26th Year MICK SHAW

FREE
The Original Downtown Newspaper, 26th Year
26th Year
Vol. 26, No. 3
March, 2014
Mick Shaw
Voted Norfolk’s BEST REALTOR
& more SOLD on Norfolk than ever!
Kathy & Mick Shaw love Norfolk almost as much as their grandchildren, Noah, Addison, and Courtney! Mick salutes the Knights of Columbus and their 47th Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade (March 15) in Ocean View as part of what makes Norfolk the BEST Place to call HOME! Mick is thoroughly enjoying his second career as an award winning Norfolk REALTOR and setting new sales records each year after owning the Norfolk Farm Market for almost 30 years. His wife Kathy hung
up her apron at Doug’s Hot Dogs after 25 years to spend more time with her grandchildren on adventures throughout Norfolk but still supports Mick’s passion for Real
Estate with her keen sense of style and staging that allow Mick’s Norfolk listings to sell fast and for top dollar! Read why Kathy & Mick Shaw are so SOLD on Norfolk
on page 3. (Downtowner Photo by Tom Benvenuto)
A l s o I n s i d e : O u r U s u a l Offerin g s an d M u c h , M u c h M o re !
The 16th Annual
Mike Cavish Golf Tournament
& Dinner
This tournament is held
April 28, 2014
in tribute to Mike Cavish,
Shotgun Start - 12:00 p.m.
Call 446-6070 to register or for more information.
restaurateur and Ghent community
advocate.
Mike was an avid golfer, and the fight
against diabetes continues to be a
vitally important cause to his family.
Tournament proceeds benefit the
Strelitz Diabetes Center at Eastern
Virginia Medical School.
Elizabeth Manor
Golf & Country
Club
GOLF & DINNER
Portsmouth, Virginia
Hurry and
register, this
tournament
sells out quickly!
Fellini’s
Norfolk, Virginia
www.evms.edu/cavish
2
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
March, 2013
By Jack Armistead
Downtowner Editor
“Mr. Norfolk” - Mick Shaw
A Trusted Name in Norfolk and VOTED Norfolk’s BEST!
A lifelong resident and 3rd generation
native of Norfolk, Mick’s enthusiasm
and work ethic are as well known as he
is. You won’t find many folks who haven’t
had the privilege of working alongside
Mick Shaw in some area of civic or
community service. I met Mick almost
30 years ago, and while his hair line has
receded and his waistline has advanced a
little, Mick still has that deep affection
for Norfolk and his many family and
seemingly endless friends here! While Mick turned 50 a few years
ago, his wife looks more like a Mom
than a grandmother and “Nana” is often
mistaken for “mommy” as Kathy takes
her 3 grandchildren on adventures
throughout Norfolk. Trips to the World
of Wonders at the Norfolk Botanical
Garden, the observation tower at
Norfolk Regional Airport, the Bay and
Ocean View Park, Doug’s Hot Dogs,
Davenport’s Barbershop, and Tides
games at Harbor Park are just a few of
their favorite outings. Mick and Kathy
are more “SOLD” on Norfolk than ever
and will always be solidly anchored right
here in Norfolk. They truly believe there’s
simply no better place to call HOME
than Norfolk!
Spend a few minutes with Mick
anywhere in Norfolk and you’ll be
amazed at how many people know
Mick and his family but also how well
Mick knows them- their names, their
neighborhoods, their friends, their
dreams! Mick’s been friending folks in
Norfolk long before Facebook made it
hip to network. Countless families know
Mick because of their fondness for his
seasonal family traditions in operating
the Norfolk Farm Market for almost
30 years. From Springtime Flowers
to Summer Produce to Pumpkins,
Christmas Trees and Firewood, Mick
had a well deserved reputation as a hard
worker who never seemed to rest or
quit. Mick reluctantly gave up the Farm
Market several years ago to concentrate
on his Real Estate career full time.“I
March, 2013
enjoyed every minute of the Farm
Market and made thousands of lifelong
friendships but I simply could not do
justice to both careers. Real Estate
is a very demanding and challenging
business that requires constant vigilance
to market trends and changing economic
conditions. I love being a Norfolk
REALTOR and sharing the Norfolk
I love with new clients and friends. I
grew up in Wedgewood, lived in Wards
Corner, Ocean View, on Pretty Lake,
Bayview, a condo on the Bay, and now
our dream home on Lake Whitehurst
in Azalea Gardens! Norfolk’s got great
neighbors and great neighborhoods that
make Norfolk an easy SALE!”
Mick bought his first property just
weeks after attaining his degree in
Business Administration from Old
Dominion University over 30 years ago.
He’s experienced the ups and downs of
our local Real Estate market firsthand
and understands that changing market
conditions bring new opportunities and
challenges to meet head on. Indeed,
Mick has earned several certifications
and was voted Norfolk’s BEST Real
Estate Agent the past 7 years. Mick was
the Top Listing Agent and Top Sales
Agent in 2013 for his William E. Wood
& Associates Norfolk Office! But with
the explosion of the Internet, Mick’s
most proud of his Certified Internet
Professional designation, quite rare
among Norfolk REALTORS.
“If you think a mouse and a cursor
is a rodent who curses, that’s OK
because I have mastered the information
technologies that give my clients a
distinct advantage in today’s Real Estate
Market,” Mick explained. We all know
“Information is Power” and the Internet
has fundamentally changed the way
information is accessed. Mick even
shared a few much appreciated computer
tips with this technologically challenged
writer.
