Fall/Winter 2025 | Volume 18 Issue 2
magazine
Floyd Virginia Your FREE
Comprehensive Guide To
ed ven B a h e n t S to eakfas r B d an
The Wo
275K Copies Distributed in the Past 8 Years!
Local Stories - Points of Interest - Maps of Floyd
Fall/Winter 2025
odshed
Lichen or Knot
All Things Floyd
LCF
Grou
p
Food - Wine - Art - Lodging - Real Estate & Land
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“Your Best Move”
CRAIG CHANCELLOR Broker Owner
540-239-5222 Craig.Chancellor@ReMax.net 126 N Locust St. Floyd, VA
Fast, Affordable Shelters for a Variety of Uses
540-745-5382
2167 Webbs Mill RD • Floyd, VA Mon, Wed, & Sat 9-5 • Tue, Thu, & Fri 9-6 • Closed Sun
Fall/Winter 2025
540-745-7458 www.BlueRidgeYurts.com
Also check out FloydYurtLodging.com www.FloydMagazine.com
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magazine
Floyd Virginia Your FREE
Comprehensive Guide To
Fall/Winter 2025
Celebrating the People of Floyd!
Volume 18 • 2nd Issue
On The Cover
All Things Floyd
The cover photo is Mr. & Mrs. Whitlow’s little dock boy, pond, and barn located on Floyd Hwy North in Copperhill
LCF Group
From Early Passions to a Thriving Floyd Business............... 8-10 A Luxurious RV Resort in the Blueridge Mountains ......... 12-14
Land For Sale By Owner!
Henry’s Healthy Pet Foods: From Small Beginning to an International Presence ......................................... 16-18 A Quirky, Successful Plant Store is Branching Out............ 20-22
LCF Group
A Sister’s Legacy Behind Hello Hair..................................... 24-26
ainLa www.VirginiaMount
129 Needmore Lane Floyd VA 24091 540-808-4984
Floyd County Map........................................................................28 Town of Floyd Map.......................................................................30 Directory...............................................................................32 & 34 Robley D. Evans, Civil War and Spanish-American War Hero Part 2 – Robley Evans Gets a Nickname....................... 36-38
nd.com
Lichen or Knot
Home and Garden Shop 105 E Main St Floyd, VA 540-267-6556
Lichen
www.Lich enOrK
Floyd Event Center: An All-Inclusive Premier Venue........ 40-42
not.com
Fall and Winter Happenings 2025...............................................44
The Woodshed
The Sheep and Goats of Southwest Virginia........................ 46-47
Seasoned Hardwoods Cut, Split, and Delivered
A Legacy of Creativity: Celebrating 30 Years of the Floyd Center for the Arts..................................... 48-50 A Simpler Place Captured in Paint........................................ 52-53
Alphabetical Listing of Advertisers Page 54 For publication information, call John Brill 540-815-1079 For additional copies, email John@FloydMagazine.com
Floyd Virginia John Brill - Publisher Magazine Team Aaron Sobczak - Editor © 2025 FLOYD VIRGINIA MAGAZINE, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part, without written permission from FLOYD VIRGINIA MAGAZINE is prohibited. Every attempt has been made to verify the information contained in this publication. We assume no responsibility for incorrect, omitted or outdated information contained herein. We publish ads and stories without any implied endorsement of organizations, the views they express or the products/services they offer.
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or Knot
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The
hed Woods
540-320-3057
orks! lways W A d o o w Fire
Stonehaven Bed and Breakfast 244 Christiansburg Pike Floyd, VA 540-745-4018
S toneh av and B en Bed reakfa www.Sto st ne Havenbn
bFloyd.c om
Spring/Summer Fall/Winter 2025
AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY INC. SETEC SOIL (540) 381-0309 • (540) 392-8049 • Professional soil consulting and soil survey for rural land development and conservation
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• Evaluation, design, and inspection of conventional and alternative septic systems • Perc Testing, Environmental Consulting, soil sampling and analysis
Professional Soil Scientists since 1989
www.SoilAndEnvironmentalTechnology.com Virginia Authorized Onsite Soil Evaluators (AOSE) • Member VA Association of Professional Soil Scientists
Offering A Wide Selection Of Essentials For Visitors And Locals! Craft & Imported Beers • Fine Wines Gifts • Gourmet Foods • Cigars 114-B South Locust St • Floyd, VA • 540-745-2898
THE
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www.schroeder-law.com 304 East Main Street, Floyd VA Fall/Winter 2025
Pamela Logan
Primary Care, Wound Care, Chronic Care, Infections, Referals, Testing, Women’s Health, Sports and Physical Exams, In Clinic & In Your Home!
MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CWCN-AP
540-745-8700 706 East Main Street, Floyd, VA
Gas - Diesel - Propane Exchange - Hardware
WILLIS VILLAGE MART
Your LOCAL One Stop Shop • 32 Years in Floyd County
Groceries • FRESH Produce • Seasonal Plants & Fruits
es & LOCAL Win eers! 60+ Craft B
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Photo by Will Maher
Left to right: Elijah Matherly - Hose Pros, Matt Sebus - Omnibuild General Contractors, Jared Cox - Cox Mechanical & Industrial Services, (kneeling) Brody Conner, Brad Conner, and Emmet Conner, Wes Goff - All That Money Racing, Wes Turner - Turner Family Farms and The Vittle Wagon, (kneeling) Tom Maher, Lacey Maher, Nathan Maher, Jason Turner - Yard Boys, Debbie Shortt - Farm Bureau, Greg Shortt - Shortt Tool Co.
From Early Passions to a Thriving Floyd Business Every family that moves to Floyd has a unique story of how they found their way here. For Tom and Lacey Maher, that story spans decades of hard work, creativity, and craftsmanship. Their journey weaves together Lacey’s deep roots in design, Tom’s expertise in automotive restoration, and a shared vision for building something lasting. What began as separate career paths in different corners of the country eventually converged in Floyd, leading to the creation of two thriving, community-driven businesses. The couple had dated in college in Pennsylvania, but their career aspirations separated them at first. Lacey’s design career started in 2006, when she was mentored by an old-school hand-painted “sign guy” in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Vehicle wraps and large-scale graphics were being introduced to the sign industry, and Lacey was at the forefront of it all. “Stronghold Signs was a fast-paced, high-volume sign shop in a booming area of Southeast Arizona. We had a solid crew of fabricators, screen printers, floor production, installers, and the best designer I’ve ever met,” Lacey comments. “She’s the reason I got into the business, and she still inspires me. Turning XM radio to Classic
Vinyl every morning, eating leftover pizza for breakfast while working hard, shoulder to shoulder with that crew, was transformative.” Further adventures in Downeast Maine landed her at another sign shop in 2009, which taught her the dying art of hand-carved, hand-painted dimensional signs and the intricate technique of gold leaf. While there, Lacey pushed the company to venture into largeformat printing, which changed their perspective on signage and design and also bolstered their offerings. While Lacey was building her design career, Tom was honing his craft in automotive performance and restoration. With a background in metalworking, painting, and electrical work, and a brain for engineering, he became known for his skill in mechanical and fabrication work. Tom and Lacey reconnected and dated via long-distance before Lacey moved to Long Island to be closer. The couple married in 2010. In 2016, Tom and Lacey started the search for their forever home. On a whim, they packed up their boys, Nathan and Will, and drove to Floyd to check out a house—the well-known home of Richard and
Logos designed by Lacey Maher
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Nathan Maher
Jane Shank. After a warm greeting from Sheriff Craig over breakfast at Blue Ridge Diner, and a heartfelt conversation with Jane Shank, they knew without a doubt they had found not only their home, but their community. In 2017, the couple, along with their sons, Nathan and Will, made the final move to Floyd. Some time passed, and Lacey found herself being drawn into design projects on top of her full-time job. Past customers and business acquaintances from all over the country continued to task her with logo and web design. It was natural and something she couldn’t and didn’t want to get away from. “Graphic layout is a rule-based process,” she explains. “Graphic design forces an artist to master these rules while connecting with and captivating the audience. Using your left and right sides of the brain together to create something original and unique is a Nick challenge. And, I love it.” Like Lacey, Tom got the “itch” and fell back to his origins—automotive performance and restoration. Even after the move to Floyd, past customers in New York continued to contact him to resume work on their vehicles. One by one, customers transported their beloved projects down to Virginia for completion. He quickly built his reputation for trustworthy, high-end work, and the Floyd community, heavy with muscle cars and barn finds, came out in droves to support the new guy.
Tom’s consistent work in the mechanical and fabrication world— whether automotive restoration or industrial—prodded him to establish Leadfoot Rod and Custom. He played a crucial role in the building and installation of Lacey’s designs, and the pair’s part-time side gigs were soon demanding full-time attention, on top of their 9-5 jobs. Eventually, they outgrew their original garage and contracted Mike Shortt of Shortt’s Excavating to clear and level a small chunk of land for their future building. They didn’t know it at the time, but this interaction would create a lifelong friendship with the Shortt family and set the stage for not only one but two successful businesses. The pandemic and worldwide economic insecurities became a blessing in disguise, prompting Tom and Lacey to jump in with both feet. In 2022, they started construction on their 80’x40’ building. Working closely with Floyd businesses over the years, they knew they had something to offer the community. The connections made with the Shortt family, Omnibuild’s Matt Sebus, Kenny Gardner from Spencer’s Body Shop, Mike Schumann of DJ’s Drive In, David and Robert Ingram of GJ Ingram and Sons, and many more were paying off in a big way as they watched both businesses flourish. Deep bonds and a solid foundation of trust had been built over the many years since moving to Floyd. Reaching into their experiences throughout a wide array of
Logos designed by Lacey Maher
Fall/Winter 2025
www.FloydMagazine.com
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Lacey Maher
Lacey Maher
industries and localities, Tom and Lacey knew that if Dynasty Design and Leadfoot were to survive and thrive, they had to be a team. One building. Shared responsibilities. Low overhead. Fast turnaround. Trustworthy service. Consistent, reliable results. DJ’s Drive-In is a perfect example of their collaboration. Mike Schumman approached Lacey years after she had created the DJ’s logo with an idea for a sign. He knew Tom was the guy to make his vision a reality. A 7-foot layered illuminated sign with a real vintage diner feel was designed, engineered, painted, wired, and constructed in-house. “Mike and Meg have created quite an atmosphere at DJ’s. We have produced so many cool things together—the signs, menus, t-shirts, interior and exterior graphics. Super cool to help bring their projects to life.” Since its official opening in 2023, Dynasty Design has built an impressive portfolio of work for a wide array of industries. Over the years, Lacey has had the pleasure of branding some of the most iconic local companies. Beginning primarily as a graphic design company, the business has grown to include large-format print capabilities and engineered signage fabrication. There’s no job too big or too small. After only two years in business, Dynasty has a prospect for growth. Tom and Lacey’s oldest son, Nathan, got bitten by the design bug
at a young age. Quite an artist, he has deep roots in mixed media drawing—understanding the importance of every line, every line weight, every gradient, every detail. Now, at only 14 years old, Nathan is mastering Adobe Illustrator, the premier design software of true graphic artists. Both Tom and Lacey love their community and are eternally grateful for all the support. Truly a one-stop shop, Dynasty offers solutions for all your personal and commercial needs—logo design and branding guidelines, paper promotional products, banners, stickers, vehicle graphics, apparel, websites, and all your signage needs. Due to their extensive knowledge and experience in the sign and fabrication industry, they have taken on extraordinary projects that other sign companies would outsource. Embraced by the Floyd community, Tom and Lacey Maher found their niche and a way to serve the people who welcomed them so wholeheartedly. “Be good to the people that have been good to you.”
