Stephen Richardson and Heather Richardson
By Ethan Walton
Throughout the small town of Vinton, and all across the country, it is a custom to be thankful for those who protect freedoms and communities. First responders, law enforcement, the military, and of course the nation’s veterans are always deserving of appreciation for the jobs they do and for keeping everyone safe.
However, there are other people who are also doing important jobs for the people of their communities. Though they are equally crucial to everyday life, they often go unnoticed. They are the electricians who keep the lights and power on. They are the plumbers and city workers who keep fresh running water flowing to every household. They are also the mechanics who keep everyone’s car in safe working order for the road. In today’s world, with Americans relying so heavily on their cars for getting to work, bringing food to the home, getting to and from medical offices, and dozens of other needs, mechanics are most definitely among the unsung heroes of daily life. It’s frightening to imagine driving to work in heavy traffic when the check engine light comes on. Or, when the vehicle overheats, leaving the driver stranded.
Located at 855 Industry Circle in Vinton, Richardson Mechanical opened in August of 2020 and is owned and operated by Stephen Richardson. However, Mr. Richardson’s experience in mechanics dates back many years from when he was a young boy learning the ins and outs of cars in his father’s garage.
While growing up in Vinton, Stephen discovered his love for working on cars at a very young age. His father, also named Stephen, was always working on racing cars in his garage and fixing vehicles for his family and friends. Dad had Stephen turning wrenches very early in his life.
Even during those childhood years, Stephen knew he wanted to be a mechanic when he grew up. While attending William Byrd High School as a teenager, he also became a student at Arnold R. Burton Technical School where he completed a course in auto mechanics. Also during high school, Stephen met Heather Ayres through family friends. After only four months of dating, however, life would take them their separate ways.
After graduating in 2009, Stephen worked for various mechanic shops around the Roanoke Valley, but he always knew that he would eventually open his own shop. For eleven years, he kept his eye on that goal, saving and putting away every nickel and dime to one day fulfill his dream.
Between all his jobs, as well as working on vehicles in his garage at home, Stephen had saved enough money by 2020 to finally take the first steps toward opening his own business. And once he was ready, it didn’t take long for all the pieces to fall into place. He knew the owner of the building at 855 Industry Circle, and within two weeks of signing the papers, he’d cleaned the place up and repainted. In August of 2020, Richardson Mechanical opened for business!
“Through my years of working in various shops,” says Stephen with conviction, “I saw how people and their property were treated unjustly, and I never wanted to be a part of that. I wanted my own place where I could treat people with the respect, and honesty that they deserve.”
Stephen tells us that starting the business wasn’t as hard as he’d anticipated. After all, he had never opened or operated a business on his own before. He thought there would have been ‘a little more to it’, but it was as simple as the building owner giving him a chance and letting him occupy the space.
However, the workload and the demand can be challenging at times. “The hardest part is just finding help. It’s a lot for one person to do; working in the back, running and getting parts, and everything in between.” At the end of the day, however, Stephen says that seeing the smiles on people’s faces, and that ‘ah ha!’ moment when he finds the root cause of a problem makes it all 100% worth it. Not to worry, though. Stephen isn’t completely alone in his business venture. As fate would have it, Stephen Richardson had not seen the last of Heather Ayres!
After graduating high school, Heather worked in various customer service jobs, including Food Lion, Kroger, and a few years working at Famous Anthonys. Eventually, she decided to enroll in the nursing program at Virginia Western Community College where she would complete four years of studies, graduating in 2018 with a certification in Phlebotomy.
It had been ten years since dating Stephen for those few brief months in high school, but one day during her college years, Heather sent a simple wish that would change the course of her life. “I was scrolling through Facebook one day after class,” says Heather with a smile, “and it happened to be his birthday. So, I wished him a happy birthday, and the rest is history.”
