The Liz Moore Market Watch Blog

Your pets are beloved members of your family and you want to make sure they receive the very best medical care. But how do you choose the right vet for your pet? We've outlined some important considerations below when selecting a veterinary practice for your fur baby.

Communication is Key
Ask your friends, family, and neighbors who they recommend. People with first-hand experience are great sources of information and someone who has had a great experience is eager to sing the praises of their veterinarian.

Responsive
Call potential veterinary practices: Do they answer the phone, or if not, do they return your call promptly? Is someone available to answer your questions? Can you easily get an appointment? Are you able to call and check on your pet frequently if they are having a procedure? You want to choose an office that communicates well with their clients.

Philosophies
Ask the veterinarian about their philosophies on pet health care. A few topics to discuss are euthanasia, cancer care, chronic disease planning, and spaying and neutering. Do they mesh with your own? Having a care giver with like­minded philosophies will help when faced with difficult decisions. Observe how they react and respond to your specific questions. Does this seem like someone with whom you'll be able to communicate and trust?

Take a Tour
A good office or hospital is proud of their facility and should be willing to give prospective clients a tour of their facility. Check the cleanliness of exam rooms, check out their medical equipment, do they have access to x-ray, ultrasound, dentistry, labs, and the like? Also, be sure to inquire about health care specific to your pet and any special care they might require. 

Interaction
Introduce your pet to your potential veterinarian and their staff long before your first appointment. Observe how everyone interacts with you and your pet. Are they welcoming, calm, and attentive to you both? Observe how your pet responds to them as well. Choosing a warm and caring practice can soothe a stressful situation for your pet.

Location and Hours
This isn't as important as good, solid care, but convenience is a factor to consider. Choose a vet you can access in a reasonable amount of time, and with hours chat work with your schedule. Choosing a wonderful practice that you can never get to won't do anyone any good.

Busier Can Mean Better
Don't be put off by a busy waiting area. A crowded, fast paced waiting area can be signs of a great, well-liked, hardworking practice.

Money Matters
Vet bills can add up quickly. Be sure to ask about costs of routine care like office visits and vaccines and ask about emergency services like x-ray.

The Carytown Farmers Market is open every Sunday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at 3201 Maplewood Ave.

Their mission is to enhance the unique character of the Carytown neighborhood while providing residents and visitors alike a healthy shopping alternative. By creating a fun and interactive atmosphere, our focus is to support local farmers and artisans as small businesses along with providing an educational and social experience to our shoppers.

Carytown Farmers Market...just another reason why we love where we live!

The Westchester Concert Series returns for its 5th year and you’re invited every other Friday night to enjoy great friends, food, fun, and, of course, live MUSIC! All events are FREE to attend, and there will be food and beer/wine available for sale. (Please, NO outside alcohol is allowed at these events!) As of now, concerts are held on the Village Green, near Plaza Azteca and Noodles & Company.

May 17 – Southern Tide

May 31 – En’Novation

June 14 – Red Neck Pool Party

June 28 – Diamond Heist

June 29 – 5 Second Rule

July 12 – Totally Random

July 26 – The Embers

August 9 – Spectrum

August 23 – South of James

September 6 – MSB, featuring Steve Bassett

September 20 – Flashback

October 4 – The Voltage Brothers

Westchester Concert Series...just another reason why we love where we live!

One of Richmond’s most popular concert series, Innsbrook After Hours, is back! From now until September, head to Innsbrook for some of the biggest names in rock, pop, and country music right here in Richmond. Feel free to bring a chair or blanket, but remember, food, beverages, coolers, baskets, knapsacks, tents and pets are not allowed! Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

June 27 (6pm) – Jake Owen
July 17 (6pm) – Jonny Lang & JJ Grey & Mofro
July 18 (6pm) – Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening
July 25 (6pm) – Killer Queen & Abba The Concert
July 31 (6pm) – Earth Wind & Fire
August 2 (6pm) – John Butler Trio+
August 8 (6pm) – Brett Young
August 21 (6pm) – Boyz II Men
August 31 (6pm) – Chris Young
September 7 (6pm) – Little Big Town
September 14 (6pm) Brantley Gilbert
September 20 (6pm) – Gary Allan

Click to purchase tickets!