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Dynasty Design • Lacey Maher and Tom Maher www.DynastyBranding.com • 4069 Floyd Hwy N, Floyd, VA 540-728-0740 • Lacey@DynastyBranding.com
Logos designed by Lacey Maher
Fall/Winter 2025
• Auto • Home • Business • Life • Medicare Supplements
Carter and Company Insurance Agency Johnny Carter - Agent 201 East Main St, Suite 6, Floyd VA 540-267-5054 Office: 540-745-5054 jcarterinsurance@outlook.com Fax: 540-301-1787
Closing End of September!
Floyd Jewelry
Meetings • Weddings Corporate Events • Multiple Meeting Spaces • Do-it-yourself or All Inclusive Packages • Full Commercial Kitchen • Lodging, Cabins, & Campground on site
Thank you for 31 years of business! 540-745-4653
610 East Main Street • Floyd, VA www.FloydJewelry.com • www.facebook.com/FloydJewelry
Fall/Winter 2025
188 Ecovillage Trail, Floyd, VA
540-745-4434 www.FloydMagazine.com 11
A Luxurious RV Resort in the Blueridge Mountains The Oaks RV Resort is a beautiful new retreat nestled in Mark’s construction expertise and Terry’s customer care—would Meadows of Dan, just 25 minutes from the charming town of be the perfect recipe for building and running an RV resort. Floyd. From the moment you arrive and step into the office, you’re Their path to opening the resort began in an unexpected way: welcomed with warmth. The rich scent of freshly popped popcorn with two dogs. Baker, a high-energy German Shorthaired Pointer, fills the air, while a nearby table invites and Rue, an English Springer Spaniel, you to enjoy complimentary coffee, tea, became part of the family about or hot chocolate. Step back outside, and four years ago. Eager to bring “the the pavilion awaits—a perfect spot to boys” along on adventures, Mark and pause and take in the sweeping views of Terry bought a camper, rekindling the Blue Ridge Mountains. their shared love of camping from The resort is the creation of Mark childhood. While staying at a resortand Terry Vaughn, a couple deeply style campground, Mark remarked rooted in this corner of Virginia. on how nothing like it existed close to They met in 1992 in an unforgettable home near the Blue Ridge Parkway. way—by singing “After All” by Cher That thought lingered, and soon, the and Peter Cetera at Terry’s sister’s search for the perfect property began. wedding. It’s the kind of story that It didn’t take long before Mark sounds made-up but is entirely true. found it—a hayfield with panoramic, They married in 1994, moved to Floyd long-range mountain views that in 1995 to be closer to their church in seemed made for a destination getaway. nearby Pilot. The move also brought The location was unbeatable: just 10 them closer to Mark’s brother, who minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, lived in Floyd, and to the community 15 minutes from Floyd’s wineries, that would later embrace their and perfectly positioned for guests to business dream. enjoy the area’s vibrant fall festivals, Mark was born in Kingsport, outdoor recreation, and small-town Tennessee, but his family relocated charm. The Vaughns purchased the to Virginia when he was young. He property in 2022 and set out to make graduated from high school in Riner, their vision a reality. Excavation work VA, then worked with his father and began that same year, and by December brother at Spencer’s Body Shop in 2023, construction was underway. The Floyd—still operating today under opening date was set for August 2024. different ownership. In time, he struck From the start, the couple agreed out on his own, founding Great Oaks the resort would offer not just Contracting over 25 years ago. Today, camping, but comfort and style. Mark Mark Vaughn and Terry Vaughn he continues building custom homes designed every building himself, with the same craftsmanship that now shapes every corner of incorporating the quality and attention to detail he’s known for The Oaks. Terry grew up in Dublin, VA, graduated from Radford in his homebuilding projects. The result is a warm and inviting University, and spent her career in Sales Support and Customer clubhouse with a stone fireplace, a hand-crafted curly maple Service. Looking back, neither realized that their combined skills— mantle, custom shelving, and a striking buffalo mount—a nod 12 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
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Schoolhouse Fabrics Located on Route 8 in the town of Floyd.
A Sewing Paradise
The old school building converted into three floors of almost all types of fabrics available, and craft supplies! PLUS! An additional building of upholstery fabrics and supplies!
540-745-4561
220 North Locust St. Floyd, VA facebook.com/schoolhouse.fabrics
Green Acres Resort Vintage Camper Rentals & Tent Camping Located in the Town of Floyd! Two all Pickleb ! Courts
Beach • Paddle Boards • Floating Trampoline
www.GreenAcresResortFloyd.com 400 Baker St • Floyd, VA • 540-745-4273
BLACKSBURG CHIMNEY SERVICES
Full-Time Chimney Professionals • BBB A+ Rating • Chimney Sweeping • Chimney Relining • Chimney Repair • Woodstove Installations • Safety/Insurance Inspections • Real Estate Inspections • Flashing/Water Leaks
CSIA CERTIFIED FOR YOUR
SAFETY AND PROTECTION!
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540-239-0440 Info@BlacksburgChimneyServices.net
Fall/Winter 2025
Alan Duchovnay - Master Sweep 48 Years Experience CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps:
Zack Ratcliff, Josh Dowdy, & David Truelove www.FloydMagazine.com 13
to nearby Buffalo Mountain. Outdoors, guests find paved roads, concrete RV pads, and full hookups at every site. Amenities go beyond the basics, with a heated pool perfectly positioned for mountain sunsets, private bathrooms featuring custom-tiled showers, a large shaded dog park, and dog wash stations for four-legged travelers. Terry manages the office, coordinates events, and personally decorated the interiors, creating a space that feels like a home away from home. Throughout the year, the resort comes alive with seasonal celebrations—live music for overnight guests, Halloween costume contests for kids, and a full Christmas transformation that turns the campground into a winter wonderland. The Vaughns encourage guests to explore nearby towns, spend weekends in Floyd, and experience the best of the region, from wineries and art galleries to scenic drives and hiking trails. Their faith played a powerful role in the resort’s creation. Launching such a large project was not without challenges, which could have discouraged them. Instead, Mark and Terry relied on trust in God to guide them. They recall moments when they didn’t know how a particular problem would be solved, but continued in faith. A verse from Isaiah remains close to their hearts: “I look to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.” For them, this isn’t just a business; it’s evidence of God’s providence. 14 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Visitors often comment on the peacefulness of the setting. Some say it feels like camping at a scenic overlook, while others marvel at how much brighter the stars seem here. On a clear day, guests can see the chimneys of Belews Creek Power Plant, Pilot Mountain, and even the Greensboro, NC skyline in the distance. The Vaughns are proud to say the resort can accommodate even the longest RVs, ensuring that no traveler has to miss out on the view. And their vision doesn’t stop here. The couple is already dreaming up new additions, from cottages for guests without RVs to a pickleball court, fitness room, hot tub, and event barn. They’re also considering expanding their schedule of activities, giving guests even more reasons to return season after season. For Mark and Terry, The Oaks RV Resort is more than a business—it’s a place for couples and families to reconnect, breathe deeply, and enjoy the mountains without sacrificing comfort. It’s where the beauty of nature meets the convenience of home, and where every guest is welcomed like an old friend. Judging by the smiles, laughter, and glowing reviews, they’ve more than achieved their goal. The Oaks RV Resort • Mark Vaughn and Terry Vaughn 276-222-3333 • www.TheOaksRVResort.us 7530 Jeb Stuart Hwy, Meadows of Dan
Fall/Winter 2025
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Brett
From left to right, they’re Emily, Brie, Tara, Brett, Ethan, and David.
Henry’s Healthy Pet Foods: From Small Beginning to an International Presence
Located in Floyd, Henry’s Healthy Pet Foods—known simply as Henry’s to its loyal customers—is fast becoming the world’s largest retailer of all-natural, 100% human-grade supplements and milk replacers for rescued wildlife and exotic pets. The business began not as a business at all, but as a mission to keep one rescued squirrel healthy. Cofounders Jay and Leigh were determined to prevent their beloved squirrel, Henry, from developing Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)—a painful and, if untreated, often fatal condition common in captive squirrels whose diets lack the vitamins and minerals found in the wild. “We never intended for Henry’s to become a business,” says Jay, the company’s cofounder and Chief Operating Officer. “We were simply afraid that Henry would develop Metabolic Bone Disease—so we were determined to do everything we could to prevent that from happening.” Both founders brought diverse experiences to the venture. Jay, the son of a West German Foreign Service officer and a Mercedes-Benz engineer, was born in West Africa and traveled to more than 50 countries before settling in the United States. His background includes 16 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
pilot training with the British Royal Air Force, service as a paratrooper in the West German Bundeswehr, a tour in the United States Army, and a career in advertising for clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Leigh, a University of Chicago graduate, grew up traveling widely across the United States, including time in Central Florida, where her father, a government attorney, helped purchase the land that would become the Kennedy Space Center. Her professional life included roles as a publisher and editor for underground magazines, scientific journals, and other publications, one of which featured rock star Marilyn Manson’s first print interview. With contacts in pharmaceutical research, they consulted some of the world’s top rodent nutritionists, who approved a custom vitamin and mineral formula. “Once we had a solution, we just posted it on the internet for free,” Jay continued. “The idea was that people could make their own cookies, squares, blocks—whatever you want to call them—using our formula to ensure their animals got the additional vitamins and minerals they needed in their diet.” The recipe worked—but it was expensive and Fall/Winter 2025
time-consuming to make. “The feedback was basically, ‘Thank you very much for doing all the research and coming up with this, but you’ve got to be kidding! I can’t make this!’” says Jay. Leigh recalls, “We wanted to ensure that Henry would live a long, happy—and above all—healthy life. Since we started by making the blocks for Henry—hence the name, Henry’s Healthy Blocks— we decided to use only 100% natural ingredients and no preservatives. We wouldn’t give him something we wouldn’t eat ourselves.” One online acquaintance, desperate to help her squirrel Bean, who was showing signs of MBD, asked Leigh if she would sell a month’s supply. “She offered us $20 for a month’s supply of Henry’s ‘Blocks’ since we were making them anyway. We didn’t think anything of it, put them in a Zip-Lock bag and mailed them that day,” says Leigh. Bean recovered completely within two weeks. Word spread, and soon more requests arrived from people across the country. “We thought it was funny,” says Jay. “It was all word of mouth, but the calls kept on coming to the point where we decided we needed a website to keep up.” At first, production was done in their own kitchen, then in Leigh’s mother’s kitchen as well, but the growing demand quickly outpaced both spaces. Between the need for more room and a desire to leave city life behind, they began searching for a new home for the business. “We started looking for somewhere more centrally located and Floyd caught our eye,” says Leigh. Fall/Winter 2025
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“Not only was the weather and location perfect for what we needed, but the county had invested in high-speed internet, something that was essential to our continued growth and success as an e-commerce business.” Multiple relocations followed: from Miami to Central Florida, then to Indian Valley, and finally to the Floyd Innovation Center, approximately half of which is home to roughly half of what locals affectionately call “Squirrel Country.” They are now working to secure land for an approximately 10,000-square-foot facility in Floyd. Over the years, Henry’s product offerings have expanded to include far more than the original Healthy Blocks. The company carries everything from neonatal feeding tubes and nursing nipples to cage accessories and an unmatched selection of human-grade milk replacers for exotic animals—many designed and manufactured exclusively for Henry’s Pets. Customers range from home-based wildlife rehabilitators to major zoos and sanctuaries, and orders have been shipped to more than 100 countries. The team has grown from the original two founders to a staff of twelve,
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and sales have expanded beyond their website, HenrysPets. com, to platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay. “At Henry’s, we listen to our customers, and our growing range of products has been driven by what people tell us they need,” says Jay. “We don’t sell the cheapest options available, focusing instead on top-quality products we can stand behind and fully support. We also pride ourselves on fast shipping and great customer service, where people who need help are guaranteed to talk to a real, live person who cares. We always have and we always will.” From a single squirrel in need to an international operation, Henry’s Healthy Pet Foods has stayed rooted in the same principle that started it all—providing the very best products possible for animals, because they are worth it. Henry’s Healthy Pet Foods • Jay and Leigh • 540-745-3334 www.HenrysPets.com • Contact@HenrysPets.com 158 Pioneer Wy Suite 1, Floyd, VA
Fall/Winter 2025
Hotel Floyd Experience a restful retreat with all the modern amenities for a comfortable, pleasurable stay! Located in the heart of Floyd, we’re steps away from the Crooked Road, Virginia’s Musical Heritage Trail, and the charming shops, galleries and eateries that give the town of Floyd its unique down-home flavor.
