Where she learned about arabesque and pliés when she was a child, Susan Stanley Sprinkle now uses her company Reprotique to handle orders for decorative household items inspired by classics.

"Almost everything happened in this building," Sprinkle said of her studio on Carter Street. In addition to the ballet studio where she participated, there are also various shops and offices: "One person said he had polio here." 

It was first used as a community center and residence for the Crozier Women’s Club in 1928, and Sprinkle attributed many of the good things that happened to Crozier to the women of the early 20th century. Her family, the Stanley family, bought the building in 1977. Recently it was the location of Crozet Antiques. When it was vacant in 2019, Sprinkles-Susan and her husband Philip-a lawyer-moved back to Croze from Richmond, bringing her sometimes whimsical and sometimes whimsical Formal art accessories business. 

Her current business is only trading, but she hopes to open a showroom in Croze a few years later.

She is a frequent visitor to the large homeware and gift markets in High Point, North Carolina and Atlanta, and her products are sold to interior designers and high-end stores around the world. At present, her coasters are very popular in the market, she said: "Now, I am the queen of coasters."

Sprinkle uses designs and patterns from classical Rome and Greece, as well as European masters and Chinese sculptors. In fact, almost anything can inspire her.

For something as unremarkable as a cigar cutter, the proportions of its design can be very pleasing, and can be well transformed into a tray, candle holder or coaster. Other images come from places you might least expect: an old sketchbook, a woodland scene of an unknown artist, a medal of a long-forgotten engraver, and an old map. Recently, she discovered an antique French curtain ring and copied it for her client. "People are always surprised by what I find and how I use it," she said.

Sprinkle started to sell exquisite antiques, but found that she had no intention of selling the exquisite works she had collected. She admits that this is a bad tendency for antique dealers. She began to learn to reproduce art in various media, starting with painting. Once she is inspired by a piece of work, she will consider how best to use it in a tangible product. 

Reprotique does not have an assembly line or workshop that is all artisans. She is the only staff member. Fortunately, she earnestly studied and practiced many creative processes in preparation for becoming an antique dealer. She continued to learn various ancient and modern skills: how to work with a 3D printer, how to gild acrylic, mold textured candles, pour soap with classic design embossments, and how to make dozens of other precious replicas . And beautiful objects. A stylized deer may peek through the woods embedded in acrylic trays, large candle holders or coasters. She applied her creative genius to items as small as necklaces, bracelets and cuffs, as large as huge wallpaper panels.

She said there are good reasons for designers and retailers to snap up her imaginative works. "People may pay thousands of dollars for curtains and furniture, ignoring the details," she said. "But they do make a difference."

Check out Reprotique products online at reprotiqueart.com.

The four young Crozet mothers developed a plan to beautify the porch of the area, indulging in their love of design, and welcoming autumn by providing large-scale custom decorations to neighbors and friends. This is how "Porch Patch" was born, and business began to take off, first in Crozer, then Charlottesville and Richmond. The owners of Porch Patch - Christine Craig, Alexis Macias, Catherine Rose, and Marilyn Specter - limited their first round of personalized porch designs to 40 In a house, by mid-October, the goal had been achieved. The fruits of their art and labor can be seen in the front porch of the Crozet house and a few local businesses. 

Successful companies are more than just a good sense of design and the pleasing influence of autumn products and colors that make successful companies stand out. Involving supply logistics, as well as a lot of manual labor. Women establish contact with farms and nurseries, drag huge pumpkins, heavy hay bales, and pots of flowers up the steps, and bring them to the client’s porch, presenting a breathtaking display of purely natural still lifes. It is in sharp contrast with the giant spiders, skeletons and monsters of the neighbors. 

Women realize that some families prefer results rather than the process of decorating for the seasons. "People are very busy and may not have time to purchase pumpkins for their porch in person, or they may like the appearance but prefer to outsource it to someone who has a vision for the styling," Spert said. 

Speight said that with supply connections and satisfied customers, the next question is where Porch Patch should go next. Obviously they will prepare for next fall, but they are also considering other seasonal decorations. To stay up-to-date, please follow Instagram (@porchpatch) and follow their website (www.porchpatch.com) which is still under construction.