Innsbrook After Hours...just another reason why we love where we live!

Maymont’s annual Beer & Wine Classic is happening on Friday, May 3rd from 6-10pm.

Enjoy live music, food trucks, lawn games and more while sampling some of Virginia's finest beverages from dozens of local breweries, cideries and wineries. Maymont members receive a discount. Parking available at the Historic Estate Entrance.

Click here for tickets.

May 4, 2019
7:30pm
Altria Theater

The Richmond Symphony will present the Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert featuring screenings of the complete film with Oscar®-winning composer John Williams’ musical score performed live to the film. The concert will be led by acclaimed conductor Keitaro Harada.

Since the release of the first Star Wars movie nearly 40 years ago, the Star Wars saga has had a seismic impact on both cinema and culture, inspiring audiences around the world with its mythic storytelling, captivating characters, groundbreaking special effects and iconic musical scores composed by Williams.

Click here for tickets.

The first annual Tacos N' Tequila Crawl coming to Richmond on May 4 from 2-10pm.

Tacos, margaritas, dancing...oh my!  Want to get in on the fun?  Purchase your tickets now before they run out.

BASIC TIX INCLUDES: $19.99
★Entry @ 3pm
★ FREE Sombrero
★ FREE 16oz Cup
★ Up To 40% OFF drinks (margs, tequila, beer & more)
★ Up To 25% OFF food
★ DJs at most venues to dance off the tacos
★ Detailed map of all participating venues
★ Videographers & Photographers
★ AFTER PARTY
__________________________
LIVE TIX INCLUDES: $39.99
★ Entry @ 2pm
★ 4 Complimentary Tacos
★ FREE Sombrero
★ FREE 16oz Cup-
★ Up To 40% OFF drinks (margs, tequila, beer & more)
★ Up To 25% OFF food
★ Exclusive KICK-OFF PARTY
★ Exclusive HALFTIME PARTY
★ AFTER PARTY
★ DJs at most venues to dance off the tacos
★ Detailed map of all participating venues
★ Videographers & Photographers

VENUE LIST:
● On The Rox (KICK-OFF PARTY w/KARAOKE)
● Ponies & Pints (w/GAMES)
● The Top (W/DJ)
● Cha Cha's (HALFTIME PARTY)
● Agave Lounge (w/DJ)
● Main Stage (w/DJ)
● More TBA...

When looking for high quality and unique home furnishings for a great price, consider visiting a consignment shop.

There is a common misconception that consignment is a glorified thrift store, but with high-end, discerning consignment shops becoming more popular, nothing could be further from the truth. The consignment stores featured in this article are known for the high-quality offerings at great prices. Many customers often brag about the great deals they’ve scored; being able to spot a great deal at a bargain price is a badge of honor for many.

People consign their home furnishing for various reasons, children move in or out, people upgrade or downsize, people move or buy a new home. Life changes all the time and consignment stores are the place to go when your furnishings are too high-end and well-kept for an estate or garage sale. Consigning seeks to strike the balance of a good return for the seller on high-quality pieces and a good deal for the buyer.

Quality consignment shops except only well-cared for furnishings that are attractive, stylish, and will most likely sell. They then arrange the furniture in attractive vignettes and seek to find the valuable pieces new homes. By accepting only the best furnishings and filling their shops with likeminded pieces of similar quality and value, these shops are able to command more value for the furnishings and provide a better return for the seller.

So how does it work? Consignment shops will inspect your potential consignment furnishings in a few different ways, you can show pictures of your pieces, you can bring your smaller items in for review, or you can set an appointment for the shop owner to come to your home to consider larger pieces and collections of furniture. Some shops ask for pictures of your home including your kitchen and bathrooms to gauge your lifestyle and cleanliness, and ensure the piece was in a clean environment before accepting it into their shop. Some shops
even offer pick-up and delivery services for a small fee.