540-745-6080 www.HotelFloyd.com 300 Rick Lewis Way • Floyd, VA • Info@HotelFloyd.com
Fall/Winter 2025
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A Quirky, Successful Plant Store is Branching Out in Virginia From humble beginnings running plant pop-ups in a vintage states. While the shows were rewarding, the overhead and GMC plumber’s truck, Lichen or Knot is blooming into a travel were grueling. Heather began bringing plants along to statewide phenomenon with two storefronts—in Floyd and sell, and they consistently outsold the antiques. The idea for a Staunton—and two more on the way. Founded by Heather mobile garden shop took root—something like a food truck, but for plants. and John Barbieri (pronounced In July 2018, she bought an old barbie-airy), the brand’s roots go back GMC plumber’s truck, and she and to a simple idea: bring plants directly John spent two years preparing for to the people and create a space where launch while also moving to the New nature, beauty, and intentional living River Valley and caring for family come together. members. John brought his own The name is a playful nod to the deep horticultural background— natural world. Inspired by lichen and planting maples as a boy in New Jersey, the knots found in wood, it reflects earning a horticulture degree from the the couple’s shared love of plants and University of Maryland, managing a their knack for clever design. Heather’s successful retail garden center, and journey began in 1993, when a tragic accident interrupted her college later working in wholesale sales. plans. During recovery, she moved to The business launched in April Cashiers, North Carolina, and began 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 restoring historic English herb and pandemic. Instead of being a setback, flower gardens—work that sustained the timing worked in their favor. Heather and John Barbieri her through months of healing and Shoppers, eager for safe, open-air ignited a lifelong passion for plants. shopping, flocked to the truck in a She soon launched her own container gardening business for Christiansburg parking lot. Customers embraced the concept, high-end clients, became a buyer for a local garden center, and appreciating the ability to buy plants outdoors and avoid later worked a decade as an outside sales rep for a wholesale crowded big-box garden centers. That early success built the plant distributor. foundation for everything to come. By 2015, her interests expanded into vintage goods, leading Today, with two thriving locations in Floyd and Staunton and her to spend years on the antique show circuit across several more on the horizon, Lichen or Knot is expanding outward with 20 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Fall/Winter 2025
no sign of slowing down. Sustainability, beautiful spaces, and bringing the natural world inside remain at the heart of everything the Barbieris do, creating a perfect niche for customers to find something that sparks joy and helps them discover beauty in quiet, ordinary moments. While plants remain the cornerstone, the business has grown into a lifestyle store with a curated selection of functional, intentional home goods. For those who love nature but don’t want to maintain a watering schedule, their nature prints—featuring flowers, insects, leaves, feathers, and vintage objects—offer a way to bring the outdoors in. Each print is a hand-crafted page away from adding personality and charm to a space.
BEAVER CREEK FENCING Family Owned and Operated • Established 2000
Horse Fence! Cattle Fence! Deer Fence! Privacy Fence! & MORE!
Farm & Residential
www.BeaverCreekFencing.net BeaverCreekFencing@swva.net • Floyd VA
540-745-4110 Fall/Winter 2025
www.FloydMagazine.com 21
Their dedication to sustainability shows in their product lines, such as bamboo composters, heirloom-quality textiles, luxury candles, and their brush collection from Redecker, a German family-owned business making purposeful brooms and brushes since the 1930s. Redecker’s tradition began when the family’s blind patriarch learned broom-making as a way to earn a living. Today, three generations later, they still design each new shape and style with a specific purpose in mind, ensuring utility and reducing waste. Heather’s commitment to sourcing from intentional, qualitydriven companies often leads her to unique European suppliers whose values align with her own. Seasonal offerings add to the appeal. Heather is particularly excited for this year’s holiday line, inspired by a traditional German Christmas. Expect touches like rocking horses, gingerbread, and other carefully chosen imports that evoke warmth and natural beauty for the season. With other surprises set to be revealed, customers can be confident their homes will be filled with the best the world has to offer. With their horticulture expertise, Heather and John ensure there’s a plant for everyone. Staff members love to educate customers, answering questions about care and helping select plants safe for pets. Lichen or Knot also carries a wide selection of raw and glazed Italian pottery and modern designs that protect furniture and prevent overwatering—combining practicality with beauty. It’s a family operation through and through. Their children, Lathom and Bennett, often help customers in-store and work behind the scenes with inventory after school and during summer breaks. John uses his nursery experience to curate plant offerings, while Heather oversees the aesthetic direction of the stores, selecting every product with care to ensure it aligns with the brand’s vision. Since rolling out the plant truck, Lichen or Knot has seen exciting growth. The Staunton store opened in September 2024, quickly becoming a must-visit in the Shenandoah Valley. Two more locations are coming soon, with details to be announced on social media (@lichenorknot). The Barbieris traveled across two states scouting sites, choosing communities where the brand’s spirit could thrive and where they could integrate seamlessly into the local culture. To support this expansion, they’ve rented a warehouse in Floyd to serve as headquarters—a hub for inventory processing, marketing, and meetings—while creating local jobs and streamlining operations for all stores. This space will also serve as a central meeting point for the growing Lichen or Knot team and as a creative studio for marketing and branding work. Amid growth, the mission remains the same: to be a place where anyone, from any walk of life, can find tools and inspiration to live with purpose, clarity, and beauty. While the music, layout, and merchandise all help create the store’s distinctive atmosphere, Heather credits the staff for making Lichen or Knot truly special. “They are exceptional at what they do,” she says. “They connect to people. They seek understanding. They educate. And in turn, they have customers who come back time after time to experience their ‘happy place’—to experience what it is to ‘live’ like Lichen or Knot.” Lichen or Knot Plant Company • Heather and John Barbieri 105 E Main St, Floyd, VA • 540-267-6556 www.LichenOrKnot.com • www.facebook.com/LichenOrKnot 22 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Fall/Winter 2025
Wildwood Farms General Store CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF DAYLILIES!
One of the Largest Daylily Gardens in VA!
5 minutes from the town of Floyd!
Unique Gifts, Home & Garden Decor
Check our Facebook page (Wildwood Farms General Store) for current hours and upcoming events!
540-745-5155 • www.WildwoodFarmsFloyd.com 2380 Floyd Highway South • Floyd, VA
Fall/Winter 2025
www.FloydMagazine.com 23
Jessica Kellogg
A Sister’s Legacy Behind Hello Hair
Driving down Main Street in Floyd, you’ll notice a bright pink sign for a salon called “Hello Hair.” But this is no ordinary salon. The story behind the business and its always-booked-out owner, Jessica Kellogg, features childhood roots in Floyd, moments of tragedy, sparks of inspiration, and—despite all odds—remarkable success. Jessica grew up in Newport, Tennessee, where she lived with her parents Teresa Worth and Chip Oury, her brother, Jason, and her sister, Jordan. Jessica recalls how her grandparents, Deward Williams and Jane Slusher-Williams, made Floyd feel like a second home for her and her siblings. Whether it was fishing, watching the cows get their ears tagged, or buying scratch-offs at the Xpress Mart, she and her siblings would also visit the video store, “Something to Do,” which occupied the very building where she now runs her salon. In 2000, at age 16, her parents divorced and her mother Teresa 24 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
moved to the County of Floyd. Jessica went to beauty school in Salem, Virginia, earning her license in 2007 and working briefly at a salon in Salem. Afterward, she returned to Tennessee to work at various salons, from 2013 to 2015 she worked at the same one she had gone to as a little girl. In 2018, Jessica moved to Floyd to be closer to her mother and her stepdad Eddie Worth. She became a waitress and later the front-of-house manager of Dogtown Roadhouse. While working at Dogtown, she met David Kellogg, who worked in sales and would later become her husband. They became engaged in October 2020. Jessica was on top of the world. Despite temporarily setting aside her salon dreams, she was earning well in a job she loved and was in a great relationship. But nothing could have prepared her for the heartbreak that followed. Jessica values her family greatly. Despite any occasional dysfunction or fights, she attributes much of her success to the
Fall/Winter 2025
JACKSONVILLE TRADING COMPANY
Apparel•Hats Jewelry•Belts
Weastern Wear Boots & More!
540-745-4653
610 E. Main St. Floyd, VA
• Class A Contractor with a knowledgeable team of tradespeople and professionals building custom homes and providing electrical and plumbing services. • Administrative and management team providing customers real-time support throughout the building process. • Free consultations and estimates on all jobs.
