In 2017 Lauren Tetterton and Taylor Jennings decided to open a women’s clothing store in Downtown South Boston (SoBo) that would offer more than a no-frills shopping experience. The result was Southern Frills, a trendy boutique with a focus on customer service.…
Ballad Brewing Company opened in Danville in 2017 with a plan to start small and grow from there.
“The first year we sold beer in our own tap room to learn what our customers liked and chose the beers we wanted to send to distribution,” Ballad Business Operations Manager Tim Meyers explains.…
Manna The Natural Experience is making some changes on South Boston’s Main Street, and owner Kecia Kalu is pleased to see it. As the store’s name implies, Kalu believes the natural path to health is the only way to go.
“Previously I was helping out at my uncle’s health food store,” Kalu says.…
LaKisha Jackson doesn’t believe in giving up. When she was laid off from her job in 2009, Jackson didn’t despair; she made cakes instead. Now Jackson has her own business on South Boston’s Main Street.
“My aunt got me into cake decorating,” Jackson says.…
What started as a home-based business now has a new home and retail location in downtown South Boston.
Candace Baskervill started a personalized t-shirt business in North Carolina six years ago. Last year she opened Sweet Cee’s, a gift/kid’s consignment business on South Boston’s Main Street.…
Haley’s Honey Meadery is the new business on the block in downtown Hopewell, and Tonya Haley couldn’t “bee” more pleased. Bees and beekeeping have been a part of her family for two generations.
“My mom and dad were beekeepers in Richmond for years,” Haley says.…
When David and Danielle Bappert purchased Buggy Top Utility Barns and Sheds, they wanted to make customer service a priority. To find out more about creating the top-notch business they had in mind, the Bapperts visited the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC).…
Long’s Farm Supply in Brookneal is a family business times four. Bobby and Theresa Long bought the business with their daughters Dottie and Cassie in mind. All four members of the Long family are co-owners.
“We did this so our daughters would have a viable business for years to come here in Southside,” Theresa Long says.…
Seithia Martin traded a career in property management for a more personal form of management — event planning. This September she opened Event Décor Galore in Petersburg.
“I’m a people person,” Martin says. “I love to decorate and design with colors and flowers.”
Martin’s first stop in planning her business was the Crater Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of Longwood University where she met with Crater SBDC Director Ellen Templeton.…
Uptech, as the name implies, knows what’s up with technology.
“We started as a business-to-business model doing IT work, website development and security work,” Jane Whaling said. “Recently we’ve added cell phone and computer repair.”
This is the second Uptech location for the Whalings who live in Richmond.…