The Best in the Business Share Their Stories

Tis the season for all things barbecue! And to get you into the grilling spirit, we caught up with a few of Central Virginia’s pros.
So pour yourself a cold drink and fire up the grill, as you read about how these guys got started and how they create such great tasting ’cue.

Benjamin McGehee
Benjamin’s Great Cows & Crabs

Benjamin McGehee, a Forest native, has been the proud owner of Benjamin’s Great Cows & Crabs in Forest for almost 15 years.
Ben is a self-taught pitmaster—he learned through a lot of experimenting, research, tasting, and trial and error. For his family, preparing high-quality barbecue starts at home.

“We raise purebred Berkshire hogs on our farm in Goode. We use the meat for sausage, country ham and barbecue,” he says. “It is important to me to know where the animals come from and what they’ve been fed their entire lives. This ensures ‘clean’ quality pork.”

Ben has smoked many proteins and vegetables over the years—everything from seafood to wild game. But he personally prefers to barbecue the “tougher” cuts because “it takes an art and science to achieve an enjoyable outcome.”

“I think barbecue has been around since people introduced food to fire. The game constantly is changing as people introduce new flavors and techniques every day,” he explained.

Ben says nowadays people are also using smoked meats and vegetables in every application from tacos and salads to sandwiches and even desserts. And while he has seen a lot of Middle Eastern and Asian flavors introduced recently, Ben says he has also noticed people going back to their roots and keeping things simple.

“Simplicity in preparation techniques, using local ingredients, and not over complicating the process. Low and slow works,” he says.

On The Menu
The menu at Benjamin’s is exciting to peruse each time I visit and it never disappoints. The smoked pork shoulder, smoked angus beef eye of round that is thinly sliced for the French Dip, the Country Ham and the Pork Chops are all popular choices.

If your mouth isn’t already watering, go ahead and dig into one of the many homemade sides. Pick your poison from Cowboy beans, Southern-style creamed corn, smoked greens, coleslaw, house made chips, or smoked Gouda mac-n-cheese.

If you can, and I recommend you do, save room for dessert made fresh daily and from scratch by Ben’s mom, “Mama Sue.” His favorites include the banana pudding, cobblers, pies and homemade ice cream.

Did You Know?
Ben is having another smoker custom made that will allow three times the production to help keep up with the growing demand for BBQ.

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RUFUS RUCKER & Josh Read
Fifth & Federal Station

Fifth & Federal Station is the newest barbecue joint in town and is already making a name for itself by offering delicious food, creative cocktails, and a unique atmosphere.

One of the restaurant’s four partners, Josh Read, says he was first introduced to good, slow smoked barbecue about 15 years ago by Rufus Rucker in Amherst.

“I had tried barbecue in the past but none left an impression on me quite like his,” Josh explained.

Rufus is now the restaurant’s head chef and carries out Josh and the other owners’ culinary vision. At their restaurant, barbecue is a form of artistic expression.

“A properly slow smoked piece of meat fresh off the cooker is impossible to replicate in any other culinary form. Good, moist barbecue is an art form that can stand alone without the need to cover its rich slow smoked flavors with toppings and bread,” Josh says.

“It’s authentic—slow cooked, slow smoked. Great barbecue can’t be rushed,” Rufus explains. “A blend of unique spices gives my barbecue a one-of-a-kind flavor and sets it apart from all the others.”

They smoke pork, beef, wings…even their own aged White Vermont cheddar that comes on a Charcuterie Tray. All of their meats smoke anywhere from eight to 15 hours.

“We source our hickory wood locally and are looking into a few local providers for meat,” Josh says.

For those looking to improve their barbecue game, Josh says keep an eye on technology. “There are a lot of new inexpensive smokers and wireless tools that allow temperature controls and other gadgets that send data to your cell phone. They sort of fool proof the barbecue process so that you can turn it on and get a consistent result without watching it constantly,” he explained.

“There are a lot of new injectable flavor enhancing items that come out every year as well.”

On The Menu
The ribs and pulled pork are their most popular items, but the slow cooked beef brisket is starting to catch up. The Combo Platter is Josh’s favorite because it allows you to enjoy all of their meats.