540-745-2599 Fall/Winter 2025
Support@OmnibuildConstruction.com • www.OmnibuildConstruction.com
www.FloydMagazine.com 25
way her family raised and supported her. This is especially true when it comes to her siblings. Jessica’s sister, Jordan, came to visit Floyd in 2020 to help with wedding preparations and planning. This visit would have been sweet for any sisters, but it was especially meaningful since Jordan lived in Tennessee and rarely had the chance to visit. Tragically, it would be the last time Jessica saw her younger sister, as Jordan died of a brain aneurysm just two weeks later, at only 31 years old. This tragedy rocked her world. Just as Jessica was in the midst of career success and wedding planning, faced depression and debilitating sorrow. Between working long hours, coping with the loss of her sister, and settling into a new marriage, Jessica realized she had to make a change. She quit her job at the restaurant, and after a short break, she returned to her roots as a hair stylist in 2022. Named “Hello Hair” after Jessica’s fondness for the Hello Kitty character, her salon’s beginnings were humble. She initially worked out of another business’s building. Her stepdad, Eddie Worth, brought to her attention a building for Hello Hair to call home. He noticed that the owner of the old video store building was looking for tenants. Jessica jumped on the idea and signed the lease just two days later. After decorating the place with her mom, the family opened the new location in 2023. The current building, nestled between DJ’s Drive-In and the Xpress Mart, is where Jessica plans to stay for the foreseeable future. Her customers know her well and
26 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
ensure that she is usually booked out weeks in advance. Jessica owes her success to her family. Despite all odds, their support helped her become a successful business owner in the town she spent so much time in as a little girl. When it comes to launching the business in the first place, she credits her sister for giving her the courage to take the leap of faith. Whenever she felt hopeless, Jessica remembered Jordan’s resilience and knew that’s what her sister would have wanted. In addition to running her salon, Jessica and her husband enjoy doting on their three dogs and going to music festivals. She also loves spending time with her 14-year-old son, Colton Oury. Because she has so many fond memories of Floyd, she loves sharing the county with her son, taking him kayaking, and showing him around the town. Sometimes she has to pinch herself when she looks around her salon, housed in the very building where she once caused mischief with her siblings. Throughout everything, she wanted to make her family proud—and it’s safe to say she succeeded. Located at 613 E. Main Street in the town of Floyd, Hello Hair offers a welcoming spot for the whole family. While appointments often fill quickly, new clients are always welcome. Services include men’s, women’s, and children’s haircuts, as well as coloring and eyebrow waxing. Hello Hair Salon • Jessica and David Kellog • 540-745-2977 613 E Main St, Floyd, VA • www.HelloHairSalon.com
Fall/Winter 2025
Garden Center & Christmas Shoppe
WIDE VARIETY OF GARDENING ITEMS AND DECOR!
• Annuals, Perennials • Top Quality & Low Prices • Trees, Shrubs, Mulch • Farmers Finest Produce • Potting Soil • Butchers’ Best Meats • Stone Decor • Deli & Fresh Bakery • Starter Plants • Great Lunch Specials!
536 Floyd Highway S • 540-745-2908
Fall/Winter 2025
Coffee, Smoothies, Sandwiches & Fresh Baked Bread
276-930-1850 23 Elamsville Rd • Stuart, VA
Tue - Fri 7:15AM-5PM • Closed Sun & Mon
www.FloydMagazine.com 27
FLOYD COUNTY, VA Crocket t Hom Improvem e ent
BT’s
Radford
Treehouse Tavern
Bent Mountain
Shawsville
81
Rorrer Well Drilling
Christiansburg
DeHart Tile Go Race
Norman’s Cabinetry
Stagecoach Antiques
Apple Ridge Farm
Copper Hill
Sinkland Farms Aly’s Restaurant
The Vintage Sunflower Buffalo & More
Riner
Riviera Vines & Childress Garden Center
Pilot
8
Festival Park
754
Pearce Heating & Air Slaughter’s Supermarket Floyd Yoga Jam & Living Light River Studio Willis Village Mart
787
221
Dino’s
v
ills
H nd
Buffalo Mountain Disc Golf
Also Roads Blue Ridge Parkway
Streamline Timberframe
Turner Family Farms
See Page 28
Floyd Event Center
Phoenix Hardwoods
679
681
Floyd Family Campground
Griffith Lumber
Floyd County Humane Society Spencer’s Body Shop & Franklin Pike Storage
Crooked Mountain
Blue Ridge Yurts
e Ridg Blue way k r a P
Rakes Mill Pond
Tuggles Gap Roadside Inn
Buffalo Mountain Ziplines
799
Roads
G.J. Ingram & Son
Roberson Mill
Willis
falo Buf tain n u o M
T&E
Town of Floyd
Wildwood Farms General Store & Daylilies C.W. Harman & Son
Buffalo Mountain Motorsports
7 o 7 ille
Du
Buffalo Mountain Brewing Company
Indian Valley
At the Outpost: • Omnibuild • Buffalo Mountain Adventures • Driftwood Catering
Sweet Providence Tree Farm
Anahata Education Center
nt ura sta s Re use o ie c nh lini nP ree tic C e ca eri s G g lis Am ey’ Ho Lod lan side ern v n tai Ta un ine Mo & P
t& ske ice Ba ad Cho e r ’s B tler t Se Wills Ridge Supply Alum Ridge Camino Viejo Whiskers & Tails Vet
787
Leadfoot & Dynasty Design
615
8
Check Country Store
221
Whitlock’s Garage On the Water in Floyd
Soup Shop
642
679 The Eighty Four
Bent Mountain Lodge
Smith’s Grocery & Hardware
David’s Auto Repair
Seven Springs Farm
Ron Campbell Art And Custom Framing
Snowville
a
Highland Haven Airstream Park
612
Check
Fairview
t
Copper Hill Cakes & Goodies
653
Auburn Hills Golf Club
Stargazer Park
Chateau Morrisette Winery
Griffith Lumber
8
Villa Appalaccia Winery & Vineyard
Wade’s Orchard
Woolwine
Mabry Mill
County Border
Nester’s General Store
Fancy Gap
Laurel Fork
Fa
28 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Meadows of Dan
Co
un
Pr
try Vis Bl ito ue R itiv oad r’s C Rid e C Re e ge off alty nter ee
im
Blue Ridge Motel
The Oaks RV Resort
p
a yG
nc
6 Miles
Meadows of Dan
Mayberry Trading Post
Olde Mill Golf Resort
0
Jerry & Connie’s House of Collectibles
Meadows of Dan Campground
Parkway
Willville Bike Camp
Blue Ridge
58
U.S. Hwy 81
Nancy’s Candy Company
Frontier Farm & Home Center
Po Co Ja or M nc ne’ F Po ead ord s Co arm pp ow Co u ers y’s s o un ntry Ma f D try C rke an Sto afe t Mu re ral
Fall/Winter 2025
Full Spectrum Wellness Care Angelica Perry, DO Treatment for Acute and Chronic Muscle, Joint, Tendon, and Nerve Pain
Deb Wildman Realtor
540-230-2563 102 S. Locust St Floyd, VA
757-288-8075
DebWildmanRealtor.com • DebWildmanRealtor@swva.net
232 E. Main St. Floyd VA
T
INC
benders in
Heating & Cooling
Installing & Servicing All Brands Including Geothermal & Mini Splits
540-334-5841 Bison Meat for Sale!
CFMoto Motorcycle & Powersports Dealership
Maintenance and Repairs for Most Motorcycle, ATV, UTV, and SXS Brands!
540-392-0696
gorace@go-race.com
www.Go-Race.com
1265 Moose Dr • Christiansburg, VA Fall/Winter 2025
Great Housemade Sides and Desserts!
Full Service Restaurant! Carry Out • Curb Side • Catering Patio Seating • Indoor Seating
4040 Riner Road • Riner, VA
540-381-9764 To see our full menu, google “Buffalo And More Restaurant” and click on the menu
www.FloydMagazine.com 29
To R
iner
• Camino Viejo Mexican Grill • Floyd Fitness • Felts Support for Living
T&E Small Engine Stonehaven Inn e
bs M
Web
Bootleg BBQ
Oak Haven Lodge
ad N
ill Ro
Citizens Telephone Tri-Area Community Health
8 up LCF Gro
ctic Chiropra Beacon est Moon & Harv y Grille Parkwa
221
• Gussied Up
s
erry
Barb
Floyd V
Th
r eT
in St arm The Phse East Ma u o H Blue urch e Old Ch Ridg Cocoa Diner Gallery
The Traffic Light
30 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
*At The Station • A New Leaf Gallery • Earth Dance Jewelry & Gems • Troika • Farmer’s Market • Daffodils & Butterflies Boutique • Heather’s New to You
Floyd Center for the Arts
s Gap
June Bug Center
Blue Ridge Yurts
Tuggle
Also Roads
8
Floyd County High School
Green Acres Resort
ad
Roads
Floyd Elementary School
Mia
Ro s Gap Wood
Floyd
Rd
Lig
*At The Wintersun Building • Dogtown Roadhouse • Floyd Card Shop • El Charo Mexican Grill • Hey Helen
The Town of
221
ht
c affi
Buffalo Hemp tile an d t c n The Station* Hotel Floyd r y A e o l s M ’ e F r c t i M of to Ch w lic S g* Ne pub untry ildin ic Re Co Bu Att e S Lo Baker St cu yd un the ac st Flo nters ls in r Sp St e i . W nge Out A
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Fi R WI sher N C Au Po ed R to P s F a t O oos l r J o e H ar ffic ter & M acks yd Je eal ts e Co th ain onvi we ffee DJ’s Drive In Str lle T lry, eet ra d Me ing Liq cha , uid He nic Fir l l s Flo o H eG yd air las S Ma XPre alon s t s S r rd k s o xf et EO
P & hoe Lic ni he x H n o ar r K dw no ood t s
treet
ain St
Wesnt M
a rm ry ete ibra P ie l L ss ria Je emo M
ocust S
Sacred Bell Gallery Star & Stone Gerald Blue Rid is ge Flori st
St W Oxford
To Willis
abics
ouse F
Schoolh
North L
Penn Rd
ounty Floyd C ociety al S Historic Tattoo the Sun Under allery ggie G nter The Ma isitor Ce
Christian sburg Pik
Buffalo Mountain Brewing Company
Fall/Winter 2025
Chestnut Daffodils & Butterflies Springs Retreat BOUTIQUE - Cabin Rental -
$100 Per Night! $400 Per Week!
HEATHER’S NEW TO YOU! HAND PICKED VINTAGE STYLES!
203 S Locust St Suite F • Floyd VA Daffodils.Floyd@gmail.com
Pet Friendly! Original wormy chestnut log cabin home! Fully furnished with a full kitchen & two bedrooms!
540-250-1993 • 540-239-7038 Chestnut Springs Rd NW, Floyd VA
1/2 Mile from the Stop Light in Floyd!
Classes Available!