Mick attributes his strong work ethic
to his Dad, Jim, who worked for the
Navy as a civilian for over 40 years. “I
can’t remember Dad ever taking a sick
day in all those years and he continues
Kathy and Mick Shaw
to be active, volunteering on local Boards
and as a member of NEST (Norfolk
Emergency Shelter Team for Norfolk
Homeless). Our Norfolk roots run deep
and strong... sadly, my mother passed
away a few years ago but Dad still lives
(59 years) in the same Norfolk home
where they raised four “Shaw Boys”
together. There are only 4 years separating
my brothers Kevin, Darby, Teig, and I
and we all cherish our Norfolk roots and
remain very close. Norfolk has so much
to offer and is the BEST place to call
HOME! In order to be truly successful
in sales, you must honestly believe in
your product! I believe in Norfolk and
the value it offers homeowners! I know
that firsthand because I have SOLD so
many homes of Seniors ( the Greatest
Generation) who lived wonderful, full,
and happy lives in Norfolk for decades!
I’m always proud to offer a family
home to the next generation of Norfolk
families! ”
You could say Mick Shaw is Norfolk
true blue! Nearing 55, maybe battleship
grey is more appropriate, but if you are
thinking about buying or selling Real
Estate in Norfolk, why not let Mick put
his endless energy and can do attitude
to work for you? With a vast and well
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
established network of family, friends
and fellow business professionals, Mick
has forged strong relationships that
ensure Mick will exceed even the highest
of expectations! Mick Shaw is a trusted
name in Norfolk!
Give this award winning Norfolk
REALTOR a call! You won’t be
disappointed! It’s pretty easy to see that
this Norfolk couple is completely SOLD
on Norfolk!
Mick Shaw
286-0800
Mick@mickshaw.com
www.mickshaw.com
Licensed in VA
A Howard Hanna Company
•••
3
Off The Beaten Path With Jack Armistead
I read in the news lately about a real life
“Mr. Magoo” situation that unfolded recently in Connecticut.
For those younger readers who might not
know, Mr. Magoo is a cartoon character
created at United Productions of America
in 1949. He was voiced by Jim Backus. According to a bio of the cartoon character on
Wikipedia, Quincy Magoo is a “wealthy,
short-statured retiree who gets into a series
of comical situations as a result of his nearsightedness, compounded by his stubborn
refusal to admit the problem. However,
through uncanny streaks of luck, the situation always seems to work itself out for
him, leaving him no worse than before.”
For those not familiar with Mr. Magoo,
it would be fun to look him up on Google
and see some old cartoon clips.
The recent Mr. Magoo-like story was
written by Tara Palmeri in the New York
Post.
Tara’s story said that an “elderly man
who thought he was picking up his greatgrandchild from school last month drove
home with the wrong tot -- and didn’t realize the snafu until his wife eyeballed the
little boy.”
The story said the kindergarten boys lived
on the same street in Sterling, Connecticut
and were wearing similarly styled hats, the
same color coats and are about the same
433 Granby Street, Norfolk. Mon. - Fri. 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Open on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mr. Magoo
height and build.
The incident is now being investigated by
local police.
The parents of the tot said they thank
God it was an innocent great-grandfather
who meant no harm to the child but they
were alarmed that it could have been anyone walking in the school the way things
unfolded.
All are relieved the child was safe in the
end. And the other child as well.
Getting back to Mr. Magoo -- Magoo
had won two Oscars over the years for Best
Short Subject Cartoons. He, along with
“Tom and Jerry, “The Pink Panther,” “Silly
Symphonies,” and “Looney Tunes,” are
notable for their Oscar Achievements. TV
Guide ranked Mr. Magoo number 29 on
its “50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of all
time” list. Hooray for happy endings!
•••
Founded
May, 1988
A Positive Voice Serving the Greater Norfolk Area and Olde Towne Portsmouth
Publisher & Editor . . . . . . . . . . Jack Armistead
Senior Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judith A. Scharle
Technical Advisors . . . Pete Vester & Susan Platt
Dining Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joyce Newbegin
Sales Associates
Jack Armistead, Joyce Newbegin & Larry Stark
Contributing Writers. . . . . . . . . . Jack Armistead,
Brad Cox, Sean Hillegass,
Peggy Haile McPhillips, Mike Murphy, Joyce
Newbegin, Gary Ruegsegger, Abbott Saks, Holly
Armistead Rose, Judith A. Scharle, Pete Vester
and Susan M. Vertullo
Photographers
Joe George, Ruth Gray,
Carlos Fink and Barbie Peirce
Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catherine Hugo
Website design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arlene Page
Visit our website at www.downtowneronline.com
4
The Downtowner is published once every month,
except January, by Target Advertising Co., Inc. (Established 1981). The mailing address is 1439 Mallory Court, Norfolk, VA. 23507. Editorial contributions are welcomed but may be edited. Opinions
expressed by contributors are not necessarily the
opinion of this publication. Only mailed or e-mailed
contributions accepted. No faxes please.
All rights reserved. The Downtowner is registered.
No part or parts of this publication may be reproduced without written consent from the publisher.
To Advertise, call:
757-627-2216 or 757-625-4952
E-Mail:
Downtowner@aol.com
Member, Ghent Business Association
SPECIAL AGENT FOR OPTIMA HEALTH & ANTHEM HEALTH
JMCC to Present Unique Program
On Saturday evening, April 12th, at 7pm.
The Jewish Museum and Cultural Center, 607 Effingham St. Portsmouth, will
present “Bagels and Bluegrass” as part of
the Portsmouth Museums’ focus on Appalachia.
Starting the festivities will be music by
Simcha Klezmorim, the popular local
Klezmer ensemble led by Warren Weiss.