The old flame was rekindled. Now, not only is Heather part of Stephen’s life, but she is also part of his business. After graduating, Heather worked for two years at Carilion Family Medicine. Once Stephen opened the shop, however, she left the clinic. Stephen needed help with scheduling and running the front desk, so Heather became the full time, becoming the excited and lively voice that greets customers over the phone. At the front counter, her wonderful smile and unwavering bright attitude makes a pleasant experience out of having repairs done.
The future is bright for Richardson Mechanical. The constant flow of their many loyal customers, and the happiness Stephen and Heather share together can make anyone appreciate the American dream. Stephen would like to sell some of the vehicles he works on someday. “Maybe not have a used car lot, but if someone needs help, and is in a bind, I’d like to think I could sell them a solid vehicle I know will be reliable to get them from A to B”.
With plans for the shop looking so bright, so does the future of the young couple. After many years of dating and growing a business together, Heather happily accepted Stephen’s marriage proposal in the winter of 2022. “Being close to him and helping him in any way I can has been so rewarding,” said Heather through happy tears. “It’s not a job but a life I never thought I would be so happy to live.”
When he opened Richardson Mechanical, Stephen Richardson joined the ranks of those unsung heroes that our modern society turns to in times of trouble and need. Whether it’s a simple safety inspection, a transmission repair, or even an engine rebuild, Richardson Mechanical is there to get the job done with honesty and integrity.
Richardson Mechanical is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, offering oil changes, brake work, tune-ups, diagnostics, engine and transmission repairs, and A/C services, as well as tire sales and service.
Richardson Mechanical • 540-655-4670
Heather & Stephen Richardson
www.Richardson-Mechanical.com
855 Industry Circle, Vinton, VA
The Family Fun Center was formerly known as the Olympic Skate Center. Built in 1971, Firehouse Skate ‘N Play shares a similar floor plan with two other skating rinks in the Roanoke Valley. In 2005, Brian and Amy Horne purchased Olympic and briefly closed it for major renovations before reopening in February of 2006. Brian was a fourth generation Christiansburg Volunteer Firefighter, which is how the rink got its name. Because the couple lived in Christiansburg with their young children, however, they hired Miss Angie to assist with managing the operation. Miss Angie also drove the Vinton school bus that transported Mason to and from elementary school every day.
Mason became good friends with Brian and Amy, as well as their children, who were close to his age. He earned their trust and was allowed to help out behind the souvenir counter. From there, he went on to learn all the different positions within a roller rink, including skate rental, snack bar, and floor guard. But the one job he really took control of was in the DJ booth. “I graduated to being the DJ and Master of the Microphone, and yet I couldn’t see over the top of the counter,” he remarked.
Eventually, the Hornes asked Mason to return Firehouse as a co-Manager. Within six months of his return, he became General Manager when his colleague left to join the State Patrol. As General Manager, Mason not only continued his education in running the rink, but also continued learning all the aspects of running a business.
Since signing the papers, there have been many changes. With plans of multiple attractions, the name was elongated to Firehouse Skate ‘N Play Family Fun Center. Other noticeable improvements include updated paint, safer restroom floors, better skate rentals, a color cloud light wave, an enhanced sound system, and monthly events to keep guests engaged. Mason also conducts community outreach with Stock ‘n Roll, an annual school supply drive, STEM Field Trip Lessons, and free bookmarks for teachers to encourage kids to read. Additionally, the rink’s employees and best customers participate on skates in parades and other events in Vinton.
While Firehouse has plenty of public sessions for skaters of all skill levels, Mason reminds parents to check the website and be aware of the rink’s drop off policy. “One thing we are not is a babysitting service. We’re here to entertain families whether on or off skates.” Next on his list of projects is a new coat of paint with a new color for the building exterior. Later this year, laser tag will be the newest attraction at the Firehouse Skate ‘N Play Family Fun Center.