Glass Studio and Shop • Glass Art • Pipes • Jewelry • Crystals • Visionary Art • Kaleidoscopes • Marbles • Ornaments • Paper Weights
540-250-6728
115 Sweeney St SE Floyd VA
www.LiquidFireGlassLLC.com Fall/Winter 2025
www.FloydMagazine.com 31
DIRECTORY: PAGE 1 OF 2 LOCATION
CONTACT INFO
LOCATION
CONTACT INFO
PHONE
16 Hands
www.16Hands.com
A New Leaf Gallery
www.ANewLeafGallery.com
540-745-7367
DeHart Tile Co
www.DeHartTile.com
540-382-3271
Dogtown Roadhouse
www.DogtownRoadhouse.com
540-745-6836
American Pie Restaurant
www.AmericanPieRestaurant.com
540-745-2501
Dulaney’s Greenhouse
www.DulaneyGreenhouse.swva.net
540-745-2994
Anahata Education Center
www.AnahataEducationCenter.com
540-745-5811
Dynasty Designs
www.DynastyBranding
540-728-0740
Beacon Chiropractic
www.BeaconChiroFloyd.com
540-745-4450
Earth Dance Jewelry & Gems
540-230-7955
Bell Gallery and Garden
www.BellGalleryAndGarden.com
540-745-4494
Edward Jones - David Cross
www.EdwardJones.com/David-Cross
540-745-6851
540-651-2500
Farm Credit of the Virginias
www.FarmCreditOfVirginias.com
540-745-2071
Bent Mountain Lodge Bed and Breakfast Inc
PHONE
www.BentMountainLodgeBedAndBreakfast.com
Farmer’s Market / Sustain Floyd www.SustainFloyd.org
540-745-7333
Blacksburg Chimney Services
www.BlacksburgChimneyServices.net
540-239-0440
Floyd Card Shop
FloydsCardShop@gmail.com
540-257-6959
Blue Ridge Yurts
www.BlueRidgeYurts.com
540-745-7458
Floyd Center for the Arts
www.FloydArtCenter.org
540-745-2784
Bread Basket
facebook.com/BreadBasket.floydva
540-745-5382
Floyd County Fair
www.FloydCountyFair.com
Buffalo and More
www.BuffaloAndMore.com
540-381-9764
Floyd Country Store
www.FloydCountryStore.com
540-745-4563
Buffalo Hemp Company
www.TheBuffaloHempCompany.com
540-745-8242
Floyd County Historical Society
www.FloydHistoricalSociety.org
540-745-3247
Buffalo Mountain Adventures
www.BuffaloMtnAdv.com
540-755-0910
Floyd County Mutual Fire Insurance
540-745-4882
Buffalo Mountain Brewing Co
www.BuffaloMountainBrewery.com
540-745-2491
Floyd County Tourism Office
www.VisitFloydVA.com
540-239-8509
Buffalo Mountain Disc Golf
www.BuffaloMountainDiscGolf.com
704-807-1886
Floyd Event Center
www.FloydEventCenter.com
540-745-4434
Buffalo Mountain Ziplines
www.BuffaloMountainZiplines.com
540-200-5234
Floyd Family Campground
www.FloydFamilyCampground.com
540-251-2250
C.W. Harman & Son
www.CWHarmanAndSon.com
540-745-2252
Floyd Humane Society
www.FloydHumaneSociety.org
540-745-7207
Carter and Company Insurance
jcarterinsurance@outlook.com
540-267-5054
Floyd Jewelry
facebook.com/FloydJewelry
540-745-4653
Chestnut Springs Retreat
540-745-2345
Floyd Yoga Jam
www.FloydYogaJam.com
Citizens
www.Citizens.coop
800-941-0426
Frontier Farm and Home Center
276-952-2800
Cocoa Mia
facebook.com/CocoaMiaChocolates
540-695-0224
Full Spectrum Wellness Care
757-288-8075
Concord Corner Store
facebook.com/ConcordCornerStore
276-952-3400
Green Acres
540-745-4273
Country Road Realty
www.CountryRoadRealtyVA.com
276-952-6582
G.J. Ingram & Son
540-745-3201
Crockett Home Improvement
www.CrokettHomeImp.com
540-382-8747
Go Race
www.Go-Race.com
540-392-0696
Crooked Mountain
www.CrookedMtn.com
540-541-9734
Griffith Lumber Company
www.GriffithLumber.net
276-692-8754
Crossroads Cafe
276-930-1850
Harvest Moon
www.HarvestMoonStore.com
540-745-4366
Daffodils & Butterflies Boutique Daffodils.Floyd@gmail.com
540-204-7136
Heathers of Floyd
540-577-6703
Daniel Bishop Homes
540-239-9086
Hello Hair Salon
540-745-2977
www.DanielBishopHomes.com
32 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
www.GreenAcresResortFloyd.com
www.HelloHairSalon.com
Fall/Winter 2025
Seamless Gutters
5 & 6 Inch Gutters Leaf Guard
New & Replacement!
276-952-8488 PSG@ibyfax.com
ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCTS • PET MEDS • FEED SPREADING & SPRAYING • FENCING MATERIALS SEED • LIME • LAWN & GARDEN SUPPLIES GATES • POSTS • CATTLE MINERALS & FEED FERTILIZER • RITCHIE WATERS & PARTS PRIEFERT EQUIPMENT • GEORGIA BOOTS BUNK FEEDERS - ROUND BALE FEEDERS
613 E Main St, Floyd, VA
540-745-2977 Fall/Winter 2025
2107 FLOYD HWY NORTH OPEN MON - SAT 7 AM - 6 PM
540-745-3201
www.FloydMagazine.com 33
DIRECTORY: PAGE 2 OF 2 LOCATION
CONTACT INFO
PHONE
LOCATION
Hotel Floyd
www.HotelFloyd.com
540-745-6080
Spencer’s Body Shop
540-745-5880
540-745-4653
Jacksonville Trading Co.
CONTACT INFO
PHONE
Sticks & Stones Construction
540-763-2003
Jerry & Connie’s House of Collectibles facebook.com/MeadowsOfDanAntiques 276-952-1095
StoneHaven Inn
www.StoneHavenBnBFloyd.com
540-745-4018
LCF Group
www.VirginiaMountainLand.com
540-808-4984
Streamline Timberframe
www.StreamlineTimberframe.com
540-230-5505
Lichen or Knot
www.LichenOrKnot.com
540-267-6556
Sweet Providence - Tree Farm
www.Facebook.com/SweetProvidenceFarm 540-525-8444
Liquid Fire Glass
facebook.com/LiquidFireGlass
540-250-6728
T & E Small Engine
www.TESmallEngine.com
540-745-8383
Living Light River Studio
www.LivingLightRiverStudio.com
540-745-5483
The Maggie
www.TheMaggieGallery.com
540-745-8000
Main Street Mechanics
540-745-4224
The Schroeder Law Firm, PC
www.Schroeder-Law.com
540-745-4435
McHale Arborscape
facebook.com/ShaneMcHalesArborscape
540-810-1845
The Woodshed
540-320-3057
Mountainside Holistic Clinic
www.MountainsideHolistics.com
540-745-4654
Thomas & Wall Real Estate
www.ThomasWallRE.com
540-745-8973
New Mountain Mercantile
www.NewMountainMercantile.com
540-745-4278
Tinbenders Inc
www.TinbendersInc.com
540-334-5841
New River Valley Hearing
www.nrvhearing.com
540-731-4327
Treehouse Tavern
540-929-4242
Omnibuild
www.OmnibuildConstruction.com
540-745-2599
Tuggles Gap Roadside Inn
www.TugglesGap.com
540-745-3402
Pine Tavern Lodge
www.ThePineTavernLodge.com
540 745 4428
Turner Family Farms
TurnerfamilyFarmsVA@gmail.com
540-250-5152
Phillips Real Estate
www.PhillipsRealEstateVA.com
540-745-3700
Tri-Area Health Communitiy
www.triareahealth.org
866-942-0401
Phoenix Hardwoods
www.Phoenix-Hardwoods.com
540-745-7475
Troika Contemporary Crafts
www.TroikaCrafts.com
540-745-8764
Poppy’s
MODpoppys.com
276-952-8370
Under the Sun Tattoo
www.UnderTheSunTattoo.com
540-745-3080
Premier Seamless Gutters
PSG@ibyfax.com
www.EdGallimore.com
540-230-9090
276-952-8488
United Country Real Estate - Ed
Poor Farmers Market
276-952-2670
United Country Real Estate - Matt www.BlueRidgeLandandAuction.com 540-745-2005
RE/MAX Dominion
www.ReMaxDominionVA.com
540-239-5222
Upon the Earth Construction
Republic of Floyd
www.RepublicOfFloyd.com
540-745-2898
Villa Appalaccia Winery & Vineyard www.VillaAppalaccia.com
Red Rooster Coffee
facebook.com/UponTheEarthServices
540-239-2362 540-593-3100
www.RedRoosterCoffee.com
540-745-7338
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Music Festival
Ron Campbell Art & Custom Framing www.RonCampbellArt.com
540-521-1986
Wildwood Farms General Store
Rorrer Well Drilling
www.RorrerDrilling.com
540-745-6448
Willis Village Mart
540-789-7241
Sacred Stars & Stones
www.SacredStarAndStone.com
866-702-1455
Wills Ridge Supply
www.WillsRidge.com
540-745-2044
Settler’s Choice
www.SettlersChoice.com
276-266-5807
WIN Care Health
www.WinCare.us
540-977-8700
Schoolhouse Fabrics
facebook.com/Schoolhouse.Fabrics
540-745-4561
Yard-Boys
540-239-8762
SETEC
www.SoilAndEnvironmentalTechnology.com 540-381-0309
YOSOURCE
540-553-4378
Slaughters’ Supermarket
34 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
www.VBRMF.org
www.WildwoodFarmsDaylilies.com
www.YOSOURCE.org
540-745-5155
540-745-2908
Fall/Winter 2025
The Woodshed
Seasoned Hardwoods Cut, Split, and Delivered
866-702-1455
www.SacredStarAndStone.com 110A N Locust St, Floyd, VA
Fall/Winter 2025
All hardwoods
Year around service
Custom lengths
Wood heat is carbon neutral
Short response time
Firewood always works!
