wood heat involves the courage to buck the trends of ease and convenience. Martin states: “Wood heat is comfortable. It is hard to warm up beside a vent [forced air heat].” It is environmentally friendly as a renewable resource. If you are loathe to cut down perfectly good trees, consider the many
insect-blighted or old, dead logs. Using products that are available is a green alternative. Wood-burning stoves offer a low-carbon alternative that produces less pollution than fossil fuel heat sources. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, which is returned to the atmosphere when their wood is burned. Cutting your own wood provides a level of satisfaction like a fulfilling day’s work, exercise, communing with the outdoors, and, for some, tradition. Martin's customer base is all over the map, from retired doctors and business folks to young professionals. Some grew up with wood heat, and others are new to it. Horst uses wood from his 100acre property. As he nears age 60, he supplements his own trees with purchased wood because chopping, moving and stacking wood is not for the faint-hearted. Not only is there physical labor but also there is the planning and commitment to cut enough wood a year in advance to let it season or dry out. The Environmental Protection
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Agency (EPA) reports that a wood-burning fire can cause health problems, especially if for someone with a history of lung disease. This is the impetus for stringent new regulations on wood stoves beginning May 15, 2020. Martin says at that time all stoves designated to burn wood must produce lower smoke and particulate emissions. Stoves now in the marketplace are grandfathered if they meet current EPA standards. Many stoves already meet the new standards, but the EPA is requiring new labeling and testing, which can run from $25,000 to $50,000 per model. This will result in a price increase to consumers of about $400 to $600 per stove. On choosing a wood stove, Martin points to two basic considerations. First is the size of the area you are trying to heat. If you are expecting to provide supplemental heat, that is different than heating a whole home. Also, buyers must choose the type of stove like front-load, side-load or top-load. You get what you pay for with a wood stove. Heavier stoves mean more metal and better construction. Quality is key, and a good stove costing between $1,200 and $2,500 will last years. Heating with wood is about a lot more than home heating. Martin relates that one customer said: “Life is just better with wood.”
Best Wood to Burn
When it comes to burning wood, hardwood is better than softwood as it burns slower. The density of softwood is around half that of hardwood which results in burning twice as fast and needing twice as much. Dry or seasoned wood is always best as wet wood wastes much of the energy created while burning to remove water from the log.
Best Firewood: High Heat Value 1 cord = 200 to 250 gallons of fuel oil • American beech • Apple • Ironwood • Red oak • Shagbark hickory • Sugar maple • White ash • White oak • Yellow birch
Medium Heat Value 1 cord = 150 to 200 gallons of fuel oil • American elm • Black cherry • Douglas fir • Red maple • Silver maple • Tamarack • White birch 46
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Low Heat Value 1 cord = 100 to 150 gallons of fuel oil • Aspen • Cottonwood • Hemlock • Lodgepole pine • Red alder • Redwood • Sitka spruce • Western red cedar • White pine Source : almanac.com
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A1 Heating & Cooling Adventures Hobbies & Toys Alligator Alley Allure Spa Blacksburg Transit Blue Ridge Heating & Air Bonomos Bridge Kaldro Brown Insurance Budget Blinds Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill Carilion Clinic CELCO Community Credit Union Citizens Collision Plus Paint & Body DeHart Tile Dogtown Roadhouse Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. Dr. Steve Jacobs Optometrist Dwight Atkinson Realtor Energy Check First & Main Blacksburg Floyd Hemp Factory Floyd Jewelry Historic Smithfield Inn at Virginia Tech K. Ryan Trading Kate-CBD Kesler Contracting Long & Foster Real Estate Macado's Matrix Gallery Matt Hagan Outdoors New River Aesthetics New River Personal Training New River Women's Health NRV Inillectual Property Law, PC P Buckley Moss Gallery P.R. Sturgill Fine Jewelry Pearis Mercantile Progress Street Builders Radford Tourism Richard Anthony, DDS Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates Shelter Alternatives, Inc. Slaughters Supermarket Sugar Magnolia Tea & Totally Gifts The Black Hen Restaurant The Buffalo Hemp Company The Flower Girl Boutique The Mitchell Law Firm The Orange Bandana Baskets The Shaheen Firm, P.C. The Weigh Station The Wise Leaf TR Collection
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