Simple pleasures

Good things come in small…galleries? That must be true, because The Little Museum of Art—an effort to reach more viewers during The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia’s shutdown in the summer of 2021—is a tiny treasure. Artists submit works no bigger than a square foot, which get displayed (and then traded […]

Paging all artists

Halle Kate was just a 19-year-old preparing to enter college when she published her first coloring book. Now, two books under her belt, she’s turning her pen toward Charlottesville, with a 28-page compilation that will have myriad local landmarks, including the Rotunda, The Paramount Theater, and The Clifton. It drops in fall of 2026, so […]

Creation station

There’s a restaurant, a coffee shop, an intimate music venue, a gallery, work spaces, and now: a creator hub. Opened in the winter of 2025, Vault Virginia’s Creator Hub offers rehearsal and recording space for everyone from music groups to wannabe podcasters, at $50 per month. As Vault founder James Barton said after its inception, […]

Growing momentum

After more than a decade of planning, fundraising, and community conversations, the future botanical garden at McIntire Park is starting to feel less like an idea and more like an inevitability. The Botanical Garden of the Piedmont announced in late 2025 that it surpassed $10 million in fundraising for the long-awaited project—Central Virginia’s first botanical […]

Big smiles

At Weiler Orthodontics and Invisalign, starting orthodontic treatment now comes with an unexpected perk: a new pair of Nike shoes. The Braces for Laces program offers families a tangible kickoff to what’s often a long process, pairing clinical care with a lifestyle hook. The campaign reflects a broader push to make orthodontics feel less clinical—and […]

Modern Altitude

Founded by veterans, Aerial Resupply Coffee Roasters approaches coffee with both precision and purpose. The roaster supplies private-label blends and retail packaging for other coffee businesses, but its identity is equally shaped by community ties: donating coffee to deployed service members and offering discounts to military families, teachers, first responders, and public employees. The result […]

Peach on earth

Cue the giant peach jokes. In September of 2025, Chiles Orchard announced it had a record-breaker in its branches: a 1-pound 13-ounce peach. Fifth-generation farmer Henry Chiles told local news outlets the spring and summer growing conditions were just perfect to bear the juicy fruit, which was officially certified by the Guinness Book of World […]

Inclusive baking

What began as Carrington Kernodle Epperson’s home bakery has grown into Chanterelle Cafe, a vegan- and allergy-friendly cottage bakery rooted in the idea that celebration food should include everyone. Through custom orders and occasional pop-ups, the Black- and woman-owned business offers cookies, cupcakes, croissants, and other treats designed so dietary restrictions don’t mean missing out. […]

Sugar crush

Inside York Place on the Downtown Mall, Vivi’s Cakes & Candy pairs handcrafted sweets with a heavy dose of charm. Owner Billy Koenig—who transformed years of local bakery experience into a shop named for his daughter—fills the pastel-hued space with cakes, cupcakes, and housemade candies. Pale pinks and teals, 1950s diner chairs, and vintage saucers […]