Featured on the program will be Jean
Haskell, PhD who will present to the
audience the history of the Jews of Appalachia. Dr. Haskell, a retired professor
of Appalachian Studies at Virginia Tech
and East Tennessee State University is
the co-editor of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Appalachia, as well as author/editor of several other books. She
is assisting the City of Portsmouth Museums with an exhibition: Changing Appalachia: Custom to Cutting Edge. Dr.
Haskell is a resident of Portsmouth where
she and her husband Fred Schoenfeld are
co-owners of the Commodore Theater.
Completing the evening’s entertainment will be the legendary Bob Zentz
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
with Jeanne McDougall, performing traditional folk and bluegrass music, entertaining listeners with unique instruments
and stories. Bob Zentz is an international
star in the field of folk music. As a songwriter, he is celebrated by fans and peers
and dozens of performers have sung his
original compositions. Jeanne McDougall and Bob Zentz share a love of music
and history with a friendship dating to
the early 70’s. Ms. McDougall is a candidate for a PhD in History at UCLA.
A “Bagel Reception”, sponsored by
Yorgo’s Bageldashery will follow the program.
“Bagels and Bluegrass” is a program for
all ages. Advance reservations by April
5th, $25,may be made by calling 757391-9266 or online at www.jewishmuseumportsmouth.org. or $30 at the door.
Donations will benefit the programs of
the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center.
The program is sponsored in part by a
generous gift from the Dalis Foundation.
•••
March, 2013
Come and have fun!
Live Music
Tuesday thru Saturday Evenings!
Open
Tuesday
thru
Saturday
5pm to 2am
“On Fashionable Granby Row”
131 Granby Street • Norfolk, VA • 623-3466
The Downtowner Mystery Picture
Have you seen this nice lady around town? If so, and you are the first caller to
give her correct identity, you win a free local music CD. To give your answer
call The Downtowner recorder at (757) 627-2216.
(Downtowner Photo By Robert Carter)
Hitch Enterprises
Lawn Care • Mulching • Tree Service • Log Splitting
Tractor Work • Bush Hog • Grading
Pressure Washing • Gutter Cleaning
Scrap Metal Pickup • Used Auto batteries
Free Estimates
Call Schaefer Hitch
839-0439
From
Polka Dots to
leoParD sPots
Advertise in The Downtowner.
The Downtowner is the “little paper” that
locals like to read. It’s your reasonable alternative to high advertising prices. To place an ad in
the April issue, Call (757) 627-2216.
March, 2013
HOPE HOUSE
FOUNDATION
1800 Monticello Avenue • Norfolk
Open Monday thru Saturday 10am–6pm • 757-625-7493
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
www.hope-house-thrift-store.com
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God Bless Our Troops!
God Bless America!
Thank you to every man and woman
who is serving our country in the
Armed Forces.
Thank you for keeping
America safe!
Great job!
H
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The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
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March, 2013
Tom Creekmore Proves You Can Go Home Again
By Gary Ruegsegger
Downtowner Contributing Editor
Birthdays are made to be celebrated and
nobody celebrates them better than Tom
Creekmore.
Last December, Tom hosted his own
90th birthday party in Norfolk.
His family left Norfolk during the
Great Depression in 1938. When
Creekmore came home in 2013, he
didn’t come home alone. He brought a
bus filled with friends and family to celebrate his return.
As a student at Ocean View School
in 1929, Creekmore won Lucy Mason
Holts’ “Barefoot Boys Contest.” With
the hope of saving some of her needy
shoeless children from embarrassment,
Principal Holt would award a silver dollar to the student who could go barefoot
for the longest time into the school year.
Over the years, the number of winners would increase and the prizes eventually switched from silver to greenbacks.
When the program received national attention, Holt simply explained, “We decided to try to make the children proud
of being able to go barefoot.”
Apparently it worked for Creekmore.
Winning the contest is one of his fondest memories.
On Dec. 7 (the exact date of his
90th birthday), the Ocean View Station
Museum hosted their “Celebrating the
Nineties” awards, a program honoring
local residents 90 and above. Creekmore, a B-17 airman during World War
II, was only the eighth oldest person in
the room.
“These days that doesn’t happen too
often,” he laughed. “I feel like a real
youngster.”
Since the word “shy” isn’t in his vocabulary, a barefoot Creekmore sauntered up to the microphone in the middle of the program and asked: “Does
anyone have an extra pair of shoes? My
feet are starting to get cold.”
Someone in the audience just happened to have an extra pair.
He recounted for the audience winning the contest in 1929 and his mother
promptly taking him to “the five and
March, 2013
A barefoot Tom Creekmore enjoys his 90th birthday outside
the Ocean View Library.
Seated between his son Tom Creekmore Jr. and his girlfriend Rita D’Ascenzo, Creekmore brought a tour bus filled
with friends and family to celebrate his Norfolk return.
His daughter Donna Medich and his
son-in-law George “Doc” Medich, a retired Major League pitcher and orthopedic surgeon, listen as Creekmore recounts
the Barefoot Boys Contest of 1929.
For his 87th birthday, Creekmore
brought his troop, complete with a
6-foot 4-inch Abraham Lincoln impersonator, to Gettysburg.
Tom Creekmore served as an airman
on a B-17 during World War II. He is
pictured in the back row second from
the right.
dime to buy a pair of black high top tennis shoes.”
Creekmore, now a resident of Delaware, beamed when music teacher
Tamara Cox’s Ocean View Elementary School chorus serenaded him with
“Happy Birthday.” He gave each student
a high five as they departed the auditorium.
Creekmore sandwiched his Ocean
View appearance between visits to Cape
Henry Lighthouse and Fort Monroe.