Not originally a Vinton native, Tim grew up in Rural Retreat, a small town in Southwest Virginia where good paying jobs were few and far between. There was also no opportunity to find work that would interest him and feed his craving for artistic expression. This environment of banality is what spurred Tim from an early age to set his sights on tattooing. It was a medium that really reached out and appealed to him. Also, there weren’t as many people doing it. “Everyone who is an artist can draw something on paper,” says Tim, “but not everyone who is an artist can draw something on skin.”
Before beginning his career in tattooing, Eddie was a very talented airbrush designer who sold T-Shirts to that same Southwest tattoo studio. He would later work there after seeing a “Help Wanted” sign in the window one day in 1993. Not having tattooed before, or even gotten one himself, Eddie took a chance, walked in that day, and worked for years honing his craft. He also won several industry convention awards, as well as respect in the tattooing circuits for, amongst other things, his revolutionary approach of bringing negative space into tattooing.
At the Southwest Roanoke studio where they both worked, neither Tim nor Eddie felt they were being treated fairly. Unfortunately, they also struggled to work happily with the belligerent and often unprofessional owner. Eventually, Tim finally had enough and found a small upstairs place for a studio in Vinton that he, and later Eddie, could call their own. Cherry Bomb Tattooing and Piercing opened its doors in 2003. Even before their services were very mainstream or accepted by some Vinton citizens, Cherry Bomb made it a priority to support and engage with the Vinton community and has continued supporting local charities and causes every year. Throughout their twenty years of business, Cherry Bomb switched locations twice, but made the move back to their 360 East Virginia Avenue location in 2017.
Times have definitely changed. Businesses have loosened their body art restrictions, and a younger generation has had the opportunity to grow into adulthood without being so affected by previous generations’ bias toward tattooing. In the past decade or so, more and more people have come to feel comfortable enough to participate in this artistic form of self-expression.
Currently, Cherry Bomb Tattooing and Piercing is operating by appointment only due to Tim and Eddie being consistently overbooked. However, Tim has big plans in the works for Cherry Bomb’s future. Though he has thoroughly enjoyed being back in the original studio location, Tim has recognized the need to expand in order to offer more flexibility and appointment availability to Cherry Bomb’s customers. This planned expansion includes adding another artist to the studio to hopefully allow customers without appointments to come in to get work done during Cherry Bomb’s posted hours. It also includes expanding the physical space of the studio, branching out from the small portion they now occupy, to encompass the rest of the upstairs floor of the building. Tim is also very excited about diversifying the services offered at the studio and hopes within the next two years to be able to offer laser tattoo removal to his customers.
Over the course of their twenty years in business, Cherry Bomb Tattooing and Piercing has strived to go above and beyond in the industry while also remaining a local gem, committed to doing their part and serving the Vinton community. When he first arrived in Vinton Virginia over twenty years ago, Tim saw a small sticker on a shop window that said “Vinton, Roanoke’s Best Kept Secret”. After all these years, Tim still remembers that sticker and has come to think of his studio as “Vinton’s Best Kept Secret.”
A phonograph is an instrument used to play analog sound recordings. Early use of the word, however, referred specifically to the device used to play sound recorded on a scroll. These scrolls, or cylinder records, along with the first phonograph, were invented in 1877 by Thomas Edison. In the Museum’s Music Room, visitors can view on display, a 1918 Edison Victrola Model 75 Cylinder Floor Model in Mahogany, donated by Odell Simmons. It is an excellent example of the Edison phonograph, and plays these cylinders, even today!
Edison’s cylinders, however, proved difficult to mass produce while maintaining low production costs. In answer to this dilemma, Emile Berliner designed a competitive alternative in 1892. The flat disks, or records, were inexpensive to make and allowed for both sides to hold recorded sound.
Even with the new, easy, and inexpensive product, phonographs needed to be continuously hand-cranked to play the recordings. In 1901, however, a spring motor was designed that would allow the device to play through an entire record following a single initial crank. On the heels of this invention, Victor was quick to adopt the flat record and became the product’s bestselling brand. An example of the 1905 Victor IV, last version of the Victor MS, is also on display at the Museum, donor unknown. It presents a sleek and understated design compared to earlier versions, lacking pedestal feet or decorative engravings.
