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
After graduating from Bridgewater College with a degree in art, Amanda Tutwiler got a job in a floral shop and started experimenting with the flowers in front of her. Her mother and grandmother loved flowers. She always remembers being surrounded by them and appreciating their beauty, but never imagined she would become a florist. To her surprise, when she started arranging, she created exceptional work. The self taught artist is now the owner of Sparrow’s Flowers, a name that stemmed from her love of birds. more
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) is pleased to announce the selection of Andrea Dono as its new executive director. Andrea will lead the organization in its continued efforts to spearhead downtown Harrisonburg’s growth and vitality. more
It's no surprise that many people in our community share a passion for food. After all, downtown is Virginia’s First Culinary District, a designation that is celebrated in the Rocktown Food Book. The book shares the stories behind many of the people who help make Harrisonburg a culinary destination. One of these people is Regina Hissong, a co-owner of Rocktown Bites Food Tours. "The Rocktown Food book was a great collaboration between three friends that I respect very much--Kirsten Moore, Brandy Sommers and Lynda Bostrom. They did such a thorough job of getting glimpses into the food scene all over Harrisonburg--not just at the diverse downtown establishments but in the homes of Harrisonburg people that show their love of people through their food. Harrisonburg is a culinary district because of the art, fun, events and people that revolve around the food scene. I used the book like a yearbook of sorts for our city and had many restauranteurs, managers and business owners sign my copy so that it can sit on my coffee table and be an everpresent springboard for discussions about food," shares Regina. more
Chance Ebersold, the owner of Black Sheep Coffee and Miranda, the owner of The Yellow Button share a lot more than a wall in the Harrisonburg Icehouse. They share a marriage, an adorable little boy, another baby on the way, and a love for downtown! more