540-320-3057
www.FloydMagazine.com 35
Robley D. Evans, Civil War and Spanish-American War Hero Part 2 – Robley Evans Gets a Nickname
In 1865, then-Ensign Robley D. Evans almost became the first United States naval officer wounded in service to be forced onto the retired list by the Navy Medical Board. Nineteen-year-old Evans fought the Medical Board’s decision, presenting his case to Congress. Consequently, statements affirming Evans’ leadership and courage under fire, even after receiving four wounds during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher, led Congress to reinstate Evans to active service and to confer an advancement in rank to Lieutenant. Lt. Evans, healed from his war wounds but left with a permanent limp, was assigned to the USS Piscataqua and on December 14, 1867, left New York harbor bound for Rio de Janeiro. Evans found relaxation on shore where he sampled fine foods and attended the opera. After several days, the Piscataqua left Rio for the Cape of Good Hope and faced gale winds on turbulent waters. Each day, the crew threw a bottle, tightly corked, overboard with a message containing the ship’s latitude and longitude and a request that the message be forwarded to Washington if found. Finally reaching their destination, Evans took shore leave in Cape Town for ten days. The ship and crew then traveled around the Cape of Good Hope, past Java Head to Singapore, which Evans found to be a “charming place,” and then to Hong Kong. The Piscataqua had been traveling with orders to punish the natives of Formosa (now Taiwan) for their ill-treatment of some shipwrecked Americans and to deal with pirates in Hong Kong. Evans wrote that “every Chinese junk” was a pirate ship. From Hong Kong, the ship sailed to Yokohama, Kobe, Osaki, 36 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
and Nagasaki. While in Japan, the ship and crew became entangled in events surrounding the Mikado’s (emperor’s) efforts to drive all foreign forces from Japan. Returning to Hong Kong, Evans became the owner of Jowler, a bull terrier who remained with him until their return to New York. In early October 1870, Jowler went missing. Evans’s crewmate later wrote to him, admitting that he had stolen Jowler because of his love for the little fighting dog. Continuing to cruise the area around China and Japan until August 22, 1870, the Piscataqua began its homeward journey from Singapore to St. Helena and thence to New York. Upon his return, Evans was assigned to the Ordnance Department at the Washington Naval Yard. In the winter of 1870, while serving there, Evans became engaged to Charlotte Taylor, the sister of one of Lt. Evans’ Annapolis classmates; they were married in July 1871. In July 1872, Evans was assigned to duty at the U.S. Naval Academy and served two years at this post. During his time at the Academy, the first “coloured cadet” was appointed. However, the appointment, really an experiment, failed because of racial attitudes at the time, and it was many years before the second minority student entered military service through the Naval Academy. In 1874, Evans was assigned as Navigator on the USS Shenandoah of the Mediterranean fleet. In August 1874, he, his wife, and their young daughter set off for Gibraltar. During the few months of service on the Shenandoah, port stops were made in Barcelona, Tangiers, and Nice before the ship was ordered back to Key West and
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later to St. Thomas. In 1875, Evans became Executive Officer of the USS Congress, also part of the Mediterranean fleet. This assignment took him to Madeira and Santa Cruz. On June 5, 1875, Evans met President Joseph Jenkins Roberts of the Republic of Liberia. Evans identified Roberts as a former slave raised in Petersburg, Va., though Roberts’ biography identifies him as a freeborn black male raised, at least in part, in Petersburg. On shore leave, Evans traveled to England, where his wife and daughter had settled. They traveled to London, Paris, and Italy before his return to the USS Congress at Marseilles. The Congress made port in Naples, cruised the coast of Syria, and made a port stop in Nice, where Evans traveled by train to Monaco. At a stop in Ville Franche, Evans observed abject poverty among the residents and “made up his mind to help.” The suffering there was so great that he had leftovers from the ship sent to the town. Evans and the Congress continued to Algiers, where Evans saw a balloon ascension, and to Tunis, where he fired one of the ship’s guns to honor the Bey (governor) of Tunis. In a stop in Tripoli, the Congress had received an order to collect items of interest for the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Evans recovered a piece of the USS Philadelphia that had been burned by naval officer Stephen Decatur (rather than have it claimed by pirates after it ran aground in Tripoli in 1803) during the War with the Barbary pirates. The Congress next received orders to represent the United States Navy at the Centennial Exposition of 1876 in Philadelphia. On May 10, Evans commanded the crew in the opening parade. They marched 15 miles, much of the time in mud to their knees, to honor President Ulysses S. Grant before he gave his opening address. The Congress remained at the Exposition until late July, when the ship sailed to Portsmouth, NH, where Evans took two months leave. Evans was next ordered to Signal Duty in Washington, where, with Lt. Maxwell Wood, he developed and patented a signal lamp for long-distance signaling. In July 1878, he was ordered to command an old sailing sloop, the Saratoga, on which he spent four years educating young sailors and making four trips across the Atlantic. Evans called this assignment the “pleasantist duty” of his career. Later, Evans became Inspector of the Fifth Lighthouse District, headquartered in Baltimore. He was in charge of the buoys and lighthouses from Havre de Grace, Maryland, to Beaufort, North Carolina. During his service as Inspector, he refused to make an appointment to a post that had come to him as a political directive. For this refusal, Evans fell out with superiors, was relieved of his duties, and was put on reduced pay. He was eventually restored to Inspector’s duties, but during his enforced layoff as Inspector, Evans took a job as inspector of bridge material for the Baltimore and Ohio Bridge over the Susquehanna River at Havre de Grace. During the Harrison administration, Evans took a year’s leave. Returning to duty, he was assigned as Commander of the steamer 38 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Ossipee, stationed at Norfolk. His first order was to take Frederick Douglass, then Minister to Haiti, to Port-au-Prince. Evans, who had known Douglass all his life, reported having the highest respect for his passenger. In August 1891, Evans was assigned to command the USS Yorktown, a gunboat assigned to the North Atlantic Fleet. The ship was ordered to Valparaiso, Chile, where the Chileans were engaged in civil war. Neither side of the conflict had good feelings for the United States. On October 10, 1891, the Yorktown set out for Chile. The Yorktown stopped in Bahia, Brazil, to refill the coal bunkers. While in Bahia, the American Council reported that civilians in Chile had killed and injured members of the crew of the USS Baltimore. On November 7, 1891, the Secretary of the Navy ordered the Yorktown to proceed to Valparaiso, where the killings had taken place. On November 20, the Yorktown was in the Straits of Magellan, which Evans called “the most desolate spot God ever made.” Fifty-one days out of New York, the Yorktown anchored at Valparaiso, a port then filled with Chilean navy. Evans soon received a full report on the deaths of American soldiers. One hundred men of the Baltimore had “gone liberty” at 2:00 p.m. (suggesting that their actions may have been seen as contrary to area norms). About 6:00 or 6:30 p.m., a mob of about two thousand, assisted by local police and armed with carbines and bayonets, attacked American sailors in a streetcar. The mob pulled the men out and stabbed them repeatedly; one was shot and instantly killed by police; others were dragged off to prison. The report indicated that all of the men’s wounds were “in the back.” The Chilean anger, first directed at the Baltimore, became directed at “anything North American.” By December 7, the Chilean mob was all for war with the United States. For much of the encounter, the Yorktown and Commander Evans stood alone in defiance of the Chilean military. On December 31, when Commander Evans was confronted by ruffians, he made the statement, “When the United States is willing to submit the issue of the murder of her sailors to arbitration, I must look for other employment.” On January 13, 1892, Evans sent two boats to rescue those who had taken refuge in the U.S. and Spanish missions. After these men were removed, Evans became a national celebrity, really almost a hero in the eyes of the American public. The newspapers of the day began to refer to Commander Evans as “Fighting Bob,” and from that time forward, he was known everywhere as Robley D. “Fighting Bob” Evans.
To be continued next issue!
Next - Part 3 of 3: A Captain, An Admiral, A Poem and the Great White Fleet Floyd County Historical Society 217 N Locust St, Floyd, VA • 540-745-3247 info@FloydHistoricalSociety.org www.FloydHistoricalSociety.org
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- Floyd Event Center -
An All-Inclusive Premier Venue By Colleen Redman
The Event Center at Floyd’s EcoVillage has been a premier venue for regional events and gatherings since 2012. The eco-friendly facility, set within 75 picturesque acres, is a perfect host location for weddings, workshops, retreats, reunions, conferences, concerts, and more. Its owners, who have been residents of Floyd since the 1970s, intentionally built the village to highlight Floyd’s natural beauty and promote sustainability and inclusivity. Located two miles from downtown Floyd at 188 EcoVillage Trail, the Event Center is home to an impressive sunlit celebration hall that can accommodate up to 180 guests. It features soaring 20-foot timber-framed ceilings, an elevated stage, sprung dance flooring, a state-of-the-art Hospitality Manager audio system, and a large Rachel Cash projector screen. The Center, which draws energy from solar panels and an EcoVillage windmill, also includes a spacious café, a fully stocked commercial kitchen, and an attractive open foyer that looks out onto a tiered patio, a fountain-head pond, and a timber-framed pavilion. 40 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Hospitality Manager Rachel Cash has been at the village for a year. She noted the versatility of the space, especially when considering the EcoVillage grounds, which include a creek-side campground with 10 sites, a bathhouse, and potable water. There are also three cabins on site with full air conditioning and heat, kitchenettes, private baths, and porches. A sustainable lodge that is built into the ground with seven rooms, a spacious common room, and a kitchenette is also available for rent. Spread out at the EcoVillage, an intentional residential and educational community focused on energy efficiency and sustainable food production, are spring-fed creeks, mountain views, nature trails, gardens, a farm store, and a high-speed electric car charger that is available to the public. The village is minutes away from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and from downtown Floyd. Cash, who has 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, reported that she has recently facilitated a classical music concert, a high school prom, an emergency preparedness
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fair, and a funeral memorial. She manages bookings and sees her role as a guide for “transforming traditional gatherings into unique and memorable events.” “My focus is on clients’ visions, intentions, and objectives. I like to cultivate environments that embody a sense of belonging and festivity,” said Cash, who is available to meet prospective renters and to give tours to those who are interested. Everything needed for an affordable all-inclusive event package is provided onsite, including tables and chairs, tablecloths, assorted glass vases, and serving ware. Renters are welcome to bring their own items to personalize their events. There are also add-on options, including event planning assistance, a bartender, serving staff, and more. For weddings, there are countless picture-perfect background settings for photographs and a bridal dressing room. Beth Highley, who helped to organize a Floyd County Historical Society event at the Event Center, described the center as a top-tier, upscale and spacious venue with an excellent kitchen, breathtaking outdoor surroundings, and ample parking. “Plus, the event staff were incredibly accommodating,” she added. Highley wasn’t alone in pointing out the graciousness of the space and the convenience of the center’s commercial kitchen, which houses a walk-in refrigerator, ice-maker, and more. “The café is a hit every year, with its cozy setup for punch, appetizers, and even card games for students to enjoy. Our school chef always appreciates the well-equipped kitchen. It makes
42 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
preparing food a seamless process,” said Kimberly Ingram, one of the adult organizers of the Floyd County High School prom. Ann Boyd of the Floyd County Rescue Squad commented that food caterers were able to work with ease and had plenty of kitchen space at the Squad’s 50th year anniversary celebration. She added that the venue was equipped with everything they needed, and that “the folks at Floyd Event Center made sure everything was perfect for us.” The Floyd Country Store’s Handmade Music School produces many of its programs at the Event Center, including weekly youth music workshops and various multi-day camps and retreats throughout the year. Dylan Locke, the Country Store co-owner and Handmade Music School director, had this to say: “The EcoVillage and Event Center is a second home for the Handmade Music School. We highly recommend it to anyone considering a comfortable space to gather like-minded folks in a peaceful yet functional setting close to downtown Floyd.” Whether formal or casual, large or small, indoor or outdoor, the Event Center can accommodate it all, comfortably, with dedicated service and in a unique setting that blends rustic charm with ceremonial elegance. Floyd Event Center • www.FloydEventCenter.com 540.745.4434 • FloydEventCenter@gmail.com
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Floyd VA Fall and Winter Happenings 2025 Located atop the magnificent Blue Ridge Plateau in southwestern Virginia, Floyd is a haven of natural beauty, where the people are renowned for their hospitality. Floyd has a vibrant culture of music, arts, local foods and wines, and outdoor recreation. With nearly forty miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway running through it, Floyd is a wonderful place to visit. For more information about below and other events, go to VisitFloydVA.com or call the Visitor Center at 540-745-4407.