In 1906, the Victor phonograph design was revolutionized by the creation of the “Victrola,” which restructured the phonograph, relocating the horn to the inside of the device. The Museum’s 1917 Victor Victrola Model VV-IX, donated by Debbie Pitts, is another example of this Victrola design.
The second piece is a 1927 Victor Victrola Talking Machine Record Player, donated by Larry and JoAnn Shepherd. Unfortunately, the Victor Talking Machine Company waited too long to adapt to the market and was eventually bought out by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in 1929.
The image is based on an 1890’s painting by Englishman, Francis Barraud, titled “His Master’s Voice”, which shows Barraud’s dog, Nipper, with his head cocked, facing and listening to a phonograph. Barraud offered this painting for exhibition but was rejected by the Royal Academy, among other institutions and publishers.
To view the Vinton History Museum’s collection of Victor phonographs, adorned by the Nipper logo, guests are encouraged to visit the facility Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as well as every first Saturday of the month, from 10:00am till 2:00pm. In addition to all the treasured held within the Music Room, visitors can tour and reminisce with additional artifacts including but not limited to various tools, medical and military uniforms, artwork, Native American arrowheads, photos, and William Byrd High School Annuals from 1929 to present.
By Melody Trumbull Harrison
Originally from coastal North Carolina, Don found himself living in Warm Springs, Virginia, but his work brought him to Roanoke in 2006. Melody is a Roanoke native, but moved away from the area for a while, returning to stay in 1996.
Melody has a background in art and design. Don has a long-time interest in building unique housing structures, and he also has the experience! He built cord wood and geodesic homes in Bath County, and also an arched tiny home in Vinton. After these, he built a mobile arched cabin that served as the prototype for the pod cabins now available at the campground.
The campground also offers five RV spaces with electric hook-ups and water on site for those campers who choose to bring their own camping rigs with them. All the units and RV spaces are served by a very nice bath house with individual shower rooms. Additionally, all the camping units are equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots, picnic tables, and fire rings. Some units are designated as pet-friendly to serve those campers who wish to vacation with their four-legged-furry friends.
Within the campground, guests have access to a camp store, staffed by a knowledgeable and helpful campground manager who is available to assist visitors with their camping needs. In the store, guests can purchase camping supplies, food items, and recreational items.
Camping rates are seasonal, and reservations can be made by going online at www.ExplorePark.org/Camping or by calling the Explore Park Visitor Center staff directly at 540-427-1800. Don’s Cab-Inns Campground also welcomes many visitors who want to see the unique camping cabins prior to making their reservations. Don’s Cab-Inns Campground is a good discovery for experienced campers and a great discovery for those who are new to camping and are seeking a comfortable camping experience with all the conveniences of home. Come and experience the great outdoors at Don’s Cab-Inns campground in Roanoke County’s Explore Park for yourself!
Having just turned 83, and still hard at work six days a week, Ralph Chumley is a man who truly loves being an upholsterer and restorer of antique furniture. He began his journey with upholstery back in 1963, when he worked at the old Singer Furniture factory on Hollins Road. He worked there for five years, climbing up the ranks to Supervisor in just fifteen months. It was there that he learned nearly everything there was to know about furniture construction.
“There’s a lot of satisfaction,” he says, “in taking something that looks old and ruined and making something beautiful out of it.” Though Citizen’s re-covers a lot of modern furniture every year, Ralph especially loves the process of returning old, antique pieces to their former glory. Even as Ralph talks about removing the coverings and carefully learning how the wood was once put together, Cliff and Jessy demonstrate on a beautiful, antique sofa. “You have to be very careful,” says Ralph. “If you don’t take your time and study the construction, you can break the wood when you start to take it apart.” Though it might be easy enough to fashion a replacement piece of wood, the piece would no longer be an original antique.
