I still recall, growing up in Patrick County, walking with my family down Stuart’s Main Street on a Saturday afternoon. It was more than just a ‘trip to town’ as mom often referred to it but an opportunity to learn, explore and see our friends and neighbors. After a quick stop by the local bank, which kept Saturday hours before it came back into vogue, and lunch at the Coffee Break (still serving today, see page 58 of the current issue) my dad, brother and I would drop in for a haircut at the local barbershop. After the haircuts, which were usually received along with tales of recently caught citation trout or bagged trophy bucks, we would head next door to the store of all stores, a store stocked floor to ceiling with the most diverse range of products a young boy could ask for, that’s right... the local Western Auto Store! It had it all: nuts, bolts, washers, lawn mowers and even the coveted, Western Flyer Wagon! What made the store even more appealing were the folks inside who greeted us by name and offered their help, even if they knew we were there only to pretend drive the latest model of riding lawn tractor. This childhood memory offers a glimpse of what made ‘downtowns’ of the late 1960’s successful; Service! That item that once fueled your local gas station, is now fueling downtown growth. In this issue we focus on Downtown Revitalization. In it you will find unique and informative stories on how local businesses are using great service to lure new shoppers to their stores and how that is helping drive the economic growth throughout our communities, downtown and beyond. We hope you learn something new, explore something different and maybe recognize an old friend! Thanks for your continued support and welcome to your latest Piedmont Magazine!
Gary CornsPUBLISHER