Once a piece is accepted into the shop for sale, the seller and shop owner usually work together to price the item. The initial price is usually reduced somewhere around 15% after the first 30 days if it hasn’t sold. After another 30 days, or 60 days from entry into the shop, the piece is reduced another 15% for a total of 30% off the original price. Most shops only agree to keep pieces on their floor for 90 days. After that if your piece hasn't sold you can pick it up or donate it. The shop owners are so discerning that most pieces sell within 30 days of entering their shop.

If your piece does sell, you split the profit with the shop owner. The general industry standard is 50% for each party, but some shops are more generous and give the seller 60% and keep 40% for themselves.

Most shops sell in store only, but a few post pictures and prices of their pieces online and sell items to buyers all over the country.

In these high-end shops you’ll find upscale designer home décor, furniture, handmade rugs, and more. Many work with interior designers and sell their staging pieces that are virtually brand new. Shop owners say it’s all about getting great inventory and turning it over, that rapid sale breeds more inventory as people get excited their items are selling and bring in more merchandise to sell. This constantly changing inventory attracts more
purchasing clients, many visiting weekly to see what’s new.

Shop owners say rustic farmhouse styled pieces are flying out their doors, as stores like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and Pottery Barn are currently in vogue. Classic pieces like leather sofas and chairs are always in demand and are usually sold in less than a week. Today’s style of mixing and matching sets,
wood tones, and fabrics make consignment shops a great place to update your home's look while staying within budget.

Consignment shops offer good quality home furnishings at a value that benefit both the buyer and seller, as well as the small business owner.

Here are a few of our favorite local consignment shops:

In Williamsburg:

The Vintage Rabbit
240 McLaws Circle
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 903-4083

The Velvet Shoestring
311 2nd St.
Williamsburg, VA 23185
(757) 220-9494

On the Peninsula:
Design & Consign LLC
9961 Warwick Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601
(757) 223-7707

Phoebus Auction Gallery
18 E Mellen St.
Hampton, VA 23663
(757) 722-9210

Rooms, Blooms & More
10239 Warwick Blvd.
Newport News, VA 23601
(757) 599-9299

In Richmond:
Impulse
419 North Ridge Road
Henrico, VA 23229
(804) 288-7300

Revival
9750 Gayton Rd.
Richmond, VA 23238
(804) 750-2200

Izzie’s Consigning with Grace
14300 Midlothian Tpke
Midlothian, Virginia 23113
(804) 378-5005

Great consignment shops...just another reason why we love where we live!

Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort town all within a short drive making it the perfect day trip beach destination.  Just an hour or two away, you will find gorgeous beaches, a bustling boardwalk, a variety of excellent restaurants, and fun activities sure to appeal to outdoor enthusiasts and kids. Virginia Beach is a year-round destination with beach fun and water play in the summer and many attractions to explore in the less crowded, cooler months.  Let’s head east and explore! 

Virginia Beach first and foremost offers miles of wide, gorgeous sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. People near and far flock to Virginia Beach to sun bathe on the shore, splash in the waves, and enjoy the boardwalk.

If you like adventure, Virginia Beach has exciting waves that attract boogey boarders and surfers daily, especially around the south end of the beach.  The locals usually surf around 1^st Street at the oceanfront if you want an authentic surfing experience.  Still a grommet on the waves?  No problem, several outfits offer surfing lessons and board rentals including VB Surf Sessions, Seth Broudy School of Surf, and Pungo Board House.  You can find more information on lessons and rentals on their websites at www.vbsurfsessions.com, www.sethbroudyschoolofsurf.com and www.pungoboardhouse.com.

Those wanting to enjoy the water at a slower pace might enjoy stand up paddle boarding, or SUP as seasoned paddlers call it.  Companies offer lessons, rentals, guided eco tours, and even SUP yoga on the calmer waters around Virginia Beach including First Landing State Park, Rudee Inlet, and Back Bay.  SUP is great exercise and offers beautiful nature views that often include pods of dolphin, osprey, bald eagles, great blue herons, and more.  A few tour companies to check out are Beach Eco Tours, Rudee Inlet Stand Up Paddle, and Tula Adventure Sports Stand up Paddleboard & Kayaking.  You can learn more on their websites at www.beachecotours.com, www.paddleboardvb.com, and www.tulasports.com.