On two recent visits, I had the pulled pork with a side of coleslaw, green beans and hush puppies. The pulled pork was second to none—served with the sauce on the side (AMEN!). The pork was juicy but then had bites of crispy, bacon-like textures throughout. The green beans had a little bit of a kick and the coleslaw was traditional and a nice cool accompaniment to the meal. Not usually a hush puppy kind of girl, I had no problem eating both of the two, dripping with honey, which came with my meal.

For your sweet tooth, the Bourbon Street Beignets with bourbon sauce and house smoked crumbled bacon on top is completely irresistible.

Did You Know?
Fifth & Federal is working on plans to build a stage for live music on their front yard.

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Bill Dawson
Pok-E-Joe’s

Since 2011 owner Bill Dawson has been tucked into the Boonsboro Shopping Center serving Texas-style ’cue to guests at the bar, tables, and an outdoor patio.

Bill got his start in the barbecue world about 15 years ago creating all of his own recipes through a lot of trial and error. Then six years ago, he bought the restaurant from a man who trained him in Texas-style barbecue techniques. Since then Bill says he has “never looked back!” And business has been steady, if not booming.

“Barbecue definitely has a growing following of barbecue lovers!” he says.

For those who don’t know the difference, a Texas-style sauce is more tomato based than vinegar based, like you would see in North Carolina, and not as sweet as sauces from Tennessee or Kansas City. Bill says they smoke their meats, particularly beef brisket, which is a Texas favorite, using sweet hickory wood for up to 16 hours.

“What sets us apart is our attention to detail and staying true to our Texas barbecue roots, even though I do make a North Carolina sauce for those in the area that prefer the vinegar-based sauce,” Bill says.

His passion for his final product is evident as he kindly boasts, “We strive to simply have the best hickory smoked meats in Lynchburg. I feel that turning out great smoked meats is an art form and every step of the process affects the taste.”

On The Menu
My first experience eating at Pok-E-Joe’s was the night before Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was an odd night to go out to dinner and nosh on smoked meat, mac and cheese, and hush puppies but it was flavorful and memorable!

They smoke everything—from beef brisket to ribs and occasionally chicken (upon request).

“My favorite at the moment would be our burnt ends. They are smoked brisket, the point removed (it is marbled like a ribeye steak), seasoned once more and smoked for 3 more hours!” Bill explained.

Currently customers are ordering the brisket and pork most regularly. They are also delving deep into the macaroni and cheese, fresh hand cut flat fries, house made coleslaw, and hushpuppies.

When you finish up your sweet tea and brisket, the homemade banana pudding is the perfect finish to the meal.

Did You Know?
Pok-E-Joe’s has a food truck that can be found at Food Truck Thursdays and other local events around town.

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One on One with Tuffy Stone
Let me introduce you to our favorite Lynchburg-bred BBQ celebrity in one sentence, straight from his website: “Tuffy Stone is a classically-trained French chef, television personality, and accomplished pitmaster who can be considered the most successful guy on the competitive barbecue circuit over the last few years.” He even has a new book coming out next spring.

Wow! Not to mention, he is incredibly nice and took the time to answer a few burning questions I had about cooking on the grill.

Rachel Dalton: First things first, do we need to have an expensive grill?
Tuffy Stone: It is not necessary to have an expensive grill to cook great food, because there are some well-made grills that do not cost a lot of money.

RD: So what does matter when buying a grill?
TS: What does matter is that you learn how to cook on your grill or cooker. If buying a gas grill, I recommend choosing one that has more than one burner and more than one gas control knob, so that you can cook using the two-zone method. This is where you have a hot zone and a cooler zone. This is great method for cooking meats that require a long time to cook to tender, such as a brisket or ribs. You can place the meat on the hot zone to sear or brown, and then move to the cooler side and continue to cook until tender with less worry of scorching. This is done on a gas grill by turning one burner on and cutting off the other. On a charcoal grill, you set it up two-zone by placing hot coals on half of the bottom and no coals on the other half.