Citizen’s Upholstery offers and houses an extensive variety of fabrics for customers to choose from. Sourced from High Point and Charlotte in North Carolina, as well as from suppliers in Georgia, California, Minnesota, and New York, the in-house upholstery options vary widely in terms of color, shade, pattern, and texture. In addition to large rolls that line the walls, Citizen’s also has a library of sample books. They encourage clients to take the books home, to ensure prospective fabric choices match the décor under the correct lighting, throughout the whole day. In addition to the seemingly boundless variety in store, Citizen’s can also use any quality fabric chosen by the customer from other sources.
The Vinton Veterinary Hospital has 8 doctors and 38 other staff. Pictured is a small selection of their staff. Left to Right: Front Row – Alyce Dantzler, Alex Worthy, Taylor Calhoun, Dr. Shelby Curbow, Solana White Rojas, Taylor Camp and Taylor Knight. Back Row – Bill Cosgrove, Liz Blyskal, Sandy Singleton, Rebekah Hughes, Christie Grimm, Cody Gunter, Sasha Kirk, Dr. Courtney Wiegard, and Heather Reed.
With all the exciting things happening at Vinton Vet, it’s hard to pick one thing that shines brighter than its future. The star of this organization, however, is the hospital’s mascot, Louise. Lovely Louise, as she is known, was surrendered to the hospital due to a severe congenital condition with her knees. Louise had surgery on one knee and is doing physical therapy in preparation to have her second knee fixed. Dr. Henry at Peaks View animal Hospital in Lynchburg performed her first surgery for free. The staff at Vinton Vet and Pet Vet decided to do a bake sale to raise funds for her second surgery. Due to the extreme generosity of people all across Roanoke Valley, $5,000 was raised. Whatever money is left over, the hospitals plan to use for other animals in need of surgery who are unable to afford it.
During the early development of downtown Vinton, many of the buildings that currently line the streets were being built. Particularly, the construction standing at 106 East Lee Avenue was completed in 1942. Nothing is known about the building’s occupancy from 1942 to 1948, but in 1948, it became home to Vinton Restaurant, opened by the Guthrie family.
Sadly, in 2009, Mark passed away. In memorial, a mounted marlin Mark once caught on a fishing trip hangs behind the counter. With the exception of the marlin, Keith was reluctant to change Dogwood too much. When he first bought it, Vinton’s old folks were the biggest part of the clientele. Now, however, the younger folks have found them, too. “The older generation still comes,” says Keith, “and now it’s a great mix. Everybody knows everybody!”
In 2011, Keith brought his childhood friend, Jamie McCarthy in as General Manager. Before coming to work with Keith, Jamie had worked several other jobs, including drafting work for architects and store planning and design for Advance Auto. He worked weekends at the restaurant for nine years before finally making the switch. Jamie tells us he left drafting behind because of changes in the work environment. At Dogwood, he enjoys more interaction with people, as well as not having to sit behind a desk! Jamie loves creating food, and he has joyfully embraced the restaurant business. (Above: Jamie McCarthy and Keith Poff)
The expansion side, however, will be more modern. In addition to serving alcohol, the new side of Dogwood will also have extended hours for the night-time crowd. The Town of Vinton has also created a beautiful patio that will serve as an outdoor dining space, as well as a space for live music. Customers dining on the patio will be able to order and receive their food directly through a window being constructed on the side of the building.
As for the original restaurant, the menu will remain the same as it is now – home-cooked, southern American food. The restaurant has a lot of loyal customers and keeping them happy is important to Keith and Jamie. The restaurant will continue serving its daily specials, as well as its famous burgers…not to mention the best breakfast in the area! With a staff that includes long-term cooks like Carmalita Johnson (32 years), and Linda Parker (22+ years), fans of Dogwood can rest assured that their favorite dishes will not be changing anytime soon!