For those looking to just sit back and enjoy the view, a boat tour might be more your speed.  Many tours are offered including fishing, dolphin watching, and there is even a Craft Brews Cruise offered by the Virginia Aquarium!  Capt. Jack’s Pirate Ship Adventures are very popular with tourists of all ages.  Aboard Capt. Jack’s Black Pearl, a bright red ship flying iconic Jolly Rogers, passengers sing and dance along with the crew, enjoying the show as much as the view.  More information on boat tours is available at www.rudeetours.com, www.virginiaaquarium.com, and www.virginiabeachpirateship.com. 

When exploring Virginia Beach’s land-based attractions, the VB Wave, a trolley-inspired bus, makes getting around fun, easy, and affordable.  The VB Wave transports passengers around the oceanfront, Rudee Inlet, and First Landing State Park.  Just hop aboard at one of the many stops and sit back and enjoy the ride!  Fares are due in cash and cost $2.00 per adult and children 17 and under are free with a paying adult!  Day passes are available for $4.50 each.

All of the fun in the sun is sure to make you hungry and Virginia Beach has many delicious and unique dining options.  A couple of our favorites include Citrus, breakfast here is a must!  Located at 2265 W Great Neck Road and made famous by appearing on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, locals and tourists alike stand in line for citrus orange glazed pancakes and innovative benedicts.  And what’s a trip to the beach without enjoying a raw bar?  Local favorite, Big Sam’s Grill and Raw Bar located at 300 Winston Salem Ave. in Rudee Inlet serves up fresh, locally caught seafood dishes and raw bar items in a comfortable setting with views of the marina. 

Thirsty for an adult beverage? Quench your thirst with an Orange Crush, the unofficial drink of Virginia Beach, made famous by Waterman’s Surfside Grille, a great oceanfront restaurant at the south end of the beach.  The recipe is a blend of the juice of one whole fresh orange with flavored vodka, orange liqueur and a splash of Sprite served over crushed ice.

If you decide to turn your day trip into an overnight, there are numerous hotels and motels for every budget.  One of our favorites is the Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront located at 3315 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach.  This hotel is at the northern, quieter end of the beach and features an indoor/outdoor pool and their onsite restaurant, Lagerheads. 

There is so much to see and do in Virginia Beach, enough to fill up many, many day trips.  It’s a good thing this jewel is just a short drive away! Other day trip options include a visit to the Virginia Aquarium and their Adventure Park, seeing a concert at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, visiting the Military Aviation Museum, touring an oyster farm, visiting the Cape Henry Lighthouse, playing at Top Golf, and so much more.  Plan your trip today!

Virginia Beach...just another reason why we love where we live!

Busch Gardens® Williamsburg commemorates a decade of decking the halls with its most festive Christmas Town™ celebration to date in 2018. The annual celebration begins a week early, Nov. 17, and runs 35 days through Jan. 5. To salute Christmas Town's 10 magical years, the family-friendly holiday event offers more than 10 million lights, an all-new Christmas Town Express holiday-themed train ride experience, festive food and drink, unique holiday shopping and heart-warming shows to make the spirit of the season come alive.

Dance and sing along to classic holiday favorites at Christmas Town's family-friendly shows. Immerse yourself in the story of the first Christmas at Gloria!, then discover the magic of Christmas Eve performed on ice with ‘Twas That Night. 

For more information on operating days and times, visit www.christmastown.com/va. 

Busch Gardens Christmas Town...just another reason why we love where we live!

The days are getting shorter and the weather crisper. If you’re looking for a fun way to appreciate the beauty of this season but don't want to travel very far, then look no further than Charlottesville, Virginia.

Charlottesville is a short drive from Richmond, only about an hour from anywhere in the capital city in fact, but feels like another world with wide expanses of farm land, rolling foothills and towering Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. This rural setting is the perfect place to appreciate nature's beauty and observe the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of the changing autumn leaves. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, the typical fall foliage peak color period for this region is October 25th through November 10th.