When deciding on which grill or cooker to buy, you should take into consideration how much meat you will want to cook and pick one that has the capacity to handle that quantity.

RD: But what is your preference?
TS: I prefer to cook with charcoal and wood, not only because of the flavors I get but also because I enjoy the process. If you don’t want to tend a fire with your grill or cooker, then a gas grill or a pellet cooker might be a better choice for you and may cost a bit more.

My daily grill at home is the Primo Ceramic Grill and is very versatile, so I can grill and cook low and slow.

RD: Do you have any go-to marinades we can make at home for specific proteins?
TS: Marinades, mops, brines, and sprays are all great ways to add both flavor and moisture to meats when cooking on a grill or cooker. I really like to add moisture to meats like ribs, brisket or pork shoulder because they take so many hours to cook and applying a mop or spray helps the texture of the outside of the meat. A high-quality apple juice is what I often spray on my meats while they are cooking. Brines are a great way to bring flavor deep inside the meat and are flavored liquids that you soak your meat in. Brines contain salt so it is important to understand how long to soak your meat and how your other seasonings will work with your brine, so that you don’t create a product that is too salty.

RD: What do we need to remember with marinades?
TS: Many contain some type of oil like olive oil and some type of acid like red wine vinegar or lemon juice. Herbs and spices will also be a part of a marinade and with these mixed together provide a nice complementary flavor to meats, seafood and vegetables when marinated for a period of time and grilled. I am a big fan of soy sauce-based marinades, but watch carefully on the grill because they can burn if they are too hot for too long. One of my favorites is equal parts of soy sauce and Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine) with lots of chopped fresh garlic and black peppercorns.

RD: Oh! Thank you for sharing that! What about a dry rub?
TS: Dry rubs are pretty common for barbecue recipes and I often put dry rubs on pork shoulders, pork ribs, briskets and chicken. A key consideration for using rubs on meat is how long in advance of cooking do we apply [them]. Most rubs contain salt and given enough time, salt will cure meat. I want a rub to be on a meat long enough to develop a good flavor without curing the meat. Typically I let a rub sit on ribs for one hour before cooking and with big cuts of meat like a brisket or a pork shoulder, I season the night before cooking or seven to eight hours.

RD: Got it. When would you use a marinade versus a dry rub?
TS: I usually only marinate meats that don’t take a lot of time to cook on the grill. So steaks, chops, fish and chicken are great choices for a marinade.

RD: What are some things we can barbecue at home that aren’t “conventional”?
TS: I just finished a cookbook, which comes out next spring, and it includes grilled vegetables, seafood, game, pork, beef and poultry. I have a great grilled corn recipe and the char from the fire adds a nice touch. The most interesting thing we grilled for the book was probably grapes as part of a salad. They taste really good!

RD: Grilled grapes! They sound amazing! Can you share with us any other tricks of the trade?
TS: The “Texas Crutch” is a huge trick to making better barbecue. Once a meat like a brisket has cooked long enough to have a beautiful mahogany brown color with great smoke flavor, but is still not tender, you wrap the meat in aluminum foil or butcher paper and then return to the cooker, and continue to cook until done.

I usually cook a brisket or a pork shoulder for 4 hours on my cooker at 275 degrees and then wrap and cook until tender. This technique will help prevent over smoking and help produce a more moist product. This is great for better ribs as well. Two hours unwrapped at 275 degrees and two hours wrapped for large spare ribs.

RD: I am definitely trying this! Is there anything else you want our home BBQers to know about you or barbecue in general?
TS: I really could go on for days!

Local senior living facilities offer a plethora of dining options

There are some assumptions or stereotypes about senior living facilities. One of them—the food is bland and the choices are limited. But seniors at The Summit, Westminster Canterbury and The Williams Home would disagree; each offers a range of options for residents to enjoy.

The Summit
The Summit, which opened in 2003, is home to approximately 275 seniors at various levels of care: independent living, assisted living, long-term care and rehabilitation. The 143-acre campus is complete with an 8.5-acre lake, walking trails, benches, a gazebo, dock and, best of all, top-notch dining options.

