Brick’s Blog

      I was delighted to see this morning that Old Glory had been returned to her lofty heights at Parham & Broad. It turns out that President O had issued a proclamation that Old Glory was to fly at half mast until August 30th, 2009 at 6 p.m. in honor of Ted Kennedy.  For me, the era and glorification of Camelot has rightly passed and an additional homage past 6 p.m. last Sunday was too much.

     On my way to lunch today, I noticed that the Ridge Branch of the Post Office and the Kroger on East Ridge still had their flags at half mast. I called both. On my return to the office, I found both locations had rectified the situation. I will continue to remain vigilant.

      Last Thursday, I probably made my last purchase at Circuit City. I would have made this purchase on Wednesday, but the selection I had chosen under their ready in 24 minutes program wasn’t in the store I had chosen, even though I chose a store outside of my immediate area just to get the item I wanted. It was fortunate that I got the call about the item not being in stock before I left for the out of the way Circuit City store or I would have bought the item at Best Buy. Not because I am disloyal to Circuit City, but because it would have simply become a matter of convenience if I was already on the errand to pick up the item.

      Seeing Circuit City headed to the ash heap of retailers is sad for me. There was a time I could do the majority of my non grocery/non clothes shopping in the immediate vicinity of Staples Mill Road and Westmoreland Street. At that time, Circuit City’s original HUGE box platform was located at the junction of Westmoreland Street and Thalbro Streets, while a few blocks away at Staples Mill and Marshall was the original prototype for a Best Products’ store. It always felt good and was a matter of local pride to spend your Richmond earned dollar with these 2 innovative Richmond based retailers.

     Entering the recently downsized, smaller and leaner Circuit City store located at Broad and Gaskins, I felt like a dead man walking the gallows for retailers. When I entered, I was met by a greeter, which made me reflect “how Walmart.” Of course, I would have like the greeter if I could have heard her, but the music was jacked so loud I wondered if I hadn’t entered Abercombie and Fitch by mistake. After picking up my item, I was directed back towards the front of the store to make my purchase, except I was sidelined along the way by someone offering to “ring me out” at one of the department point of sale registers. I use to love that you could pay for your item in the department you purchased the item at Circuit City. Only problem today was this particular clerk wasn’t able to sign in to the registers, so I was redirected back towards the main cashiers at the front of the store. There I was met by 2 cashiers with headsets on who were jabbering away with someone. I was never sure if it was a customer ringing in or a personal call they were on. Oh, Circuit City, how did you lose your way so badly?

     In years to come, I’ll bet that Circuit City is a case study in all business schools. How it rose from a local appliance store to national force will documented, dissected and discussed. Where it went wrong will be hotly debated. Let me save them all some time, just ask any Richmonder and they can tell you. It’s when they stopped selling appliances. We’ll miss you Ward’s!

     Oh, that street, Thalbro, where the Circuit City was located. It’s short for Thalhimer Brothers and that’s another retail story for another date. 

     One of the great things about my job is that I am out and about in the community all day. Here’s a picture I snapped the other day. I was traveling from Broad Street to Hungary Road on West End drive when I saw Santa kneeling at a manger. I drove on for a few blocks before I decided to circle back and take the picture. It was then that I noticed the "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" signs that were posted, too.

     I am still pondering this scene. After all, it did make me stop. At some point during the "season", the family and I will be making our annual pilgrimage on the "Tacky Christmas Light Tour."  Maybe, I need to see this at night. I’ll let you know when I do!

     Call me, Scrooge. Wait a minute. Wrong Story. No, it’s not the wrong story just the wrong start to the story, so let’s begin again. The picture left is the "power pose" of my friends, Bob and Peggy Smolko. As you can guess by the pose, they are real estate agents. This is their old picture, their new "power pose" has the Colonial Capitol at Williamsburg in the background, which is where they live.

     I met Bob and Peggy 13 years ago when they relocated to Williamsburg from Brookline, MA, a suburb of Boston. I was doing some consulting work in Williamsburg at the time; and Bob and I became quick friends. We were quite the pair. Me, with my slow speech and Southern drawl. Bob, with his long "a" – ca-ah (car), ga-ah’den (garden), you know the accent.

     Well, Bob and Peg have become "Southernized" over the years. Now I am not claiming Bob’ s speech resembles mine now, but it is much softer these days. Peg still occasionally cannot understand me, but Bob can translate for her when that happens.

     Every year, Bob and Peg host a " client appreciation" party at their home in Ford’s Colony in late December. Peg must cook all month, because it is always a spectacular event. I guess it was 5 years ago that I realized just how "Southernize" my buddy, Bob, had become. We were standing in a group of people and Bob was talking with one of his new neighbors who was at the party. His neighbor was a northern transplant and had just moved into their "new" home in early November.

    Ever so tactfully, Bob complimented his new neighbor on their Christmas decorations. The neighbor accepted Bob’s compliment and began to wax on about his wife’s love for decorating at Christmas. Bob, then, steered the conversation into a discussion about Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination. Had the neighbor attended? Did he know the history? Bob was so masterful and then Bob ever so casually dropped the line, "you know, most folks wait until the Grand Illumination before decorating their homes." Oh, my brash buddy from Boston was now a Southern gentleman! Steeped in Virginia Tradition. I was so proud!