At Cape Henry, wearing the same
military cap his son-in-law’s uncle wore
at Fort Story over a half-century ago,
Creekmore presented a 70-year-old
drawing of the lighthouse to the staff.
That evening, they dined at the Freemason Abbey Restaurant in downtown
Norfolk.
For his 87th birthday, he brought his
troop, complete with a 6-foot 4-inch
Abraham Lincoln impersonator, to Gettysburg.
“I thought it would be the ideal place
to say, ‘Four score and seven years ago,’”
chuckled Creekmore.
For his 89th birthday, dressed as
George Washington, Creekmore led
his posse to Annapolis, Maryland. The
year before, the ensemble celebrated in
Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.
The Creekmore traveling shows are
like no others.
“No, I haven’t driven for a tour like
this before,” said Paul Jaco, the motor
coach operator, shaking his head.
“These folks sure know how to have
fun. From this seat, it’s all been very interesting.”
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
•••
7
From Skyline to Shoreline, Shannon Sells Norfolk
SOLD
Shannon Allen
Realtor®
Circle of Excellence Award Winner
OCEAN VIEW, Norfolk-$345,000
KENT PARK, Norfolk - $170,000
Live blocks from the beach while enjoying modern amenities in this completely redesigned
beach home. Spacious 4 Bedroom with open floor
concept living and formal dining.Wonderful large
fenced yard with deck for entertaining.
Adorable 4 Bedroom home loaded with charm,
character and modern amenities. Flexible lay-out
with living, dining and family rooms. Cooks
kitchen with granite and stainless steel appliance
package, updated baths, and all new systems.
shannon@shannonallenrealtor.com
shannonallenrealtor.com
757-647-3126
JUDY BOONE
REALTY, INC.
809 E Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503 • 757-587-2800
SOLD
OCEAN VIEW, Norfolk - $190,000
EAST OCEAN VIEW, Norfolk - $257,000
Renovated 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath home on Pretty
Lake w/community marina & private boat slip.
Beautiful kit-chen with granite countertops, highend paneled appliances. Second floor features
new 900 sqft game & media room.
Bayfront corner unit with bold water
views. This 5th floor 2 Bedroom, 2 bath
condo has all the bells and whistles in
doorman building with pool, tennis and
reserved parking.
LAFAYETTE SHORES,Norfolk - $495,000
Corner lot w/natural light abounds in this 5
Bedroom custom home. Open & spacious w/well
designed rooms, chef’s kitchen, & courtyard in
executive community ideal for both casual &
formal entertaining.
(757) 416-5529
www.HARTELECTRICLLC.com
Celebrating 10 years of providing residential
and commercial service in Hampton Roads.
We Thank You...
for choosing us “Norfolk’s Best
Realty Firm” year after year
The Downtowner
Wishes All of Our Faithful
Readers a Happy And Safe
Spring Season.
Please Vote for us Again!
To Advertise in the
April Issue,
Call The Downtowner
at (757) 627-2216 Today!
Vote Us “Norfolk’s Best Real Estate Company
Art By Carolyn Lane
8
809 E Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503
757-587-2800 | jbr@judyboonerealty.com
www.hamptonroads.com/bestof
or Text “AKHM” to 21333
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
March, 2013
$7.99 Wine & Sandwich
Special
FREEDESSERT
(Monday through Friday, 11 AM - 2 PM)
Choice of sandwich served with a side of
withthepurchaseof
french fries/ side salad and a glass of
house red or white wine
anyfoodmenuitem
Sandwich choices:
ExpiresAug.31,2012
BLT or Chicken Salad Sandwich
www.mermaidwinery.com
330 W. 22nd ST, #106
Norfolk
757.233.4155
When one of our clients was caught
in a bind, she had to drop her
one year old at the shop.
Unusual? - Not really.
If you don't trust your guys with your
baby; maybe you should give us a call.
www.wickerscrabpot.com
Colley Avenue Copies & Graphics, Inc.
4201 Indian River Road
Chesapeake, Va.
(757) 351-2724
Reservations Encouraged
“No job too big; no call too small”
colleyavenuecopies@gmail.com
(757) 440 - 4000
PROBLEM:
CRACKED
FOUNDATION
SOLUTION:
Stella
& Jesse
Waltz, P.E.,
Owners
480 E. Main Street
Norfolk, Va. 23510
tel (757) 623-6246
fax (757) 623-6248
March, 2013
Come and eat fresh!
Two great Downtown
Norfolk locations:
259 Granby Street
Norfolk, Va. 23510
tel (757) 626-1231
fax (757) 626-1159
Crawl Space Moisture Control
Foundation & Structural Repair
Basement Waterproofing
Save $500!*
*Any job over $3000. Good only when
presented at time of free inspection.
Not to be combined with any other offer.
FREE Inspection & Estimate! 320-0758•www.jeswork.com
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
9
You’re in Luck with Judy Boone Realty
Parade Home with Us
OCEAN VIEW, Norfolk - $184,000 & up
Fantastic views of the Chesapeake Bay,
Bridge Lights. Several 2 Bedroom, 2 bath
condos to choose from, 24-hour security,
tennis, pool, club house, library, gym & billiard room. Across from golf course & next
to Ocean View Park activities.
Lisa Martin 757-287-5478 or
Elizabeth TwoFeathers 757-334-6683
MEADOWBROOK, Norfolk $138,500
A rare find! 1900 sqft, 3 Bedroom, 2 bath,
brick upstairs corner unit co-op with
garage and ample parking. Formal living &
dining rooms, eat-in kitchen. Near bases,
yacht, ODU, medical, shops & cultural centers. $500/mo fee includes most utilities.