At The Summit, residents are served a restaurant-style dinner Monday through Saturday, complete with a seasonal menu and daily specials.

“Residents come in, and they order off a menu,” said Brenda Dixon, marketing director. They try to offer a variety of options that will satisfy all of their residents.

“Our Sunday Brunch Buffet is extremely popular, and many residents host family and friends for brunch on Sundays,” said Mary Margaret Little, director of dining services for dining service management company Meriwether Godsey at The Summit. Their current menu features grilled salmon with apple chutney and a harvest salad made from locally-grown hydroponic greens, roasted butternut squash, diced local apples, quinoa, toasted walnuts and apple cider vinaigrette. Grilled chicken can be added to the salad upon request.

“One of Meriwether Godsey’s Core Values is ‘Embrace Fresh, Local, Scratch.’ This includes incorporating current trends in food as well as presentation and style and trying to make sure our choices are seasonal,” Little said. “We believe that good food should also be fun!”

They have partnered with Homestead Creamery to offer fresh, local milk and ice cream on a daily basis to their residents, both in the dining room or delivered directly to their door.
“Recently, Homestead representatives brought two of their calves, Butter and Pecan, to visit The Summit, along with samples of their wonderful egg nog, custard, ice creams and milk,” Little said. “The calves were even decked out with Santa hats!”

Typically, all the food can be made to order, and food allergies are accommodated.

“We work really hard to meet people’s dietary needs,” Dixon said. “Even in independent living there are a lot of allergies, so they’ll offer gluten free options…They really can do most any dishes to order, which I think is really nice.”

The Williams Home
Nestled on six acres in a residential area off Langhorne Road, The Williams Home provides independent, residential and assisted living facilities
for women. Their core values are courtesy, dignity and respect, while giving residents comfort, security and enjoyable daily activities. The dining staff at The Williams Home strives to provide delicious, healthy meals daily that will satisfy everyone.

“We offer a food meeting to our residents to voice their opinion on their likes and dislikes on the menus,” said Denise Dombroski, director. “We incorporate their ideas.” This leads to diversity on the menus; they change every week. Dombroski says the ladies’ favorite dishes include meat loaf, oysters, prime rib and mashed potatoes. They also enjoy the salad bar.

Focusing on the health of residents, each quarter a dietitian visits The Williams Home and reviews their menu options. They also strive to always include healthy alternatives on their menu.

“We cater to our residents’ special diets and special food requests,” Dombroski said.

Dining rooms are designed to have an elegant, sophisticated feel, and private dining rooms are available for special occasions.

Westminster Canterbury
Westminster Canterbury is a life plan community that serves over 400 residents at various levels of care. The dining service staff strives to provide popular, trendy meals that satisfy everyone. For independent living residents, there are three dining options offered.

The Westminster Dining Room is a formal dining room open seven days a week. The Canterbury Café operates six days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is opened for dinner on Sundays. The café offers plate selections, including two or three entrées to choose from, and a variety of sides. The café also hosts a deli station where sandwiches can be made to order, a soup and salad station, and a grill with hamburgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs and other typical grill items. And let’s not forget a dessert station complete with fresh fruit and a variety of ice cream. Finally, the beverage station provides fountain drinks and specialty coffees.

“The café also serves our employees…not only residents,” said Debbie Callahan, vice president. Visitors also enjoy dining at the café.

“Families who come to visit, or just people from the greater Lynchburg community who may be visiting someone who lives here at Westminster Canterbury (as long as they are a guest of resident), can come and enjoy any of our dining options,” Callahan said.

The third option for residents is the James River Grille.
“To me it kind of reminds me of a men’s grille in a country club or golf club,” said Michael DeWinter, dining services operations manager. “It’s a more intimate atmosphere.” Not only do they offer different lunch and dinner menus but they also change the menus seasonally and offer breakfast on weekends.

“For our assisted living residents we have another dining room,” DeWinter said. “It’s a smaller, more intimate dining area, but it’s really nice.” The dining room has a buffet, but servers are also available to assist residents if they choose.

The menus at Westminster Canterbury change every five weeks and every season.

