Inventing the Perfect Bagel When Janet Dob wanted to invent a bagel that could build a better world, she had a few things in mind: healthy and nutritious food, a worthy business plan, and a winning strategy to avoid the up-before-the-sun hours of traditional bakeries. Fortunately, Janet loves a good…
Initial Inspiration runs what founder and owner Jennifer Ledford calls an “Idea Factory.” Curious customers with t-shirt concepts, costume ideas, Pinterest images, embroidery designs, and more are welcomed into the business’s production studio for collaborative and personalized fabric and design creations. “If you’ve seen it on the Internet,” she says,…
When BlueOregano opened its doors on June 7, 2017, owners Caitie and Nathan Maharg had just received a Grow Waynesboro small business start-up grant that allowed Caitie to leave her job and move full-time into launching a local food business, complete with catering options, pop-up dinners, and customized cooking classes.…
The first pressing question upon arriving at PEV Labs in Waynesboro is obvious: Would you like to ride the Dork Pod? An inviting yet slightly terrifying brainchild of Brian Williford, the Dork Pod boasts a zero degree turning radius and one-thumb navigation controls. But it is only one of many…
Boom Town to Brewery Basic City once sat at the crossroads of two railroads and the coming industrial boom. Founded in 1890, the town experienced a three-year rally of manufacturing investments in the “basic” process of turning pig iron into steal. For its moment, prior to a national depression beginning…
Rockfish Gap is in the business of outfitting smiles on rivers, bicycles, and trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Chuck Walker is a 40-year veteran of the outdoor business, but he still insists that the joy and satisfaction of his customers is his number-one priority. “The people who shop here…
The Farmhaus on Main might be ringing in its one year anniversary this winter, but its roots and connections to Waynesboro run much deeper. “We knew we wanted to be a coffee shop that functioned as a gathering place,” says Bethany Mallory, who co-owns the business with her husband Aaron.…
On the first Friday of every month, an eclectic band of hammer wielders descend on the South River Complex in Waynesboro. They come from many corners – one man moved to Virginia from Texas for the certificate program in Artistic Blacksmithing, others hope to become historic reenactors, independent blacksmiths, industrial…
Chatting with the co-founders of Skylark Hammocks and Apparel is a bit like meeting with fraternal twins. High school friends, college roommates, and vocational peers who have both found their home in social work, Jonathan and Seth finish each other’s sentences, delight in each other’s company, and seem compelled to…
Huge north windows frame the glass-blowing furnace behind Minh Martin. It’s an overcast and rainy day, but he’s in shorts and a t-shirt as the cold air blows in from the open warehouse door. He’s intent on his work, and smiling. “Honestly, I can’t image a better life,” he says.…