Starting in early December, those who want herbal treatments can find ointments, gummies, coffee, lotions and potions at Skyline Apothecary, a CBD retail store located in the former F&R building on Highway 250. 

Apothecary was founded by five local businessmen: John Schoeb and Andrew Messina of Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery; Rod Phillips and Pete Kooken of Re/Max Real Estate; and Jane Hammel, who owns the company. "For these natural products, this is a historic moment for Virginia," Hamel said. "This is a great step forward."

CBD is derived from the hemp plant and is known for its health benefits. THC is another compound known to have psychoactive effects in marijuana and is currently not legally available for sale in Virginia. "The situation is complicated now," Hammel said, but she acknowledged that as the legal status changes, Skyline Apothecary will become a logical outlet for these two compounds.

Hammel has funded and marketed for regional non-profit and for-profit companies, including Virginia. And a hospice hospital in Piedmont. After she started the planning phase a few months ago, she was convinced that business here would be good. She said that customers can expect the high-end appearance of the new pharmacist, everything is carefully planned and organic. She said that one of the main partners is CannaBliss, Vermont, and every new product will undergo a quality review.

She said that Hammel consulted people in the community before deciding to stock up in the store and always welcomes new requests. She hopes to hire four part-time employees. It is planned to open before Christmas. 

Crozet Artisan Depot invited Lynn Hilton Conyers, a contemporary ceramic artist from Lindhurst, as its guest artist in November. Meet her at the historic railway station from 1pm to 3pm on November 13th. 

Conyers is a retired Art teacher at Waynesboro High School. Her initial ceramic training began with wheel-tossing stoneware pottery, which evolved into wall decorations. 

Conyers is a lifelong pioneer of the possibilities of ceramic art. The Raku course, which started in Japan in the 16th century, stimulated the interest that has accompanied her throughout her career. Conyers sees the rapid firing technique as an attractive creative tool, and she also found that the texture created by the fabric imprinted on the surface of the clay was further enhanced when she put the work heated from the kiln into the combustible material chamber. This process creates rainbow-like qualities on the glazed surface, and she often adds fibers, wood, glass or semi-precious beads to echo various themes of ancient cultures.

In addition to his work as a contemporary ceramic artist, Conyers is also an advocate of art education. The exhibition will last until November. 

Feeling a little angry, or nervous, or just more upset than you feel comfortable? Maybe you have consumed too much caffeine, or all you need is to do a little bit of damage to your life. At least this is the theory behind Waynesboro's "House of Havoc", which is committed to letting customers vent in a safe way in a safe place. 

Co-owner Tyler Nuckoles said that although customers would break glass, smash electronics, take baseball bats to porcelain and throw an axe, the idea is not to glorify violence. On the contrary, he and other owners believe that releasing the suppressed energy has a calming effect on those who visit the Fury Room and Throwing Axe Workshop. Nuckoles said: "We all have a lot of experience with people who struggle with mental illness. "Like almost everyone, we have witnessed the suffering and even death of our loved ones as a result of it. "Nuckoles and his colleagues have been actively involved in mental health in Silicon Valley.

He acknowledged that experts are divided on whether it is wise to express anger in a harmless way: “Some people think it’s therapeutic, while others think it’s not,” he said. "But we have seen the release it provides for those who come here." 

Not surprisingly, those who bike in and out of the anger room are usually teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16. "In fact, their parents brought them in," he said. "We are a popular destination for birthday parties and family outings." This is not to say that all customers of Havoc House are particularly angry or distressed. Sometimes it is fun for people to break things knowing that they did not cause any actual damage.

The Holocaust House plays a role in Waynesboro’s recycling stream. Local restaurants and bars collect empty glass bottles, throw and smash them at the Holocaust House. “We also buy in bulk from missionaries and thrift stores, and take away porcelain and glassware they know they can’t sell, so it’s also helpful to them.” For those who think Facebook or email is ruining their lives, Old electronic products are easy to find and a popular target for them. Nuckoles recalled a lady who brought her own electronic equipment to destroy in a cushioned room.​​​

Be careful and safe. Visitors wore helmets, face shields and shoe covers. At least so far, no one has been injured at the scene. Nuckoles said: “There have been several attempts to remove a piece of glass from their shoe and later got a minor cut.” He asked them to check for the debris before leaving so that managers can use pliers and gloved hands to remove the debris.