“We don’t take off the popular items, like the grilled burger or mac ’n’ cheese,” DeWinter said. Their winter menu this year includes a salmon dish and a Cuban sandwich.

“We go through a lot of salmon,” DeWinter said. “Salmon is very popular here.” The salmon is brought in fresh multiple times each week, and they fillet it by hand.

During the spring or summer, they often serve lighter options such as a blueberry salad or a strawberry pecan salad.

“We’re very sensitive to bringing in as many fresh fruits and vegetables from the local area as much as possible,” Callahan said. The majority of the food served is fresh and made from scratch.

“All of our soups are made fresh every morning,” DeWinter said. Nearly 98 percent of the baked goods are also made on-site.

“We’re so interested in healthy, fresh and local, we even have a farm that comes every Thursday and sets up a little farmer’s market in our lobby for the residents to buy produce,” DeWinter said.

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By Megan L. Horst

While retail arteries like Timberlake and Wards roads pump economic lifeblood through the city, the heart of Lynchburg culture beats downtown.

An influx of young professionals—post-college aged (22-29) make up for 10 percent of the city’s population, as reported by The Roanoke Times, while births have outnumbered deaths by over 1,000 since 2010—is adding a fresh spike of vibrancy to the community, which was named one of the 25 best places to retire by Forbes in 2012.

Rather than quell one another, however, the older and younger crowds complement one another, creating a cultural melting pot.

“We are still working on developing our personality,” said Ashley Kershner, executive director of Lynch’s Landing. “And that’s OK. What was once viewed as a boring, conservative town is now a growing, quirky, friendly, lovely place.”

Though half of the current downtown residents are 18-34, older individuals and retirees are moving downtown at an increasing rate.

“Older Americans are more active and healthy than ever,” Kershner said.

Knowing how important downtown is to the cultural identity, and economic livelihood, of the community, Lynchburg is committed to investing in that scene.
“A healthy, successful and thriving downtown is essential to a successful city,” Kershner said.

Over the past 20 years, Lynchburg has invested well over $1 million in infrastructure, including Monument Terrace, Riverfront Park and the lower Bluffwalk.

“These public spaces provide essential gathering places and encourage people to spend time in shared space,” Kershner said.

This revitalization effort has gained traction in the past five years as new lofts and condos have drawn more residents, and, in turn, more businesses, downtown.

With the new Academy Center of Arts on the horizon, Kershner hopes to see more locally-owned businesses continue to occupy vacant spaces, and continue to shape the landscape, and personality, as Lynchburg grows.

“Locally-owned businesses are the heart of downtown and are the creators of our urban identity,” Kershner said.

“If our downtown was filled with (national chains) there would be nothing that made it special. But for those who visit downtown, we develop a true connection with these businesses and the experiences we have at them.

“There is a lot of love in these businesses, a lot of heart. And we feel a part of that.”

Restaurants play a crucial role in a successful downtown culture, attracting visitors, bringing people downtown and giving urbanites options on where to walk to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

As the revitalization boom continues, here is a look at some recent restaurant openings and what their owners hope to add to the growing Hill City culture.

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Fifth & Federal Station
Here’s to our roots
An old Esso Station off the roundabout at 801 Fifth Street has been reconstructed and reimagined as a smokehouse and whiskey bar—Fifth & Federal Station.

Josh Read, a part-owner along with Travis Hundt, Ralph Beck, and Erich Lebeau, said that the project, which was set to open in early November, is intended to be a destination spot—one that celebrates the city’s heritage.

“We want to play into that Lynchburg culture, bring back some of that history and help to educate people about how important Lynchburg is to whiskey and to bourbon,” Read said, noting that pre-prohibition Lynchburg (which pre-dates its Tennessee counterpart) had seven distilleries.

The station’s rustic design includes several historic artifacts, including hand-blown glass bottles over a century old and an ABC license from 1875.

“It’s like a museum of sorts,” Read added, noting many antique items are incorporated into the décor, such as a giant airplane propeller turned ceiling fan. The bar, still bearing original blacksmith’s nails, was floated to town in the 1850s on bateaus. Also featured are some classic cars, including a 1975 Chevy Bel Air that was at one time serviced at the station.