And what better way to enjoy gorgeous views than with a relaxing beverage in your hand! Charlottesville is home to many wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries.

Wineries
Charlottesville has a long history of grape growing and wine production dating back to Thomas Jefferson and earlier, often called the “birthplace of American wine.” The gentle rolling hills with fertile granite-based clay soil and mild temperatures combine to yield grapes with a rich and multilayered old world flavor. Today wines
from this region are considered among the best produced anywhere in the Eastern United States.

The best place to start planning your trip is monticellowinetrail.com. Here you can find printable maps, links to every winery, a calendar of events, and a handy interactive map to plan your trip and get directions from winery to winery.

It’s helpful to chart out your course in advance as cell, internet, and GPS service can be spotty in the valley
and the mountainside.

Usually a few wineries are grouped together making it easy to travel between a few in one day. Most wineries have tasting rooms and staff to guide you through structured tastings so you may learn about and sample their wines.

Tasting fees typically range from five to ten dollars. Group tastings should be scheduled in advance for
larger parties. Many offer guided tours of their production facilities, cellars, and barrel rooms as well for an additional fee.

While some wineries have light fare like cheese and crackers for sale, if you plan to tour during meal time, picnics are encouraged and welcome at all of the wineries. A few offer a lunch menu like Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards and Trump Winery, and some host food trucks on the weekends.

Breweries
Grapes aren't the only vines flourishing in this region. Hop vines thrive here as well, in fact Virginia was once known as the hop capital of the world! This area is home to five small-batch breweries making handcrafted ales and lagers.

These award-winning brew houses welcome visitors for tours and tastings. Some of the breweries offer food menus and festive outdoor spaces for the family to enjoy.

To plan your brewery tour, visit brewridgetrail.com, named in homage to the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Here you’ll find a trail map and suggested itinerary, calendar of events, and links to all of the breweries.

Cideries
It’s no secret Virginia is known for its apples and Charlottesville has a few cideries serving up several varieties of apple cider and hard apple cider, the most famous being Bold Rock Hard Cider. Bold Rock’s Nellysford Cider Barn, located just south of the city is a large, beautifully rustic timber framed barn overlooking the Rockfish River. The facility boasts an expansive taproom and restaurant and plenty of outdoor seating.

Distilleries
Recently the craft distillery movement has taken off around the country with small batch distilleries popping
up everywhere, and Charlottesville is no exception. You can find tasting rooms offering whisky, vodka, rum, gin and a variety of cordials in the Charlottesville area.

To plan your tasting visit Virginia.org and search for distilleries. A few possible destinations include Ragged
Branch, Silverback, Vitae, Virginia Distillery Company, and Woodsmill Distilleries.

For such a short drive away, there are so many adventures to be had! In addition to sampling wine, beer, and spirits, there’s hiking, camping, exploring The University of Virginia’s campus, apple picking, catching a show at John Paul Jones arena, watching a sporting event at The University, exploring the booming foodie scene, visiting the Downtown Mall, and so much more.

There are so many things to do, you could take a day trip every weekend and experience something new!

Charlottesville, Virginia...just another reason why we love where we live!

Celebrate fall, nature’s grand finale, with OktoberFest at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on October 27th —  a day filled with live music, games and prizes, all included in Garden admission.

Local food will be available for purchase as well as beer from Center of the Universe Brewing. Festivities will be held in the gardens adjacent to historic Bloemendaal House, rain or shine.

Presented by Meriwether Godsey, the Garden’s caterer. This is a family-friendly event.

Food service will begin at 11 a.m. We’ll have a kids’ menu too!

Bring canned goods to donate in support of the food bank at FeedMore, where over 3,200 meals are served daily to Richmond’s senior citizens and children in need. We’ll thank you with a special gift.

Music and activities are included with Garden admission; food and drink are purchased separately. 

Ginter Botanical Garden...just another reason why we love where we live!

Get in the Halloween spirit with the Shadows of Shockoe Tour in Richmond.  

