After waiting several months, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance finally got the word that a $15,000 grant from the Virginia Dept. of Housing and Community Development will be coming our way! more
Busy schedules can make it difficult for families to gather around the table to enjoy a home-cooked meal. But Jamie Eanes, owner of Meals 4 Home, is making it easier. Being in the food industry for 20 years as a Vice President and General Manager of Japanese Company, Ariake, he was constantly met with dilemma of working or being home in time to enjoy dinner around the table with his family. By the time he got home, there was no time left for a home-cooked meal. Fast food was traditionally the option his family resorted to. But, he wanted a better alternative. This dilemma led him to do research; research that affirmed him that he was not alone in this struggle. more
“You do know I’m still in school, right? more
As a local-turned-expat now living in Amsterdam, visiting downtown Harrisonburg after two years away was such a treat. It’s as if I traveled for only a month and came back home. Everything felt the same, but the momentum for it to evolve into an even more amazing place to live or spend a day continues. more
By Katelyn Quinley — It won’t be long before construction begins on the Hotel Madison and Shenandoah Valley Conference Center at the intersection of Grace and Main Streets. Many Harrisonburg residents are undoubtedly wondering what the venue will be like and how it will impact the downtown area. more
When you walk into Scott Whitten and Valerie Smith’s home, you’ll be greeted by Felipe, a papier mache lizard wearing a heart necklace and Elton John glasses. He seductively reclines on an end table, signaling visitors to relax and be embraced by the warmth of this home. And that I did, when Cara Walton and I dropped by for dinner. more
I’m drooling over the new 1975 Airstream Land Yacht downtown! Have you seen this vintage beauty sitting in the parking lot between Jack’s Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint and soon-to-open Taj of India? It’s not your average airstream -- it’s a posh, new beauty boutique. Step inside and you'll immediately grasp the owner’s vision, creativity, and the simplicity of her products. more
After 50 years of housing Hess Furniture, the historic building at 139 N. Liberty Street has entered a new phase. Renovated by Matchbox Realty, the space now houses Immerge Technologies, Edward Jones (Gannon Irons), IT Decisions, Big Valley Law, and Journey Counseling, and The Frame Factory & Gallery – a business new to downtown but local to Harrisonburg for 38 years. more
By Katelyn Quinley — It’s been just over a year since Jimmy Madison’s Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar took up residence in the former location of Dave’s Taverna—a year, and regrettably I am just now checking it out. I couldn’t have picked a better time. more
Often when I meet new people, they tell me about what downtown used to be like 15 years ago. They talk about how empty it was and marvel at our night-and-day transformation. The city and private developers have been hard at work investing almost $90 million downtown, and dedicated volunteers have given more than 90,000 hours of their time to the revitalization effort. Almost every week I am contacted by someone who wants to open a business here. more