Judy Boone 757-718-9191 or
Jack Blake 757-339-2327
GHENT, Norfolk - $374,900
Unique ranch in the heart of Ghent! Single
story 2 Bedroom, 1.5 bath home. Only a
few blocks to dining, shopping or Stockley
Gardens and EVMS. Quiet tree lined street,
a pedestrians paradise. Priced over
$10,000 below city assessment.
Jack Blake 757-339-2327
Judy Boone Realty
Celebrates
“Leading You Home”
for 25 Years
JUDY BOONE REALTY, INC.
809 E Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23503 • 757-587-2800 JBR@judyboonerealty.com • www.judyboonerealty.com
A Centennial Affair:
Celebrating 100 Years in One
Unforgettable Evening
NORFOLK, VA: Imagine -Tazewell Street in Downtown Norfolk transformed into a ballroom under the stars,
featuring a seated dinner, cocktails, and a
one-night-only production paying tribute to the rich and varied history of the
Wells - from vaudeville to burlesque to
the VSC performances of today.
After the show April 26, check your
inhibitions at the door for an Affair After Party that will have people raising
both their glasses and their eyebrows.
Two levels of tickets are available. For
$175, the Stargazer Experience includes
valet parking, a red carpet and champagne welcome, open bar, dinner under
the stars and reserved seating for the
show and Affair After Party. At 8:00pm,
guests can join us for the Merry Maker
Experience ($75) includes open bar,
general seating for the show and the Affair After Party
To purchase tickets, visit www.vast10
age.com/gala or call the VSC Box Office
at 757-627-1234. Businesses or individuals interested in sponsorship, advertising or contributing to the auctions may
call 757-627-6988 x2.
This evening will not only celebrate
the importance of the Wells Theatre
over the past century, but also Norfolk Southern’s legacy of leadership at
the Wells and in the greater Hampton
Roads arts community. The gala has also
received generous support from sponsors
including: BB&T, Dominion Virginia
Power, Dominion Enterprises, Norfolk
Southern, The Pierson-Russi Group at
Morgan Stanley, Southern Bank, Dave
Sterling, Swimways Corporation, Wells
Fargo and Wilbanks Smith & Thomas
Asset Management, LLC.
Proceeds from this event will play an
important role in keeping the Wells a vital and vibrant part of Downtown Norfolk.
Neither Rain, Nor Snow...
The Norfolk Bureau of Cemeteries’
maintenance crew has been working
especially hard lately to ameliorate
damage to historic cemetery landscapes
during bouts of inclement weather.
The rain and snow increased ground
saturation and, in an area with a high
water table, flooding and erosion present ongoing challenges. Crews are also
engaged in conservation tasks this winter such as repairing monuments and
unearthing long buried ledgers in West
Point and Calvary Cemeteries.
“We are trying to repair as many
monuments as we can before spring
comes, says John Dill, Bureau Maintenance Supervisor II, “because once
mowing season starts, landscape work
is constant.”
So far, Bureau staff have repaired
about 50 monuments and uncovered
almost as many buried ledgers. The
25-member Bureau of Cemeteries
maintenance crew is responsible for the
upkeep of over 350 acres of cemetery
grounds in addition to funeral operations.
Advertise in The Downtowner.
To place an ad in the April issue,
Call (757) 627-2216.
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
March, 2013
Happy Hour 4 to 6pm
World Famous
Gourmet
CoFFee
$1.00 from this
purchase to benefit
st. Jude Children’s
research Hospital
Fresh roasted & Packed By:
Norfolk Coffee & tea Co.
Norfolk, Va 23517
Net Wt.
11 oz.
50¢
Oysters, Clams, Shrimp
or BBQ Wings!
(M-F /4 to 6pm)
+
2700 Hampton Blvd., norfolk, (757) 626-3440 • SmallSODU.cOm
Downtowner-HH-Smalls.indd 1
Ghent Commons
3BR/2BA Condo
R
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UN RACT
T
CON
$290,000
2/6/14 8:51 AM
G
IN
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P
$170,000
Meadowbrook
3BR/2BA Brick Ranch
D
SOL
$325,000
ng
i
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Clo on
So
$275,000
The Market is Heating Up...
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175 W. OCEAN VIEW AVE
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March, 2013
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The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
11
Shoppers Will Find Multiple Treasures At Bohemian Attic
By Dan Mack and Susan Vertullo
Looking for a piece of furniture to fill
that odd space in your home? Come visit
Laura Reyes at Bohemian Attic on Colley Avenue in Norfolk. It is easy to spend
hours at this eclectic boutique, which
opened last June, featuring a vast collection of new and refurbished furniture
and other items to fill that odd space.
Bohemian Attic also carries retro and
funky jewelry, old school band T-shirts,
and other unique finds, such as vintage
tin wall hangings, and even a model of a
skull mounted on a stick. Bohemian Attic also consigns works from some of the
latest up-and-coming local musicians
and artists.
After a successful 15-year career as an
account executive in radio, Laura Reyes
decided to make a career move by opening Bohemian Attic last summer. Reyes
said that owning the store has been the
hardest job she’s ever had, but also the
most rewarding. Reyes described how,
since opening the boutique, she is “overflowing with creativity I never even
knew I even had.” Reyes added, with a
smile on her face, “I’m always happy to
hear a customer say ‘you saved me a trip
to Wal-Mart.’”