Located in the heart of Richmond's oldest and most haunted neighborhoods, Haunts of Richmond brings local ghost stories and legends to life. Based on the book "Haunted Richmond, The Shadows of Shockoe," our tours take you to the sites where tragedy and trauma in Richmond's past have led to numerous reports of paranormal activity.

Tours depart Friday and Saturday evenings at 9:00 pm from through October 31, with 7:30 pm tours added on selected nights in October.

The Shadows of Shockoe Tour is $16 for adults, $12 for kids. Pre-purchase discount available via website. Group discounts available for groups of 6 or more.

Visit https://www.hauntsofrichmond.com/ to book your tour.

September 15th and 16th, 12-5pm

We had so much fun a few years ago with the Liz Moore Love Where You Live Photo Contest that we've decided to do it again! 

Who doesn’t love to take photos of the things that make them smile?  Whether you know your way around a sophisticated camera, or you just enjoying taking photos of your cat with your iPhone, we’d love for you to enter!  

Enter photos in categories such as Recreation, Community, Pets, Special Places, and more. 

The photo contest will run through October 15, 2018, and at that time we will select the grand prize winners.  Over $4,000 in prizes will be awarded including an iPad, Busch Gardens Season Passes, cash, and more!  We will also be running “mini contests” each month – stay tuned for details.

Enter as many times as you’d like!  Visit lizmoore.com/love to enter and to view our photos entries so far.

Are you interested in hot real estate topics, tips and trends?  
Click below to subscribe to our blog!

Relax on Thursday evenings throughout the summer at Flowers After 5 at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond. Stroll through the gardens; enjoy live music, wine, and beer, dining, and shopping.

Please note: No outside food and drink are allowed inside the Garden; food and drink are available for purchase. See menu (PDF). . Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Some chairs and tables are available, but they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, visit http://www.lewisginter.org/event/flowers-after-5/all/ .

From corks to coasters & craft beers to concerts...the Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival is open every Fri., Sat. & Sun. May 25 - July 1. A short drive from even the Peninsula and Richmond, we are lucky to have them in our backyard!

Unleash your inner foodie with over 60 specialty food items, 30 different wines, 25 craft beers and 20 unique cocktails not normally served at the park. Plus, catch big-name concerts on select Saturday nights and additional entertainment throughout the event. 

For more information, visit https://buschgardens.com/williamsburg/events/food-festival/ .

At Liz Moore & Associates, we understand that our role as REALTORS is about far more than selling homes – we connect people to the community that they will call “home.”

We are often asked about local events, and to recommend our favorite local businesses and restaurants.  So, we decided to create a website dedicated to just that:  introducing LizLocal.com!  Log on to find information on local events in Richmond, Williamsburg, and on the Peninsula.  We’ll share the inside scoop on events like the Carytown Food Tour in Richmond, Boathouse Live coming to City Center in Newport News, and special events at Busch Gardens you won’t want to miss.

In addition to event info and stories about our favorite local businesses, you’ll also find video recommendations for restaurants (including what we like to order!).  Do you have a favorite you would like for us to feature?  Just let us know at info@lizmoore.com.

You can also tag your photos on instagram with #lizlocal to share them on the site, which is another great way to plug your favorite venues.

And, of course, you can search local real estate listings, subscribe to one or more of our digital real estate magazines, or order an e-version of one of our hyper local books – 101 Reasons to Love Living in RVA or 101 Reasons to Love Living in the Historic Triangle.

Check it out at www.lizlocal.com...Real estate is local – so are we!!

The craft brewery boom has beer lovers everywhere hopped up, and Virginia is no exception.

The Commonwealth boasts 206 breweries, 13th most in the nation. They produced nearly 300,000 barrels of traditional and wildly innovative brews last year. That’s part of an explosion that’s seen U.S. craft breweries triple in number to more than 5,000 in just five years.

Craft breweries, though, are so much more than high-ceiling warehouses cranking out lagers, stouts, porters and IPAs with cool labels and catchy names. Craft tasting rooms have become modern cultural centers, warm and welcoming community hubs - family and often dog-friendly - that are fun, vibrant boosts to their town's quality of life.