SAMPLING OF MAJOR EVENTS: August 28–31 – Floyd Yoga Jam – www.FloydYogaJam.net September 13 – Floyd County Fair – Floyd Family Campground – www.FloydFamilyCampground.com/wp September 13 – Mountain Valor Fest – Crooked Mountain – www.mtnvalor.org September 13 – Pride in the Park – Warren G. Lineberry Park September 13–14 – PawpawFest – Dobbins Hollow Winery September 20 – Healthy Floyd 5K – www.HealthyFloyd.org
November 9 – Floyd Veterans Day Parade – Downtown Floyd November 30 – Floyd Christmas Parade – Downtown Floyd November 30 through the holidays – Holiday Lights in the Park – Warren G. Lineberry Park December 6–7 – Winterfest & Festival of Trees – Floyd Center for the Arts – www.FloydArtCenter.org December 12 – Floyd County High School Art Exhibit Opening Reception – Floyd Center for the Arts – www.FloydArtCenter.org
WEEKLY Music is happening in the town and county every week. Check with venues for details. • Floyd Country Store – Tuesday Tunes; Thursday Honky Tonks; Friday Night Jamboree; Saturday afternoon “American Afternoon” music (12–3 pm); Sunday afternoon music jams (Oldtime & Bluegrass) • Wildwood Farm General Store – Free bluegrass music (Saturday nights year-round); Sunday music jams (1st & 3rd Sunday afternoons) • Dogtown Roadhouse – Music Friday, Saturday & Sunday evenings, Downtown Floyd • Chateau Morrisette Winery – Music in the Courtyard, Saturdays & Sundays (1–4 pm)
September 21 – A Night at the Barn Floyd Center for the Arts – www.FloydArtCenter.org
• Floyd Farmers Market – Thursdays (2–6 pm, May–October); Saturdays (9 am–1 pm, May–December); Sundays (10 am–1 pm, December–April), Downtown Community Market
September 26–28 – Moto Rally Crooked Mountain – www.CrookedMtn.com
• Buffalo Mountain Brewery – Free music many nights (Thursday–Saturday) and Sunday afternoons
October 4 – Floyd County Arts and Craft Fair Floyd County High School October 11 – Floyd Americana and Art Festival Warren G. Lineberry Park October 18–19 – 16 Hands Spring Studio Tour – www.16Hands.com October 25 – Tour de Dirt Floyd Family Campground – www.PlentyLocal.org October 31 – Town of Floyd Halloween Trunk or Treat East Oxford Street 44 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Cycle Floyd Fall and Winter are perfect times to check out Floyd’s Floyd County Bike Guide/Map on-line. Available on VisitFloydVA.com More information is available online at www.VisitFloydVA.com. Or, you can visit or contact our Floyd Visitor Center, open and staffed seven days a week by calling 540-745-4407 or emailing Info@VisitFloydVA.com.
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Bridget and Robert Huff
The Sheep and Goats of Southwest Virginia
If you take a peek inside some of the Floyd specialty shops, you may find a plethora of wool and fiber products– beautiful yarns and scarves of every color. Or you may find a perfectly seasoned meal of lamb chops at a local restaurant. But who provides all these items? Floyd Farmers. Most visitors to Floyd don’t realize, as they are driving through the county, that Floyd is a major agricultural hub of Virginia. Floyd, as well as the rest of Southwest VA, makes up one of the largest sheep and goat producing areas in the state. In fact, if you ask a local, chances are they likely either own sheep or goats, or their next-door neighbor does, along with that neighbor’s next-door neighbor. Families own wool sheep, hair sheep, milk goats, meat goats, and pet goats. Just as the saying goes, “no one can have just one”. One such farm is Paradise Lane Farm. Owned by Robert and Bridget Huff. Both Robert and Bridget have off-farm employment, in addition to full-time farm work. The Huff farm consists of over 150 acres with crops, sheep, and cattle. They run approximately 250 registered/commercial Katahdins and registered Dorpers sheep. They grow crops to make sure they have only the best food for their animals. Since changing from commercial feeds to their own home-grown mix, they say they have noticed better health and growth in their lambs. The Huffs also sell breeding stock and homegrown meats. Another avenue that has “opened more marketing opportunities,” according to Robert, is the New River Valley Sheep and Goat 46 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
Association. The Association of around 300 farms across Virginia and neighboring states joins forces to transport livestock to a larger market in New Holland, PA. Just down the road in Woods of Willis is Country Heart Farms. Country Heart Farms is the mother/daughter operation of Renie Gates and Patti Quesenberry. Renie and Pattie have Mini Lamancha and Nigerian Dwarf Goats, along with a variety of other pets. Two of their main workers are Renie’s children, Chandler and Colleen, who are both active day-to-day at the farm. Not only do they raise animals for sale, but they also have a “traveling petting zoo”. One event where you can find the zoo is the Floyd Livestock and Country Fair. When asked why they operate the petting zoo, Renie said, “we enjoy bringing smiles to the kids’ faces while providing them hands-on experience with livestock.” What do these two farms have in common? Their love for sheep and goats. Additionally, their farms, along with most of the neighboring sheep and goat farmers, are members of the New River Valley Sheep and Goat Association. The Association was founded to assist sheep and goat farmers in marketing their agricultural products. “Farming is tough, and sometimes we all just need to work together,” Renie says. The New River Valley Sheep and Goat Association provides extra assistance to help sheep and goat farmers succeed. What is special about this agricultural nonprofit is the desire not only to help one another but to educate and serve their communities. Every year, on the fourth Saturday in September (the 27th this
Fall/Winter 2025
year), Association members come together to provide the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) Sheep and Goat Festival at the Dublin Fairgrounds in Dublin, VA. Members work to gather sponsors so that the festival can be free to the public. There’s something for everyone at the festival. There’s a kids’ activity area where kids get free pumpkins to paint and take home, free access to the petting zoo provided by Country Hearts Farm, a strawbale maze, storytelling, a barrel train ride, and much more. There’s also a whole building of vendors with their artisan crafts for sale. A great place to shop for Christmas! There’s food, including sheep and goat cheese, and music. There’s a parade of about 38 different breeds of sheep and goats. When available, Paradise Lane brings their beautiful Katahdins for display. All this was made possible because the sheep and goat farmers of Floyd County, like Paradise Lane and Country Heartswork, worked together with other farmers throughout Southwest Virginia and beyond.
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A Legacy of Creativity: Celebrating 30 Years of the Floyd Center for the Arts
Tucked just off Route 8 in a big red barn with a pear-green silo, the Floyd Center for the Arts has long been a place where community is created, traditions are honored, and creative spirits are unleashed. As the Center celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, its story is one of vision, resilience, and deep mountain roots. The story began in 1995, when a group of local artists, makers, and visionaries formed a steering committee to establish a community arts space. They gathered in a drafty, semi-renovated barn with barely working electricity and little infrastructure. What the barn lacked in amenities, the group made up for with an abundance of spirit. Despite the odds, that year, the Center held its first annual Winterfest Artisan Fair, and a growing creative community took note. Located just south of downtown Floyd, the barn was known locally as the Old Jacksonville Barn, a nod to the town’s original name before 1896. “We hoped to become a hub of arts activities for artists and artisans in the region, as well as a destination for tourists to visit our studios and arts opportunities,” said co-founder Lee Chichester. “But we also wanted to save the barn. There had been rumors that the property might be purchased by a conglomerate, and a cheap hotel would be erected where the barn stands.” Originally named The Jacksonville Center for the Arts, the organization embraced both Floyd’s heritage of craftsmanship and its influx of artists in the 1970s and ’80s. “The mixture of farmers and artisans is a hallmark of Floyd,” said potter Jayn Avery. “Our vision was to bring attention to the unique collection of local artists and artisans in Floyd, including both old-timers and newcomers.” From the beginning, the Center’s mission was clear: to provide access to the arts for all and to strengthen the community through creative 48 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
expression, education, and cultural connection. In 2016, the Jacksonville Center for the Arts was officially renamed the Floyd Center for the Arts. The change addressed confusion with Jacksonville, Florida, and aligned the Center more clearly with Floyd’s dynamic creative identity. “Floyd has such a fantastic reputation,” said former Executive Director Jeff Liverman. “We really wanted to represent that as well.” That spirit of adaptability has guided the Center through triumph and adversity alike. In April 2023, a fire broke out in the Glass Studio. While the damage was contained, it required serious cleanup and repairs. With support from the Vest Fund, the Center installed a new alarm monitoring system and surveillance cameras to improve long-term safety. That same year, the Center completed major renovations and launched four new studios: the Fiber Studio; the Loom Barn (Strawbale building); the Stained Glass Studio; and the Digital Art & Craft Lab, which focuses on digital fabrication. A fifth space, a Metalsmithing Studio, is currently in the works. The Center also provides low-cost access to fully equipped, professionally staffed studios. These new spaces, along with existing facilities such as pottery and blacksmithing, enable the Floyd Center for the Arts to offer opportunities for people to work with mediums that often require expensive or hard-to-access equipment. The Center’s commitment to breaking down barriers to arts access is reflected in several initiatives. Admission to all exhibitions is free, students receive free concert tickets, and needs-based scholarships are available for both youth and adult classes. In 2024, the Center launched Art 4 All, an inclusive outreach initiative designed to serve adults with neurological and physical differences
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as well as individuals in recovery. Through partnerships with local organizations, including New River Valley Community Services, Wall Residences, and Circle of Friends, the program now offers monthly hands-on classes, with plans to expand further in the future. To honor the heritage and innovation of Floyd’s art and music, the Center launched the Floyd Living Traditions Festival in 2023. Each August, the free, day-long celebration brings together more than 70 artists, musicians, and demonstrators and welcomes over 1,600 attendees (as of 2024) from across the region. Free parking and a shuttle are available from Floyd County High School to the festival. The festival features basket weavers, shape-note singers, storytellers, flatfoot dancers, and regional food traditions, including pinto beans and cornbread. More than a dozen Floyd-based nonprofits and arts organizations collaborate to make the event possible, showcasing the depth and diversity of Appalachian culture. Created with support from Mid-Atlantic Arts (CALT), Virginia Humanities, Virginia Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts, along with Premier Sponsor Skyline National Bank, and presented in partnership with The Floyd Country Store’s Handmade Music School, the festival earned the Southwest Virginia Tourism Award for Outstanding One-Day Event in Wendy Pauly its first year. This recognition reflects the festival’s powerful blend of tradition, education, and celebration. This year’s Floyd Living Traditions Festival will be held on Saturday, August 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a kickoff celebration the night before at The Floyd Country Store’s Friday Night Jamboree. None of this would be possible without the people behind the mission. In 2024, the Center honored longtime Board President Linda Fallon, who stepped down after 12 years of service. She and her late husband, Ed Fallon, were instrumental in bringing classical 50 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