The restaurant’s Southern fare, including burgers and barbeque smoked in-house—as well as smoked bacon and cheddar—is artful in its own sense, a balance of the daring sensibilities of the owners and the traditional craft of the acclaimed “Chef Rufus Rucker.”

And the selection of over 100 whiskeys and bourbons is sure to draw connoisseurs both local and beyond.

Fifth & Federal also has plenty of its own parking and a spacious green area for outdoor events.

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Bootleggers
Kickin’ it on the Bluffwalk
Facing the Bluffwalk from behind Shay’s Unique Gifts at 13th and Commerce streets is the home of Bootleggers, which was set to kick into gear mid-November. It’s a burgers and beer joint with a robust bourbon selection.

The restaurant marks a partnership between two Lynchburg shakers—Steve Parry, owner of downtown hotspots like Waterstone, Shoemakers and El Jéfe Taqueria Garaje, and Mark Borel, a developer/builder who is a part owner of Neighbor’s Place in Wyndhurst, which, along with Cornerstone, he partnered to develop.

Borel said his business philosophy is collaborative rather than competitive. The idea behind Bootleggers was a restaurant that could complement the offerings already available downtown—giving patrons something different, another destination among several great options.

As a downtown dweller for 20 years, Borel loves seeing the downtown lifestyle getting a boost—and doing his part to encourage that with Bootleggers and a condominium project that sold out 21 units before even breaking ground. (He’s also currently building a new home in the same complex as the restaurant.)
“I am all about people having options,” he said. “With the revitalization there are more and more reasons to go downtown.”

In the future, Borel is hoping to see improvements to mass transit in the downtown area. Though there are spaces, many don’t seem to like looking for them. He thinks that parking lot shuttles could improve that. He is also co-charing a committee looking into making the river visible from the Bluffwalk (without compromising the integrity of its banks).

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Emerald Stone Grille/Dublin 3 Coffeehouse
Flavor for downtown life
In November, Keith Sweeney and his wife Adrienne were expected to open the Emerald Stone Grille at 1001 Jefferson Street, as well as Dublin 3 Coffeehouse right next door.

The restaurant is a unique hybrid of modern American, Southern and European cuisine, helmed by a Manhattan French Culinary Institute-trained chef, Mick Markley. Emerald Stone includes a house-crafted fried chicken, with a special flair unlike anything else in town, in addition to steaks, shepherd’s pie (adding some Irish charm) and more.

With outside seating plus room for around 150 in the restaurant, and nearly 50 in the coffee shop, the location has plenty of room, which should draw guests from all over town.

But one of the unique advantages to the location is the nearly 60 lofts above it, with plenty more urban housing options popping up in the area lately.

Sweeney has noticed the boom in downtown living and wanted to elevate that lifestyle by adding some unique flavors to the urbanite’s diverse palates.
“We want to tap into what is going on down there … it is a great place (to live),” Sweeney said.

Dining elevates the social scene, offering gathering places—and there’s no better atmosphere to strengthen personal bonds than around great food (or coffee).

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The Water Dog
All play and no work
Early in September, a new pub made a splash on Jefferson Street (1016 to be exact), tapping into the qualities that make Lynchburg unique while also adding something fresh and new to the scene.

“A water dog, a Labrador, when they are out there working, they literally don’t know the difference between work and play,” said owner Dave Henderson.

“We wanted to create an establishment that held that same philosophy.”

The craft beer scene is highly social, he added.

“You show up with a couple of your friends and by the time you leave you’ve made a bunch of new friends.”

A 36-line draught line fuels the taphouse, while a simple, fresh menu lends to the atmosphere.

There are plenty of chef-crafted items that are snackable and sharable, as well as burgers and other handhelds, shrimp tacos, seasonal salads, a kid’s menu and oysters, another unique draw to the spot.

For dessert, warm, house-made chocolate chip cookies are available.