Shadowed by looming stainless steel tanks where the hops, yeast and water join forces, tasting rooms thrive now as special-event venues, trivia parlors, music halls, food-truck and corn hole fests, even yoga studios.

Craft breweries and beer tourism add over $9 billion to Virginia’s economy, according to Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who calls Virginia “a premier destination for craft brewers and consumers from all over the world.”

Craft brewing is a collegial world in its own right. It thrives on the principal that all who brew are colleagues, not rivals, inspiring each other to greater creativity and beer innovation.

We’ll drink to that!

Here are just a few of our favorites for relaxed, beersavoring good times with friends in and around Richmond, a nationally acclaimed hotbed of craft breweries:

Center of the Universe Brewing Co.
11293 Air Park Road, Ashland
COTU recently celebrated five years of brewing in the heart of central Virginia. Founded by brothers Phillip and Chris Ray – Chris pitched in the major leagues for six seasons – the brewery features four year-round brews: Ray Ray’s Pale Ale, Chin Music Amber Lager, Pocahoptas IPA and Slingshot Kolsch. Enthusiastic former home brewers, the Rays use traditional, all-natural methods to brew their ales with whole ingredients. They’ve created a comfortable and friendly tasting room - food can be brought in or ordered for delivery - with plenty of space and two dozen options on tap.

Speaking of plentiful, COTU frequently holds Plant Nite, where horticulturally inclined patrons can get their gardener on while sampling the fruits of the Rays’ labor.

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
2408-2410 Ownby Lane, Richmond
It’s true destiny that childhood friends Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh teamed to open Hardywood Park in
2011. McKay worked in the craft beer industry for years, becoming a recognized expert, and Murtaugh comes from three generations of brewmasters. They named their own brewery after an Australian sheep ranch familiar to them both. Business is definitely hearty: Hardywood has expanded to Charlottesville and is set to open a brand-new brewing facility in Goochland in 2018.

The owners’ expertise has produced one of Virginia's top rated and most awarded breweries. Hardywood complements its flagship Singel, Pils and VIPA with a staggering number of seasonal, barrel, pilots and “brewer
and artist series” offerings.

Stone Brewing Richmond
4300 Williamsburg Avenue, Richmond
Craft-beer aficionados know that Stone rocks. Competition was fierce among cities a few years ago for California-based Stone’s East Coast brewery and distribution center. Richmond’s sky-rocketing craft-brew scene won out.

The evidence is Stone’s striking 220,000 square-foot brewery and company store, part of the Fulton neighborhood's revival. Stone also has plans in the work to build an RVA version of its Southern California World
Bistro and Gardens next door.

IPAs are Stone’s trademark game. It brews six different varieties for year-round enjoyment as well as an impressive menu of seasonals, special releases and collaborations.

Brewery tours are popular, but just relaxing in the comfortable, picnic-table filled tasting room fronted by a
family-friendly patio is fun, too. Pay attention getting to Stone, though: there is no outdoor signage, so it’s easy to drive past the parking-lot entrance.

Veil Brewing Company
1301 Roseneath Road, Richmond
Despite operating only 1½ years, Veil fans rave that their favorite place is among the best and busiest craft
breweries on the East Coast. Located in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood, the cushy tasting room is already famous for a cool vibe and very welcoming service. Veil draws high marks for all facets of its operation, not the least of which is a pair of its most delicious flagships - Master Shredder, a wheat IPA, and double IPA Crucial Taunt.

Co-owned by brewer Matt Tarpey, Veil in fact was named the third-best new brewery – in the world! – by
RateBeer.com. Make a note to yourself: Must. Visit. Veil.

Interested in finding more things to do in and around Richmond? Subscribe here to our blog as we post ideas frequently.  You also can purchase a copy of Liz’s recently published book, 101 Reasons to Love Living in Richmond, in either paperback or e-book version by clicking the button below.

Are you interested in hot real estate topics, tips and trends?  
Click below to subscribe to our blog! 

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