From left to Right: Front: Logan Segall, Jessica Blankenship, Jose Hernandez, Raymond Parker, Linda Parker, Brittany Conner. Back: Tyler Westerhold, Jamie McCarthy, Brittany Conner.
Just a few short years before her passing, Mary requested that her family home be donated to the Town of Vinton to be used for public or municipal purposes. In 1989, just four years before Mary passed away, her wishes were honored in the most fitting of ways. A house that had been standing for almost all of Vinton’s history became the Vinton History Museum.
A quick trip through the information office, and visitors will be in what was the Upson’s dining room. Here, a glass case features temporary displays, such as the current collection of antique spring hats. The rest of the room is filled with other historic items, including examples of three different designs of butter churns.
The other room pays homage to Gish’s Mill, the name the area went by before it was officially established as Vinton. The name derives from the Gish family, who settled in the area in the late 1700’s and built a grist mill on Glade Creek. The room also celebrates education and church history in Vinton. Out in the hallway, visitors will find military displays, honoring those who fought for our country.
Among these displays is also the beautiful stairway leading to the second-floor exhibits. Later this year, the Society hopes to launch a project to install an elevator on the side of the old Upson house. As Judy explains, many elderly or disabled visitors, and sometimes even children, have trouble climbing the stairs to visit the second-floor exhibits. She also admits that many of the staff and volunteers face the same problem.
Likewise, the adult bedroom features vintage clothing, an antique bed, and other items that may have been used in the bedrooms of Vinton’s earliest citizens, including a magnificent spinning wheel.
Lining the halls of the building were large glass frames, each containing an arrangement of photos representing that year’s graduating class. When the building was sold to the developer who eventually remodeled it for housing, the framed collections were handed over to the Vinton Historical Society. (The historic William Byrd graduating class photo collections, waiting to be digitized and stored for preservation)
The Vinton Historical Society and Museum, however, is not just about preserving historic or vintage items. They are also a repository for historic information! Upon entering the museum, visitors can see a very busy-looking room directly to the left of the foyer. This is Information Central, where the walls are lined with shelves containing books, catalogs, files, notebooks, and folders chock full of newspaper clippings, information about, and photos of Vinton families, businesses, events, development, and more! The museum staff and volunteers are very knowledgeable and eager to help when someone needs historic information for genealogy, research, or curiosity.
As it turned out, a woman named Velma Merrifield had found the ring, but the information age was still a few decades away. She didn’t know how to return it, so it remained put away with her family for decades. Her daughter-in-law, Sue Merrifield, recently discovered the ring and thought she’d give Facebook a try. She posted a picture of the ring, along with the graduation year, school name, and initials.
As fate would have it, a patron donated the much-needed 1977 volume of the William Byrd yearbook at this point in the search. Several girls’ names matched the initials, and through contact and elimination, the staff at the museum was finally able to identify the owner of the ring – Michele Ann Weiss.
Teamwork and cooperation helped to solve a forty-five-year-old mystery, and teamwork is most definitely at the heart of operations for the Vinton History Museum. The official staff are Randy Layman President), Denny Dickens (Vice- President), Marie Bell (Secretary), Debbie Pitts (Treasurer), Judy Cunningham (Executive Director), Mary Beth Layman (Program Director), Jan Dickens, Ann Hewitt, Judy Kelley, JoAnn Newman, Darlene Richardson (Directors), and Julie Tucei (Town of Vinton representative). However, the museum couldn’t operate without its army of volunteers! Currently, about twenty volunteers help to catalog items, perform research, work on projects, and just generally help out. Pictured above, left to right: Randy Layman (President), Debbie Pitts (Treasurer), Judy Cunningham (Executive Director), and Jo Ann Newman (Director).
Judy Cunningham tells us they also get additional help in the form of those performing community service, as well as students fulfilling high school and college internships. If anyone wishes to volunteer, they may indicate their interest on the website by clicking the Help Out navigation link at the top of the page.