Michael Boyd (left) and Patrick Pearson co-own Blackbyrd. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Finding a Roost for Blackbyrd
New boutique offers handcrafted leather goods and Icelandic treasures
With the opening of their new “lifestyle boutique,” Blackbyrd (804-539-1775), Patrick Pearson and Michael Boyd are now business partners as well as brothers.
Last year, the two purchased 3439 W. Cary St. after Anthill Antiques closed in the space. While neither had ever owned his own business, both had experience in sales, and Pearson had been making leather wallets and selling them online as an LLC. The two decided to use Pearson’s handcrafted leather goods as the foundation for a retail space that officially launched at the end of September. (A soft opening during the Carytown Watermelon Festival in August was so successful, they had to shut the store and halt online sales to replenish stock.)
Boasting rediscovered brick walls and gleaming hardwood floors, the store is divided roughly into thirds, with Pearson’s creations at the front, branded items — caps, jackets and hoodies — in the middle, and wool goods from Iceland at the rear.
Why Iceland? The brothers spent time there and loved it, and they're working with “true mom-and-pop” businesses, Pearson says, noting that one shipment was delayed because the owners were busy searching for a lost sheep.
“We’re not a retailer selling clothing from an Italian maker that’s made in Turkey,” Pearson says. “We’re about total honesty, with a no BS vibe.” —Paula Peters Chambers
Photo by Jay Paul
New Fees for Old Decks
Parking in Carytown garages no longer free
Habitués of Carytown know the parking decks on Colonial and Crenshaw Avenues, just north of Cary Street, are just the ticket for easy parking.
Now everyone needs to know to pay for that space, or get a ticket.
On Aug. 12, the city implemented a fee of $1 per 12-hour time period in both decks. Visitors pay $1 to park from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and another $1 to park from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. The good news is that if you arrive at 5:15 p.m. for an early dinner, you pay only $1 to stay through the evening, because a one-hour grace period applies at the start and finish of each time period. But if you come to the district at 3 p.m., with shopping on the agenda before dinner, you’ll need to pay $2 if you leave after 6 p.m.
The Carytown Merchants Association notes that no one loves a fee, but they point out that new monthly permit parking rates are encouraging Carytown employees to park in the decks, freeing up street spaces — which visitors can occupy for three hours at no cost.
The decks opened in 1991 as a project of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority (now the RMTA). Ownership transferred to the city in 2013. Prior to this change, no fees had ever been charged for the decks. —PPC
Photo courtesy Fuel Pump RVA
Refuel Night or Day
Fuel Pump RVA (804-353-2200) at 3200 W. Cary St. wants to be your one-stop spot for coffee and wine. Fuel Pump is open 16 hours, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. “The concept is to be able to follow the arc of the day,” says co-owner Andreas Waltenburg. “Most coffee shops are busy at night and most wine bars are early, so why not do both?” Fuel Pump serves Intelligentsia Coffee, plus a wide selection of wine and light snacks in the morning and afternoon. A night menu is currently being developed. Waltenburg and his wife, Mary Dail, opened the business in the former 10 Italian Cafe spot in June. —Ben Wasserstein
Photo by Megan Irwin
Show Me the Money
In May The Byrd Theatre Foundation renamed the building’s auditorium The Reinhart Auditorium, in honor of a $500,000 gift from the M.H. Reinhart family, the single largest gift in the theater’s history. The foundation, which was formed in 2007 to purchase, preserve and maintain the historic 90-year-old theater, is also the recipient of a $250,000 challenge grant from the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, which supports capital needs of nonprofits. Any donations received by the end of the year will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the fund. “Our annual fund gifts keep great programs, like Big Screen Classics, filmmaker talkbacks and more available to the community,” says Ted Haynes, foundation president. “Community support [for the Byrd] is more important than ever.” —PPC
Onigiri owners Wakako Reno (front) and her husband, J.R. Reno (Photo by Jay Paul)
Reno’s Rice
A traditional Japanese snack has arrived in Richmond. Onigiri RVA (804-254-1712), located at 2820 W. Cary St. in the Tokyo Market, offers popular Japanese and Korean staples. Owner Wakako Reno (pictured above) opened the store after receiving increased demand for her kimchi. “A lot of people wanted my kimchi, so I was like, ‘You know, I need to make a label,’ and then I decided to open that kimchi store,” Reno says. She has expanded the menu to include around 16 flavors of onigiri (Japanese rice balls), including meat and vegan options, and they also serve kimchi and pickled vegetables. —BW
Photo courtesy Mamie's Apothecary
Natural Medicine
Mamie’s Apothecary (804-355-8150) at 3020 W. Cary St. hopes to provide natural medicine for a healthier Richmond. “We have everything from body care to face care,” says owner Lisa McSherry. “We have shampoos and conditioners, we have an aromatherapy section … candles, really the whole gamut of all-natural products.” McSherry also owns Lex’s of Carytown, which recently downsized and was divided into two storefronts to provide space for the apothecary. —BW