Shopping at the Bohemian Attics is
like a treasure hunt. “Everything is for
sale,” Reyes explained, “I encourage customers to open doors and look in drawers, because they’re packed with, jewelry,
accessories, clothes, and other funky
knick-knacks.” Walking into the store,
the wide array of chic home décor and
stylish clothing is almost overwhelming.
With new inventory coming in all the
time, no shopping adventure will be the
same as the last one.
The store’s logo is based on the symbol for the traditional Indian greeting,
Namaste. Reyes described how she came
up with the name, Bohemian Attic, “Bohemian, to me, means earthy and free
spirited…what goes well with bohemian? I picture a hippie’s attic,” Reyes
added, “That’s where you’re going to find
a lot of cool stuff.” The boutique, with its
strategic arrangement of clutter, lends a
homey feel while enticing customers to
12
keep looking around the store for the
perfect piece to fill that odd space in
their house or wardrobe.
Reyes’ store also features a uniquely
customized product line with a personal
touch. Reyes will personally strip, sand,
repaint, and restyle many used furniture
items. She calls these re-purposed and
revitalized pieces BARDs (Bohemian
Attic ReDesigns). She explained how
re-purposing these items is the key to
the BARD creative process, “Sometimes
a piece will speak to me and say ‘hey, I
wanna be a bar.’” Reyes then stages the
items in new and unique ways, mixing
and matching sets to create a new product with a new vibe as well as a new purpose.
Reyes also described how the BARD
process seems to have a life of its own.
“Sometimes I’ll have a piece and I won’t
be able to do anything with it, but then
someone will bring in whatever it is that
I needed [to create a working product]”.
Reyes explained how she obtained a china hutch one day, and the next day found
a buffet that fit together perfectly with
the hutch.
With all this talk of jewelry, clothing and accessories, Bohemian Attic may seem like a store that caters to
the fairer sex. When the boutique first
opened, Reyes was concerned that her
male customers seemed to feel that way.
Reyes explained how men would walk
in, look around for a minute, and then
leave, saying that they’d come back with
their wives/girlfriends/daughters. Not
wanting to leave the males holding
their significant others’ purses while the
women browsed the store, Reyes created
“The Man Cave.” This part of the store
is stocked with items pertaining to cars,
rock and roll T-shirts, and other “traditional guy stuff ”.
Reyes stressed how Bohemian Attic
would not be what it is today without
the support of her partner, David Bachman, as well as friends, family, and the
Hardcore Norfolk community. In order
to keep the good karma flowing, Bohemian Attic supports local musicians, artists, and charities. Reyes promotes local musician by playing and selling their
An eclectic collection of goods on display at Bohemian Attic.
music in the store. All of the art in the
store is under consignment. “We consign
only local artwork and music,” she says.
Any excess stock that Reyes has is donated to local charities.
When she’s not at Bohemian Attic,
Reyes can be found playing music with
the Norfolk-based garage rock band,
Raunchstar. Reyes started playing bass
guitar and singing as a way to relieve
stress from her account executive job.
Three years ago was formed with Reyes
singing lead, lead guitarist Alex Harrison, bassist Kenny Andrews, and drummer Jamie McGuffey. The band recently
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
released their first CD, the self-titled
“Raunchstar,” which is available at Bohemian Attic.
Bohemian Attic is located at 5111
Colley Avenue in the newly-dubbed
“North Colleywood” section Norfolk.
The boutique is open from 11am to
7pm six to seven days a week. Bohemian attic is on Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/pages/Bohemian-Attic/146738992177862
•••
March, 2013
WOMEN PASS JUDGMENT ON
“MEN WHO COOK”
Hampton Roads Premier Amateur Chef
Competition Is Heating Up This March
NORFOLK, Va. – Primeplus Norfolk
Senior Center’s fifth annual “Men Who
Cook: Hampton Roads” premiere amateur chef competition is sure to dish up
fun beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday,
March 29, at the Norfolk Plaza Hotel,
700 Monticello Ave. in Norfolk.
“It is a food-filled evening with 25 twoman teams of local amateur chefs competing against each other for the title of
Top Chef. The food presentations are
diverse, imaginative--and rival many of
the area’s top professionals,” says Primeplus Norfolk Senior Center Executive
Director Lynne Berg. “Our all female
panel of judges will determine winners
in multiple categories such as People’s
Choice, Most Likely to Cook in My
Own Kitchen and Tantalizing Taste
Bud. Judges include Lorraine Eaton
from the Pilot and Wanda Sheffield with
Miller Oil.”
While the guests taste the chefs’ delectable creations, Becky Livas will provide
musical entertainment. There is also a
silent auction of attractive themed gift
baskets.
“’Men Who Cook’ was created as one
solution to meet our fiscal challenges as
we work to help older adults age successfully and enjoy a good quality of life.
Proceeds from this event provide wellness programming and support for our
Nutrition Program which serves over
1,000 hot, home cooked meals for seniors each month, as well as our adult
day care, “says Berg.
Tickets are $50 in advance, $55 at the
door, and $180 for a four pack. Valet
parking is provided, as is your first libation of the evening. There is a limited
six-table VIP room, and table reservations for groups of ten are available. Last
year’s event was sold out.
For more information about “Men
Who Cook” and the Primeplus Norfolk
Senior Center, please call (757) 6255857 or visit the website at www.primeplus.org.
•••
1. Best Cashier of the Month -- Ariel of
Mobile Pig-Nic Barbecue located at
6637 Indian River Road in Virginia
Beach across from Indian River Lanes.
The barbecue is delicious! Thank you,
Ariel!
2. Best Bread Pudding -- Paul at Pancakes
N’ Things located at 4408 E. Indian
River Road in Chesapeake makes the
best bread pudding we’ve ever tasted.