This is how it works. Visitors book courses online, ranging from "outburst" (5 minutes) to "tantrum" (20 minutes), or they may prefer 30 to 60 minutes of axe throwing. The customer signed an electronic waiver and was warned to wear shoes and trousers that covered the entire foot. After arriving at Havoc House, the manager will check the identity and begin to sabotage. 

Nuckoles has a background as a chef and a businessman, and he hopes that one day there will be food ingredients. Currently, he encourages customers to patronize local restaurants. In turn, they recommend that customers facing waiting sign up for the 15-minute clip at Havoc House. This is especially true of the popular River Burger Bar just across Wayne Avenue, where there are usually more customers than it can provide immediately. 

The violent scenes inside Havoc House contrast sharply with the motivations of its four founders. "We all think this is a viable novelty business," Nuckoles said, "but we have been sticking to it because we are committed to mental health."

Learn more and book meetings on havochouseva.com.

Learn how you can compete with the pie bakers in the area by entering your pie (you have to be fast) in the apple pie contest at Albemarle CiderWorks in North Garden. The judging time is Saturday, November 6, and all pies must be delivered to the cider factory before 11:30 in the morning. Send them a note to let them know that you are coming: [email protection], write your name and phone number and "Pie Contest" in the subject line, and a paragraph about yourself and your apple pie manner. 

After baking the pie, stick a card on it with the crust ingredients and various apples, your name and recipe. The winner will receive a $100 Albemarle CiderWorks gift card, and North Garden Ruritans will sell all slices of the pie to fund their outstanding work in the North Garden community. 

Whether you participate in the competition or not, you can improve your pie game based on the suggestion of "Cakes by Rachel" by Crozet's pie champion Rachel Willis. She has served as a judge for the CiderWorks pie baking competition for many years, and anyone who has eaten her pie can prove that she knows what she is talking about. She advises those who want to become a baker to pay close attention to the quality of apples and cut them appropriately. "You want to make sure that the apple is cooked-but not mushy-when the crust is finished," she said. Apples vary in their sweetness and acidity, so she encourages bakers to taste their apple mix and adjust the lemon juice and sugar to achieve the proper balance. 

As for the crust, Willis said it is important not to overwork. In Rachel Cake, all the pie crusts are made by hand to avoid hardening of the dough and to get the buttery flakes of the pie we like.​​​​ "And make sure the crust is completely cooked," she said. 

The pie baking competition is only part of the annual Apple Harvest Festival, which has now been held at Albemarle CiderWorks for 21 years. It is hosted by Cove Garden Ruritan, and they make Brunswick stew and apple sauce on site. You can taste old-fashioned apple varieties that are not available in the store, as well as plenty of hard and sweet cider. The festival lasts from 10 am to 5 pm, with vendors, hay carts, live music and artisan performances. 

Afton Express’s passenger numbers continue to grow, with pick-up points at Staunton Shopping Center, Fishersville Park & ​​Ride parking lot and Target’s Waynesboro Park & ​​Ride parking lot. The bus picks up and drop off four times a day between 5 am and 8 am on weekdays. Commuters get off at Bavaro Hall and the Claude Moore Health Science Library in Virginia. The campus, Charlottesville West Avenue, is close to Amtrak Station, Charlottesville City Center Bus Station is close to the historic downtown shopping center, and Fifth Street Station is close to Wegman's. The fare is $3, and the bus provides free WiFi for commuters.

Love Cup Winery is far ahead in North Garden, but it is ahead of other Virginia wineries in its efforts to achieve sustainable development. This wine is not only the only certified organic choice in Virginia—Loving Cup also only uses compostable trays and tasting glasses, but they also attach great importance to recycling. The Love Cup is open on Saturday and Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm until December.

It is reported that Sabor Latino, which opened and closed in Crozet during the pandemic, will reappear at its old site in the form of a food truck.

Does your business plan to hold special promotions at Christmas? Send business news and tips to Theresa Curry, [email protection] 

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