Wythe Business Watch: Movers and (milk) shakers

A 10-year anniversary celebration at a popular downtown Wytheville store, a new coffee and ice cream shop, a flea market and the merger of two Tazewell Street restaurants are in the business news.

Petals of Wytheville

This year, Petals of Wytheville is celebrating its 10^thyear in business. For the past decade, Petals has offered floral arrangements, gifts, wine and beer.

In the beginning, the shop was a start-up business inside of another gift store, Creative Expressions. Eventually, Petals moved into its own store on Tazewell Street and became an independent small business. At first, the business just offered floral arrangements, but grew to offer a wide variety of gifts, as well as being the town’s only craft beer and wine shop.

“Through it all, I am very thankful for my customers that have been there, watching me find my wings, cheering me on, encouraging me to grow, and supporting my idea that I could have a successful business,” said Petals owner Teresa Campbell. “Petals is thankful to have been a part of many lives in our community. We have treasured every wedding, baby shower, prom and birthday as well as the opportunity to comfort the sick and mourning.We would like to thank our customers for their support and for every memory we have shared.”

To celebrate the milestone, Petals will celebrate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. To keep everyone safe, the store will host a drive-thru celebration at the store, 160 Tazewell St.

“We ask everyone to drive thru the alley located adjacent (please enter from hotel parking lot and exit onto Tazewell street) to the store and pick up a special bag full of Petals goodies and prizes,” Campbell said.

The first 50 bags will have special gifts. Also, inside each bag will also be a registration form.Each month for a year, Petals will draw a winner from the returned registrations to win a floral arrangement.

“Petals also strongly believes in helping our community and giving back. What better way to celebrate than to keep that tradition going,” Campbell said. “We ask that during the drive-thru celebration that you give a donation to Hope Packs. A 16-oz plastic jar of peanut butter or a monetary donation is appreciated. This year has put a strain on many in our community, and with the current school and lunch situations, Hope Packs are reaching more children than ever before. They are sharing 1,600 Hope Packs each week so your donation is most valuable.”

Other 10^th-year anniversary celebrations will be held on social media.

“Post a picture of something from Petals you have enjoyed.It could be a floral arrangement, wedding bouquet, gift item or your favorite beer or wine that you have received from Petals in the past 10 years with the hashtag #Petals10yearCelebration,” Campbell said.

For more information, call Petals at 276-227-0031 or visit online at www.petalsofwytheville.com.

J&J’s Cream & Beans

Eleven years ago, Janice Gilbert was living in Iowa and decided she needed a change of scenery. So, she hopped on a bus and asked the driver how far $300 would take her.

The answer – Fort Chiswell.

That’s how Gilbert came to live in Wythe County, specifically in Ivanhoe.Last week, she and her daughter, Joelle DeYoung, opened an ice cream and coffee shop at 315 East Main St., Suite A, beside St. John’s Episcopal Church.

The reason – Gilbert had trouble finding her favorite ice cream flavor – chocolate chip. Years ago, she had worked at Dairy Queen. So, she started thinking about opening an ice cream shop.

The store offers 17 flavors of ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes, coffees, lattes, frappes, iced coffees and more.

Gilbert already knew a lot about ice cream treats from her years at Dairy Queen. To learn about coffee, she looked online.

“I found recipes and experimented,” she said.

So far, the most popular menu item is the pumpkin spice macchiato.

“That, and the milkshakes,” Gilbert said, adding that she and DeYoung enjoy working at the shop.

“We are loving it,” she said. “We both like the adrenaline rush when it’s busy. We’ve met our goal every day. Everybody in town has been so friendly to us.”

Soon, tables will be set up inside the shop for guests. And by next summer, Gilbert and DeYoung hope to put a sliding window in so customers can walk up and order from the street.

J&J’s Cream & Beans is open Tuesday-Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The shop is closed on Mondays.

Peddler’s Post

RGM Properties plans to open an indoor flea market soon behind Virginia Heights restaurant in a portion of the building previously occupied by Guardian Ambulance Service.

Amanda Melton of RGM, said the company is waiting for approval from the Town of Wytheville. She said there will be 16 spaces available that will vary in size and price. Rental amounts have not been determined yet.

According to Melton, rents will run month-to-month and tenants must be on site when their space is open. Tenants will also need to get their own business license, she said.

“We are hoping to open within the next 30 days,” Melton said. “Spaces are available; we have not rented any yet.”

For more information, call 276-637-3352.

Flourz

Dewey Newhouse and Jennifer Miller, owners of the Crepe House and Creamery and Flourz, both on Tazewell Street, have moved the Crepe House and Creamery business into their Flourz restaurant location at 165 Tazewell St.

According to a recent post on the Flourz Facebook page, the restaurant will continue to serve menu items from the Crepe House and Creamery, along with Flourz menu items.

“Nothing on our end will change as far as the awesome food we love to eat and offer,” the post said. “We are just doing it all together under one roof.”

New Life Thrift Shop

After three months in business, the New Life Thrift Shop is moving into a larger space. The store is moving from its 400 square-foot Tazewell Street location to a 2,800 square-foot store in the Rural King shopping center, at 1480 E. Main St., Suite 701.

The new store opens Monday.

All proceeds from the store benefit the Wythe Refuge & Mercy House, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and supportive services for homeless women, mothers and their children. All store employees are volunteers.

“When we started publicizing the store, we started getting lots of donations, said Sharon Gallimore, founder and executive director of the shelter. “We saw really quickly that people are really into what our mission is.”

Gallimore said the store received so many donations, volunteers didn’t know where to put them all. The new store is full, and additional items are stored in the shelter basement and in two storage buildings.

“Plus, we are negotiating to rent an additional room for storage that adjoins the store,” Gallimore said.

The stop has “everything under the sun,” she added, including household items, home décor, furniture, clothes, knick-knacks, books and quilts.

“There’s not much that we don’t have,” she said.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information or to donate, call Gallimore at 276-620-6714.

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