Good job, Paul! And he makes it daily.
3. Best Quality Clothes Salesman/Haberdasher -- Ulysses Johnson of The
Quality Shops at 306 W. 21st Street
in The Palace Shops in Ghent does a
fantastic job and has been doing it for
years. Way to go, Ulysses!
4. Best Small Wooden Boat Builder -Our friend Joe Filipowski has been in
the trade and doing an outstanding job
for many years. He passes his expertise
to the younger generation. Terrific job,
Joe. Call him at (757) 623-4675.
5. Best Potato Salad -- Made by T. and
Anthony at Bobbie B’s Deli, 433
YOU’RE
THE
BEST!
Granby Street, Downtown. Buy by the
pound! It’s that good.
6. Best Saying of the Month -- Spring has
Sprung! (March 20)
7. Best Outdoor Activity -- Go fly a kite.
8. Best TV Viewing This Month -NCAA basketball, March Madness!
9. Best Team To Cheer For -- Virginia!
Love those Cavs!
10. Best New Girlfriend -- Luella.
Attention Business Owners:
Do You Have A New Business?
Is Your Business Ready
To Celebrate An
Important Anniversary?
If So, Call The Downtowner And Ask About
Our Popular Front Cover Business Profile.
The Next Opening For This Effective
Promotion Is The July, 2014 Issue.
Please Reserve Your Space
As Soon As Possible.
Norfolk City Councilman Tommy Smigiel and Norfolk Commissioner of the
Revenue Evans Poston are past participants of “Men Who Cook.”
March, 2013
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
Call Us at 627-2216.
13
Voted Best Appliance Store 13 Years In a Row.
6
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
December 2013
Hampton Roads’ Biggest “Born & Raised” Know-It-All!
The Downtowner Answerman
Dear Downtowner Answerman,
I am writing this to hopefully help
members of the community, particularly
women, so they won’t have to go through
this. My girlfriend and I went to an
Ocean View Beach to get some sun on
a recent spring-like day. That’s when the
trouble began with Fritzy, my girlfriend
of 30 years. She had just consumed a
healthy serving of “cookie dough” ice
cream before we left for the beach. As
she was sunning in her new bikini, her
stomach began rising like one of those
blow toads. We didn’t know what in the
heck was going on because she is too old
to be pregnant. Anyway, people up and
down the beach began to stare. I was
kind of staring myself and I didn’t know
what to make of her stomach swelling
up like that. A doctor walking down
the beach examined Fritzy and said she
should not have eaten so much of that
cookie dough ice cream because it made
her stomach swell as the cookie dough
was rising when the sun focused on her
tummy. Fritzy said she’ll never do that
again and will eat another brand of ice
cream from now on. So there you go. –
Fritzy’s Guy, Ocean View Avenue
Dear Fritzy’s Guy,
It sounds like you’ve been through a
scary problem and spring hasn’t even arrived yet. I’m glad everything is swell for
now. Thanks for the note.
•
Dear Downtowner Answerman,
I met a girl the other day in the grocery
store by the produce section. We discovered that we like the same kind of apples
(Granny Smith) and we had a conversation that lasted well over an hour right
there in the produce section. Since we
got along so well I told her that she is
the “apple of my eye” and asked her out
the following week. She accepted and
we have been inseparable ever since the
day we met in that beautiful new store
at Wards Corner. But there is a problem.
She wants to get married in the grocery
store where we met. I told her I never
March, 2013
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heard of a grocery store wedding. Do
people get married in a grocery store?
Would that be acceptable? – Johnny Appleseed, Bute St.
Bruce Gray
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Phone: 757-623-2500
Fax: 757-623-0711
cbg2@cox.net
Dear Johnny,
Of course it’s acceptable. I married Big
Bertha at Giant Open Air Market by the
sweet potatoes. It’s been 50 years of bliss.
• • •
Norfolk Company Celebrates 20 Years with Expansion
NORFOLK,VA - The Norfolk Department of Development announces
the expansion of Acclaimed Tent and
Party Rentals.
This expansion represents a third relocation of the company and retention
of a Norfolk-based company growing
as a result of diversification of its products and services over the years.
The twenty year-old company got
its start next to in the Frank Spicer restaurant equipment company to complement the offerings of the company’s
rental ware department in 1994. In
1999, Acclaimed purchased the properly at 800 Granby Street where it remained for 15 years. This location is
currently being offered for rent and is
in the heart of the Downtown Arts and
Design District and in the Enterprise
Zone, which may provide state and local incentives to qualifying businesses.
The new location is located in Norfolk’s West Ghent / Chelsea Business
District. The Chelsea Business District was established in late 2013 and is
emerging with an eclectic mix of retail,
restaurants, event-savvy florists, a nationally-rated craft beer tasting house,
a brewery, a bake house and creative
writing studio snuggled behind the
region’s major medical complex. “We
are delighted that a building became
available in Chelsea, where there’s a
unique community and entrepreneurial spirit ideal for our company,” said
Taso Emmanuelidis, owner. A ribbon
cutting event was held in early March
with Mayor Paul D. Fraim providing
remarks.
The expansion takes Acclaimed
from 2200 square feet and yard to 6000
square feet and a half-acre site. Currently, Acclaimed employs 12 full time
and seasonal support of an additional 8,
mostly ODU students.
For More Information, please contact:
Taso Emmanuelidis
Acclaimed Tent, Party & Inflatable
Game Rentals
www.acclaimedevents.com
757 623-6100
• • •
Advertise in The Downtowner.
Call 627-2216 to place your ad today.