music to Floyd. The newly renovated Fallon Community Hall, made possible with support from the Roanoke Women’s Foundation and Omni Build, LLC, now honors their lasting impact. Current Executive Director Keela Dooley Marshall took the helm in August 2022, leading the organization and a new, enthusiastic team through a period of recovery, expansion, and renewed vision. Under her leadership, the Center has prioritized accessibility, regional collaboration, and long-term sustainability. For 30 years, the Floyd Center for the Arts has been a respected regional leader and Floyd’s flagship community arts organization. With the largest gallery space in the region outside of universities, the Center hosts more than 7,600 visitors annually and offers over 200 classes and open studio sessions for adults and children. Each year includes 18 gallery exhibitions, professional concerts, and year-round creative programming designed to engage the entire community. To celebrate its 30th year, the Floyd Center for the Arts invites the community to a special event: A Night at the Barn, on September 27, 2025. This evening will feature live music, local art, community recognition, and a look ahead at the Center’s next chapter. After three decades, the Floyd Center for the Arts continues to thrive. From its humble beginnings in a drafty barn to its role as a regional cultural anchor, the Center is more than a building—it is a living expression of what’s possible when people come together to make something beautiful and open the doors to everyone. Floyd Center for the Arts www.FloydArtCenter.org • www.facebook.com/FloydArts/ 220 Parkway Ln S • Floyd, VA 24091 • 540-745-2784
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Left to right: Felicia Shelor, Casey Davis, Pepper Martin
A Simpler Place Captured in Paint If you look up loneliness in the dictionary, you’ll find this definition: “sadness because one has no friends or company.” If you look up the opposite of loneliness, you might just find Meadows of Dan, Virginia. Small towns often have a reputation for everyone knowing everyone else’s business. For some, that is the very reason to move to a city—you can live without neighbors knowing your background, your weekend plans, or what mistakes you’ve made. But there is a deeper truth in places like this, one that outweighs the occasional gossip: a persistent, everyday interconnectedness that binds neighbors together in lasting ways. That bond grows from shared experiences—eating pancakes shoulder-to-shoulder at the fire department’s annual Pancake Day, lining the streets for the Christmas Parade to watch dogs up for adoption from Hulk’s Helping Hands prance past in festive gear, or gathering at funerals and checking in for months afterward to make sure loved ones are doing all right. This spirit of connection inspired mother-daughter duo Felecia Shelor and Casey Davis to brighten the Virginia-creeper-covered cement wall behind the Concord Corner Store. Rather than advertising their own family-owned businesses, Concord Corner Store and Poor Farmer’s Market, they chose to showcase the heart of the community itself. Casey designed a mural that featured local landmarks, churches, schools, and businesses, both to promote neighbors’ establishments and to illustrate the mutual support that defines life here. Once the design was complete, they brought in local artist Pepper Martin to bring it to life. Over the course of about a month, she painted a sweeping scene that captures everyday life in Meadows of Dan, blending architectural history, small-town events, and natural beauty 52 www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine www.Facebook.com/FloydVirginiaMagazine
into one vibrant tableau. The mural shows the Concord Corner Store, built in the early 1940s as a general store and revived by Felecia in 2018 after sitting abandoned for eight years, now selling local artists’ works and goods. There’s the white steeple of Meadows of Dan Baptist Church, rebuilt after a 2015 fire under Pastor Shawn Carter’s leadership, and the elementary school, which burned down in 2013 after 75 years of service. Students studied in mobile classrooms until it was rebuilt, and today about 90 to 100 children attend. Other familiar places appear: the Merchant’s Building hosts several businesses, Primitive Coffee, run by Kayle and Matt Galecki; Country Road Real Estate, operated by Tim Telling; the local health center managed by Erika Hewlett, offering yoga classes, nutrition guidance, and health seminars; the hair salon owned by Sarah Sparks; a fitness gym run by John and Chelsea Mathis; and an electric car charging station. Along the Floyd County/Meadows of Dan line lies Slate Mountain Church, one of the historic rock churches built by Bob Childress in the 1940s. The Meadows of Dan Food Market, owned by Mike Terman, represents a local staple that’s been in operation for nearly 60 years. Jane’s Country Café, owned by Janie Spense for 13 years, sits next to the original Poor Farmer’s Market, which is the small red structure. After a year at the original structure, Poor Farmer’s owner Felecia Shelor moved the business to its current location in 1984. She still keeps it open 365 days a year, offering fellowship to those with nowhere to go on holidays. The mural also depicts the Meadows of Dan Fire Department, once housed in the community building and known for its October Pancake Days, and Nancy’s Candy Company, founded in 1985 by Nancy Galli, now sits next to Poor Farmers’ Market. Nancy ships handcrafted
Fall/Winter Fall/Winter 2025 2025
LIFE, HOME, AND AUTO. Andrew Blevins
540-745-2777 Andrew.Blevins.vafdqy@Statefarm.com 210 N Locust Street Floyd, VA 24091
confections nationwide. Concord Primitive Baptist Church is shown as well, established by Meadows of Dan’s first settlers in 1833, with the current building dating to 1912, never having closed its doors and still meeting on the third Sunday of each month. In the background rise the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Dan River, the latter lending its name to the town. Artist Pepper Martin, a lifelong resident of Patrick County, began her professional art career around age 30, starting with airbrush painting before transitioning to oils. She works full-time as a therapist, is a wedding painter on the side, and has created other murals, including one for the Patrick Springs Fire Department. Her husband, Kelsea, is a residential painter, and their daughter, Halo, is also a budding artist at her high school. As she painted the Meadows of Dan mural, locals stopped by to chat, share stories, and offer encouragement, making the work as much about connection as about art. The finished mural is more than a painting—it’s a living record of a town that values connection over anonymity. It celebrates the resilience of a community that rebuilds after loss, supports neighbors in need, and welcomes visitors into its fold. It nods to annual traditions like the Meadows of Dan Folk Fair each August and the Christmas Parade the Saturday after Thanksgiving. “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. You need one because you are human,” wrote Jane Howard in Families. Visitors are encouraged to stop by the Concord Corner Store, take in the mural, and experience firsthand what it means to belong in Meadows of Dan: a simpler place in time, with a heartbeat as strong as ever.
Concord Corner Store • Felecia Shelor • 276-952-3400 2554 Jeb Stuart Hwy, Meadows of Dan, VA
Fall/Winter 2025
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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS A New Leaf Galley..................................... 51 Beacon Chiropractic.................................... 19 Beaver Creek Fencing................................. 21 Bell Gallery and Garden............................. 37 Bethesda - House of Mercy......................... 41 Blacksburg Chimney Service...................... 13 Blue Ridge Florist & Gifts.......................... 19 Blue Ridge Folklife Festival......................... 2 Blue Ridge Yurts........................................... 5 Bread Basket................................................. 5 Buffalo And More....................................... 29 Buffalo Mountain Ziplines.......................... 55 C.W. Harman & Son................................... 45 Carter & Company Insurance......................11 Chestnut Springs Retreat............................. 31 Citizens....................................................... 34 Cocoa Mia................................................... 41 Coldwell Banker Townside - James Parker.... 17 Crossroads Cafe.......................................... 27 Daffodils Boutique...................................... 31 Daniel Bishop Homes................................. 56 DeHart Tile Co............................................ 21 Dulaney’s Greenhouse..................................X Dynasty Design........................................... 43 Earth Dance Jewelry & Gems..................... 25 Farm Credit of the Virginias....................... 23 Floyd Center for the Arts............................ 31 Floyd County Economic
Development Authority.......................... 4 Floyd County Mutual Fire Insurance Co.... 45 Floyd Event Center......................................11 Floyd Farm Trail......................................... 32 Floyd Jewelry...............................................11 Floyd Yoga Jam........................................... 39 Franklin Pike Storage.................................. 53 Freedom First.............................................. 31 Frontier Home and Farm Center................. 47 Full Spectrum Wellness Care...................... 29 G.J. Ingram & Son...................................... 33 Go Race....................................................... 29 Green Acres................................................. 13 Griffith Lumber Company.......................... 39 Hello Hair Salon......................................... 33 Hotel Floyd................................................. 19 Jacksonville Trading Company................... 25 LCF Group...................................... 1, 6, & 51 Lichen or Knot....................................... 1 & 6 Liquid Fire Glass......................................... 31 Main Street Mechanics............................... 49 McHale Arborscape...................................... 5 Mountainside Holistic Clinic...................... 37 Neathawk Window & Door Gallery........... 54 Oaks RV Resort............................................. 3 Omnibuild................................................... 25 Phillips Real Estate..................................... 54 Premier Seamless Gutters........................... 33
Re/Max Craig Chancellor............................. 5 Red Rooster Coffee Roaster........................ 15 Republic of Floyd......................................... 7 Ron Campbell Art and Custom Framing.... 35 Rorrer Well Drilling.................................... 55 Sacred Star & Stone Sales........................... 35 Schoolhouse Fabrics................................... 13 SETEC.......................................................... 7 Slaughters’ Supermarket............................. 27 Southern Heritage Homes........................... 27 Spencer’s Body Shop.................................. 49 State Farm - Andrew Blevins...................... 53 Sticks & Stones Construction..................... 41 Stonehaven Inn................................ 1, 6, & 49 Streamline Timberframe............................. 43 The Schroeder Law Firm, PC....................... 7 The Woodshed................................. 1, 6, & 35 Thomas & Wall - Jocelyn Coulston............ 39 Tinbenders Inc............................................. 29 Treehouse Tavern........................................ 19 Tri-Area Community Health....................... 51 United Country Real Estate - Deb Wildman.... 29 Wildwood Farms General Store.................. 23 Willis Village Mart........................................ 7 Wills Ridge Supply..................................... 37 WIN Care Health.......................................... 7
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Fall/Winter 2025
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Located on Black Ridge Rd one mile off the parkway (one mile from Chateau Morrisette) MP 171.5 on BRP Fall/Winter 2025
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Fall/Winter 2025