     A few days ago I noticed Christmas trees had been delivered to the grocery stores. I saw a Salvation Army kettle last night in front of a Ukrop’s. One of our neighbors already has placed wreaths and garlands on the exterior of their home. (They own Westbury Pharmacy so I can only assume it is ploy to guilt us into decorating our homes earlier and buying what we need from them!) Com’ on, we’re a week before Thanksgiving. Don’t make me have Bob talk to you.

     And if you didn’t know, The Grand Illumination will be on Sunday, December 2, 2007.

     Well,  hush my mouth. Yesterday’s post concerning Joe’s Inn winning 2 categories in Richmond magazine’s Best and Worst edition requires an edification on my part.

FYI: Readers — not Richmond magazine staff — vote on the Best and Worst winners by ballot. No one here is related to or paid by Joe’s Inn, and finally, the Bon Air location also has an active takeout and breakfast business.

Thanks,
Kate Andrews
Richmond magazine associate editor

    I appreciate the correction, Kate, but I do believe the lady does protest too much. I demand a recount. I think the hanging chad ballots weren’t counted. As I stated yesterday, I am never amazed, aghast, yes; by what Richmonders (your readers) consider good cuisine. And Joe’s Out, it’s in Dogtown. Need I say more. Joe’s did open an oulet in the West End near Innsbrook. It closed.

FYI – The great restaurant that was adjacent to Joe’s on Shields was the The Fan Grill. Their specialty was a 5 oz. club steak cut by the butchers at the old Stanley’s market on Belmont.

     Richmond magazine is out with its annual Best and Worst edition. Someone at Richmond magazine must get fed free, be related to management or ownership, or live on Shields Avenue without transportation or the energy to walk a few blocks for Joe’s Inn to receive not one but two best wins – Best Neighborhood Takeout Joint and Best Place for Weekday Breakfast.  Now I could understand if Joe’s won for Surliest Wait Staff, Most Mediocre Food, or Succeeding for No Explanation. Well, maybe not in that last category, because there’s plenty of other competition (think Crazy Greek, McLean’s, Robin Inn, ad nauseam) in Richmond to make that category a real toss-up, but I am never amazed by what Richmonders considers a good restaurant.

     Does anyone remember what really great restaurant was adjacent to Joe’s on Shields Avenue? Even better do you remember what their "special" was?

     Style Weekly has just released its 3rd Annual Power List for Richmond. Yep, that’s our new governor, Tim Kaine, occupying the forefront on the cover, but he ain’t Numero Uno, even though his license plate claims so. This distinction falls to the mayor of our fair city, L. Douglas Wilder. Wait a minute, that name sounds familiar. Who is Wilder, again?

     Doug Wilder  is one for the ages. In 1989, Doug Wilder became the first elected black governor in the history of United States. (Hey, pretty progressive for Richmond and Virginia, huh? And people claim we’re still fighting the War of North Aggression.) If there was ever a “uniter and not a divider”, it is Doug Wilder. Last January, Wilder was 75.  In November 2004, when many his age would have been content to rest on their laurels, his commitment to his state and especially his hometown of Richmond called this old warhorse out of retirement to run for Richmond’s first duly elected mayor. Regional cooperation, race issues, and the clash between the public and private sectors have always presented problems for the City of Richmond. Doug Wilder mitigates these issues every day, while reminding the occupier of the Governor’s Mansion that the true power in Richmond is his. 

   I have always heard that Chiswell Dabney Langhorne Perkins (how’s that for a  moniker and  so Virginian) coined the phrase. Chil was a friend of my father and was a truly delightful person. They grew up together in Greenwood, which is a small community about 15 miles west of Charlottesville. While at the University  (that’s the University of Virginia), Chil would see his Richmond friends go home almost every weekend. Since Richmond is east of Charlottesville and appeared to have some mystical allure over his friends, the allusion of Richmond as Mecca was supposedly born. This story has always made sense to be, since Chil was always quick with a bon mot. Even when I was at the University a generation after Chil and my father, I always heard my Richmond friends say "they were going home to Mecca." Sadly, I can’t think of anyone who can validate this since my father’s circle of friends have passed, but I am delighted to perpetuate this myth in Chil’s memory. 

July’s issue of Richmond magazine features an advertising center insert on Virginia’s best attorneys as voted by their peers. I know you will sleep easier tonight knowing there seems to be no shortage of able and competent lawyers in the Commonwealth capable of handling any matter. I know I will. And yes, that’s Richmond’s own, Elliott Yamin of American Idol fame, gracing the cover. Yet, the really significant piece in this month’s issue is on the area’s top mechanics and I don’t mean the ones you hire if you need someone whacked. Having a good mechanic who you can trust is invaluable. Need a good one, try my friend, Bubba, at Cabin Creek Amoco at the corner of Patterson Avenue and Gaskins. Now who won’t trust a mechanic named Bubba?