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
15
Some Notable Events
Around The Town
CoCoRaHS Program Conducting a
“March Madness” Recruiting Effort --
*
The National Weather Service in Wakefield, VA is currently looking for volunteers to join the CoCoRaHS
program during a “March Madness” recruiting effort.
CoCoRaHS stands for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network and was established
in 1998 in the aftermath of the Fort Collins, CO flash
flood that occurred in July 1997. This program consists
of a unique, non-profit, community-based network of
volunteers who take daily weather measurements in
their backyards and record the information on the CoCoRaHS website (www.cocorahs.org). Observations
are then immediately available in map and table form
for the National Weather Service and the public to
view.
In order to expand this beneficial observing network,
we are counting on YOU! By becoming a CoCoRaHS
observer, you will provide crucial precipitation information that fills data gaps among other observation
networks. Weather enthusiasts of all ages are welcome
to join CoCoRaHS and are encouraged to read more
information about the program at www.cocorahs.org
before deciding to volunteer. If you have any questions
about CoCoRaHS, please contact Bridget De Rosa at
(757) 899-4200.
* Norfolk/Hampton Roads/Tidewater,
VA -- The Women’s Business Center at Old Dominion University (ODU) Business Gateway is proud to
present “Invoking Art As Business,” an Artisans Center of Virginia (ACV) entreprenuer seminar for artists,
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at ODU Innovation Research Park from 9am - 4pm.
This special arts-entrepreneurial seminar is designed
to invoke the power of your artistic energies and motivate you to take your business endeavors to new heights.
Designed for artists, this is not your typical business
seminar; be ready for creative engagement with time
16
woven in for making valuable connections with other
area artists and artisans.
The seminar is free, with a $15 lunch fee to be paid
upon online registration.
Attending artists are invited to bring one (1) piece
of their work for display during the day of the the seminar to showcase their work and see the work of other
artists/artisans in the region. In order to be included in
this “Pop Up Show,” artists must arrive with their work
and applicable easels/display props by 8:15 a.m. Tables
will be available for display.
* Three-Point Contest at the Virginia
Sports Hall of Fame & Museum -- PORTSMOUTH, VA – The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame &
Museum is hosting a Three-Point Shooting Contest
on Saturday, March 22 at 11 a.m. A single-elimination
bracket of 64 for boys and girls ages 13 and up will be
arranged and the winners in each bracket will receive a
cash prize of $100 with second place receiving $50. The
entry fee is only $5 and will include admission into the
Museum. Participants will also have the opportunity
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
to watch college basketball games in the Cox Digital
Theater.
Pre-registration Preferred -- Because the brackets of
64 could fill up, it is recommended that those wanting
to participate pre-register. Individuals can pre-register
by emailing events@vshfm.com or by calling (757)
393-8031.
* NORFOLK, Va. - The Virginia Zoo has joined the
Wildlife Conservation Society as a partner on the recently launched 96 Elephants campaign.
The campaign is an effort to secure a U.S. moratorium on illegal ivory, bolster protection of African elephants and educate the public about the link between
ivory and elephant poaching. As part of its conservation mission, the Virginia Zoo will work together with
WCS and other 96 Elephants partners to raise awareness and engage the public through activities including online petitions, letter writing and social media
efforts coordinated through the campaign website at
www.96elephants.org.
• • •
March, 2013
Carroll Walker’s Old Norfolk
A line forms at the City Market when meat price control is lifted on October 15, 1946. (Photo by Charles Borjes)
In Honor of Norfolk Women
By Peggy Haile McPhillips
Norfolk City Historian
March is Women’s History Month, which
began as Women’s History Week in Sonoma County, California in 1978.
In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to the entire month of March at
the request of the National Women’s History Project. Today, the Women’s History
Project uses the month of March as an opportunity to teach about women’s history
in schools and in the community, and to
call special attention to women’s contributions to our culture. The theme for Women’s History Month 2014 is Celebrating
Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment.
March, 2013
Why March? On March 8, 1857, women textile workers in a New York City
factory staged a protest to call attention
to long hours, low wages and unacceptable working conditions. Similar protests
took place on March 8 during the years
to come. On March 8, 1908, some 15,000
women marched through the streets of
New York, adding the right to vote to
their demands for better working conditions and a living wage. International
Women’s Day was observed on February
28, 1909, but was moved back to March
8 after the disastrous Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory on March 25, 1911, in which 146
lives were lost.
Norfolk has had no shortage of leaders
and role models among her female popu-
lation. This month, we honor The Norfolk
Housewives’ League. The League was
a mighty force in improving sanitation
and regulating prices in Norfolk markets
in the early 20th century, taking on the
Norfolk City Market shortly after organizing in October 1914. The Market, an
adjunct to the 1890 red brick Norfolk Armory at the northeast corner of City Hall
and Monticello Avenues, was completely
open-air. League members were appalled
to see food being sold and handled out in
the open, from carts and stalls exposed not
only to the elements but also to bugs, dirt
and vermin. Members of the Housewives’
League labored to have the market moved
indoors, so the food they bought for their
families would be safer to eat. The result
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
was the Municipal City Market, which
opened in 1923. The League also worked
for more frequent garbage collection, sanitary caps on milk, the wrapping of bread
and the pure food and drug act.
During World War II, the Housewives’
League collected more than 500 pounds
of fat when they sponsored a matinee
picture show at a Norfolk theater and
charged one pound of fat per admission.
The fat would be used in the manufacture
of such items as ammunition, paint, pharmaceuticals and explosives.
Norfolk women, take a bow!
• • •
17
18
The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
Continued on page 19
March, 2013
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The Downtowner - Norfolk, Virginia
March, 2013