Facing the splash park, The Water Dog seeks to help shape the new Lynchburg culture—vibrant, social and relaxed. The restaurant has a “garage” lounge with a massive projector screen, a ping-pong table, a chalkboard for guests to showcase artistic expression and a patio with couches and TVs.

“Downtown has got so much opportunity,” Henderson said, casting some of his vision for the future. “I’d love for the city to turn (Riverfront Park) from a passive park into an active park. We’d like them to build some sand volleyball courts, so we can really cultivate a fun atmosphere for young professionals to come and play.

“I know it has already been doing that, (but) it feels like downtown Lynchburg is on the cusp of becoming a true destination, one that puts its mark on the map. It really just feels like now is the right time.”

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By Drew Menard

The City’s First Makerspace

There is a feeling in the air at Vector Space, though not definable at first. Stepping into its recently leased home at 402 Fifth Street in downtown Lynchburg, the sensation hovers silent, a background tingle, as one takes in the atmosphere—the smell of sawdust lingering in the air and the hum of old computers given new life complementing the aged, industrial aesthetic: open ceilings crawling with pipes and ductwork, whitewashed brick walls and concrete floors bathed in white fluorescent rays.

Across the approximately 6,000-square-foot workspace, shelves are lined with wood, metal and electronic contraptions in various stages of completion, just beyond workbenches and pegboards carrying an abundance tools. Whiteboards display scribblings over erased scribblings: notes, equations and 3D drawings. A lounge features a collection of old couches and books. In the corner, a homemade, retro-style arcade emulates a nostalgia dressed in frayed denim and highlighter-colored accessories.

While a lethargic spirit might dismiss the whole scene as a grungy junkyard garage, one might just as easily see a limitless playground.

From the back, where metalworking equipment fills the space off a loading zone, complete with a large bay door, Adam Spontarelli, Vector Space co-founder and director of education, emerges, wiping his previously occupied hands before extending one for a warm greeting. His wife, Elise Spontarelli, the space’s executive director and co-founder, soon joins him in sitting amongst desks littered with fat monitors, rectangular PCs, resistors, LEDs and circuit boards.
As the two begin sharing the story of how the nonprofit got started—occasionally finishing one another’s sentences—that lingering feeling surfaces, from time to time, flashing in their eyes.

Vector Space started rather simply—Adam, an engineer, wanted a makerspace in Lynchburg, and, since it didn’t have one, he and his wife decided to create one. The concept of a makerspace—or a hackerspace or hacklab—is relatively new, about a decade old, and is essentially a workspace for the community to come in to collaborate and socialize around common interests like computers, woodworking, art and more.

“(Vector Space) helps to bring together like-minded, hands-on people,” said Board Member Peter Sheldon, Department of Physics chair and Center for Student Research director at Randolph College. “It is a space for the technical and creative to come together and create and share with the community. Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) and outreach is my specialty, and Vector Space really helps to promote both of these really well.”

In its conception, “It was just a place that (Adam) wanted to hang out, and it didn’t exist,” Elise said. “When we started talking about it it, the things that he was not sure about were the things that I have experience with.”

Elise owns her own web design company and works with a number of nonprofits (through her business and as a volunteer).

The idea was further validated as it was brought forth.

“We just started meeting with people in the community to see if this was necessary, if Lynchburg wanted this,” Elise said. “We got a lot of yeses—‘Our people need this.’”

From there they assembled a seven-member board of directors (including the Spontarellis) and began fundraising (Areva has been a major supporter).
The first official test run was a class held in a basement classroom at the Academy Center of the Arts. It involved building a quadcopter drone from scratch.

Among the students was Nathan Marraccini, a rising junior at E.C. Glass High School.

“It has been a wonderful experience where I have gained mass amounts of knowledge,” Marraccini said of his involvement at Vector Space. “Throughout my time here I have learned how to solder, weld, program and much more.”

Most recently, Marraccini was a part of one of two Vector Space teams that took on the annual Global Space Balloon Challenge. Teams from all over the world build their own capsules and send them into space via a weather balloon. Teams then track their capsule and find where it landed.

