Live Bold
By Paul Spicer Instead of just writing about our favorite makers, we decided to become one. What better way to report on those making things in RVA than for Grid writers and publishers to roll up their sleeves and make something too. It’s time that we make good stuff – beer, coffee, ice cream, […]
Richmond Thread Lab
By Aine Murphy Norris A true Jane-of-all trades, Christie Thompson started Richmond Thread Lab two years ago as a hobby. After a successful season and run of men’s neckties, her one-woman business was born, providing handcrafted accessories unique and rich with detail and texture. Unlike a typical design house, Richmond Thread Lab takes advantage […]
Making It – From Doodling to Dough
By Chris Gatewood It is easier than ever to make and sell things. You can bang out a prototype of your widget with a 3D printer, by hand, or in a hackerspace that gives you access to its gear. You can connect with a manufacturer in the U.S. via Maker’s Row or offshore through the […]
Making Artisan Salame
By Jeff Kelley “National?” I reply to Oliviero “Olli” Colmignoli. I could’ve sworn he’d just said his two-year-old company’s artisanal salames are available nationwide in Whole Foods Markets. Yes, he confirms “National.” From this unsuspecting factory in a row of nondescript office suites in Mechanicsville, the two dozen employees of Colmignoli’s namesake Olli Salumeria […]
Making a Radio Station: Music for the Rest of Us
By Anika Imajo In a 1978 cinematic misadventure called FM, fictitious radio DJs stage a station lock-in to protest the advertising agenda of their establishment overlords. In the process, the groovy champions of public interest inspired legions of bellbottom-clad listeners to rally in support of their cause, and the result (after notable guest appearances […]
Making RVA Sound Good
By Anika Imajo Chris Bopst gets RVA. He always has. “You have to make your entertainment in this city,” advises the musician/writer/booking agent, whose hard-nosed attitude toward music has served him – and his community – well over the years. As the driving force behind the eclectic live performances at Balliceaux and as a […]
Making Good Coffee
By Matthew R. Strange How do you make a good cup of coffee? Well, if you’re Eric Spivack, the first step is to quit your corporate job — this particular coffee is going to take time and commitment. You can’t sit behind a desk for eight hours a day and expect to have enough […]
Baked In Brilliance
By Josh Epperson The path to success in RVA is paved with community spirit. Need a reason to believe? Head up to Church Hill and you’ll find the proof is in the pastries. Three new businesses have recently opened their doors to a Greater Richmond public hungry for honest food made with them in […]
LUNCH … ALL DAY LONG
By John Haddad Although it’s called Lunch, you can get your three square meals at one of Greater Richmond’s newest spots for good old-fashioned comfort food. And according to their self-proclaimed motto, “It doesn’t matter when you get here; it’s always the best meal of the day.” Owner, Rick Lyons, a familiar face to RVA […]
Remaking a Restaurant
By Aine Norris Carena’s Jamaican Grille has re-opened its doors, reviving one of the most popular destination restaurants on Midlothian Turnpike. As its corridor of Midlothian continues to develop and undergo construction, Carena’s Jamaican Grille has completed construction after an aggressive pace to relaunch following a six-month hiatus. In the true spirit of a food-loving […]