After much anticipation, Mossy Creek Fly Fishing is open in its new location on the corner of Rte 33 and Reservoir Street. The red brick building at 480 East Market Street received a complete renovation over the past year, and is now a haven for fisherman and outdoor enthusiasts alike. The fly shop was previously located near Kroger, but the owners decided to look downtown when they began considering an expansion. more
“I’d live to be 300-years-old, and I’d still never be able to read them all,” chuckled Bob Schurtz, Owner of Downtown Books. During our interview, I received the answers to the questions I’m sure many ponder as they pass by the shop: Why so many books? Why not clear some space? Why do you give some of your books away? The responses I received were gratifying. more
The Internet has forever changed retail. But it will never replace the personalized experience of walking into an independently owned bricks-and-mortar store and being greeted by a person who delivers superior customer service. That’s not to say that online companies aren’t trying. Subscription services such as Birchbox, Graze, Dollar Shave Club and Stitchfix are popping up everywhere. They’re bating shoppers with promises of a customized experience that is based upon their preferences. After you fill out a ‘quick’, one-size-fits-all survey, they send you a variety of products to try based upon your responses. more
It has been a few months since Magnolia's Tacos & Tequila Bar, located at 14 E. Water Street, opened downtown. They were a hit from the start, but their rooftop patio just opened making this a new go-to for summer! more
This Saturday, the artist formerly known as M. Fink will venture into a new partnership with her newlywed husband Vince Paixao (pronounced Pie-Shawn). Together, Vince and Morgan will open Meridian Books & Games in Larkin Arts at 61 Court Square in downtown Harrisonburg. The duo met while working together at local eateries and participating in the art and music scenes downtown. They quickly became friends and recently married in October. more
On the evening of Tuesday, April 11, every barstool, patio chair, and indoor table is occupied. There’s a friendliness in the air—the kind in which a stranger will scoot over so that you can have your own space at the bar, and the bartenders ask how your day was before taking an order. As bustling as the taproom is, it feels more like a community’s living room, filled with the laughter and chatter that you hear during a distant family’s holiday get-together. In front of most of the patrons is a pint glass; many ordering at the bar request Arrant (Pale Fire’s newest IPA), with it’s name descending from Shakespeare’s writing. In fact, even the establishment’s name derives from one of the founder’s favorite books, Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov and an excerpt of Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens, “[t]he moon's an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun.” more
Excitement and rejuvenation fill the former Pure Eats space in the Ice House as Rocktown Kitchen gets ready to open a full-service, casual yet upscale dining restaurant in downtown. With locally sourced meats, vegetables, craft brews, wines, and décor, Rocktown Kitchen brings a farm-to-table experience to guests who will begin enjoying this new spot in May. That’s right…less than a month away! more
Many of you know Ron Copeland from way back, when he was that scrawny bearded hippie guy that ran The Little Grill (Harrisonburg’s oldest existing restaurant) from the years 1992 - 2003 – a young man with a wild vision of serving a free meal to “Anyone in the World.” Ron’s “Free Food For All” Monday soup kitchen was a fixture in the Harrisonburg community for a long time. more
In Harrisonburg, we recognize the importance of standing up for what we believe in. After a recent survey’s results, the Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) launched a Save a Seat fundraiser, concluding that sitting down (comfortably) is also important to our community. After 18 years of patronage, with spare parts deplenished and the replacement parts unavailable for the theater’s 250 well-loved seats, Court Square Theater (CST) is in need of a pragmatic makeover which will enable our community’s residents to support the variety of shows, music, films and activities in comfort. more
Last week at our annual Celebration & Reception, we threw a party for all of the downtown rockstars. more