After launching on May 29, Marraccini’s team, called “No Strings Attached,” retrieved their capsule—an R2-D2 bot with a sign for a potential discoverer reading “NOT AN ALIEN” followed by contact information—from Lexington.

“I was super psyched about this project because my dream is to one day go to space,” he said.

Vector Space occupied the Fifth Street property—a former auto parts manufacturing warehouse—in February and has since commenced establishing itself in the community.

There are two primary functions of the space. The first is membership; like a gym, members can pay a monthly fee for 24/7 access to the space. (Training is required before being allowed to use certain equipment.)

“Initially,” recounts Jordan Goulder, “I wanted to become a member so that I would have a space and equipment to explore my own projects and hobbies.
“I have found that and much more.”

He said the space not only has a plethora of tools and resources for diverse projects, but he has also been able to meet “great people” and collaborate with them on fun projects.

Members are free to come and go as they please, working on their personal projects or, as is oft encouraged, collaborating in groups.
All of the basic supplies and components, such as scrap wood, screws, nails, circuit boards, LEDs, etc., are on-hand. There are currently about 25 members.
The other aspect is classes, which are either skills-based, like computer programming, screen printing or photography, or project-based, like the quadcopter and space balloon.

Anyone with a passion and knowledge can pitch a class. The instructor develops their own budget and curriculum. Half the profit goes to the instructor while the rest is invested back into the space. Classes span from four to eight weeks and typically meet two times per week for two to three hours at a time.

Most classes offer a scholarship slot, just as some generous individuals choose to sponsor a membership, helping everyone, regardless of their resources, to benefit from the space.

Students have been the largest demographic in classes, though most are open to anyone 12 and up, with a hope to see more adults getting involved.
“Everyone knows their kids need to be learning,” Elise said. “(But) it has been hard to get people in the community to understand the value in improving themselves.

“(Adam and I) are both advocates of lifelong learning. We are self-taught in a lot of fields, and it is just something that we believe enriches lives.”
The couple has built a number of items over the years, like toys for their two kids, appliances and even the arcade in the lounge. (The video game doesn’t work currently, they explain, though they are sure that it is an easy fix, something jarred loose when moving in.)

They realize that everyone is not going to build their own computer. But the Spontarellis know that the more people are willing to engage their minds, to learn a new skill or tackle a new project, the more vital they and, in turn, society will be.

“If you are going to make anything new you have to understand how it works,” Adam said. “Maybe it never improves the economy, but I do think that it will bring joy to the person. There is empowerment when you can do something yourself, when you can fix your own car. And in the end there is still tangible value for that person. If you can fix your computer rather than throwing it in the trash can and buying a new one…” “… it saves you money, it saves the environment,” Elise added. Many, when faced with a problem, may just turn around.

A makerspace helps reinforce the mindset that you can be a part of the solution, even if it is just identifying the problem and then working with others to solve it.

“This is a place to come and play,” Elise said. “And to be useful, too. There is a lot of value when you can come in here and create something.”

“It is an outlet for creativity,” Adam added, pointing out the added benefit of community.

People can tinker at home. But, “Learning from each other, pushing each other forward,” he said, “you can get so much more done together than you could alone.”

Vector Space is not an inventors club—it is designed for anyone to come and flex their creativity in a number of areas. A closet space is being converted into a darkroom. There’s a 3D printer as well as a textiles area. Elise has led a screen-printing class (showcased in June during Innovation Week).
“Everyone can be creative and learn something new,” Adam said.

“You don’t have to be artistic, you don’t have to be an engineer,” Elise added.

Adam continued that some may feel intimidated, that they don’t know much—or anything—about electronics, soldering, woodwork, etc., and fear they won’t fit in.

“We make a concerted effort to encourage learning and to emphasize that you are not expected to know everything,” he said. “No one knows everything so you are not going to be ridiculed for not knowing something.”

“If you are interested,” Elise said, intentionally punctuating the thought there, “then this is a place for you.”

Stepping out of Vector Space, back into Lynchburg’s modest cityscape, that aforementioned feeling rushes back in force, like the open Central Virginia air.
It feels like inspiration.

Learn more at Vector-Space.org.