It’s a hot summer day in Farmville, but traffic is steady on the city’s main street, and the upscale hotel that opened in 1925 recently had a makeover. It’s now filled with visitors – many coming to shop for furniture that fills old tobacco warehouses.
“If a barn and a cathedral had a baby, it would be one of those. They’re gorgeous. They’re built well, and what do you need to sell furniture? Space and lots of it.”
Den Cralle is President and CEO of Green Front, a family enterprise started by his grandfather. Cralle travels the world, filling those warehouses with furniture from Asia and South America along with products crafted in Amish country, Virginia and North Carolina.
All total, Cralle says, they have nearly a million square feet, giving visitors an immense selection of rugs and other home furnishings.
“When it comes to a product like furniture, it’s a big investment money wise, and I think people want to come here, touch it feel it and then talk to people who know what they’re talking about. If you’re going to buy a sofa for $5,000 it might be worth figuring out – is this right for me?”
Another family-owned enterprise – the Appomattox River Company – is also thriving. Brian Vincent is its general manager.
“So it’s not uncommon to see a utility trailer roll through town, and then when it exits it’s got kayaks and couches on it.”
Business has been especially strong since the pandemic hit, providing people with a safe activity that could relieve stress.
“It’s such a therapeutic activity, and I don’t think people recognize how therapeutic it can be until you put on the water early morning. There’s a fog lifting. You start seeing eagles soaring, fish are jumping, and it’s this really tranquil moment that is hard to get anywhere else.”
The store owns plenty of space for about 2,500 canoes, paddle boards and kayaks.
In addition to the river, Farmville has three state parks that attract visitors according to Prince Edward County Administrator Doug Stanley.
“You have Sailors’ Creek. You have High Bridge, and you have Twin Lakes State Park, and I think we’re uniquely situated not only from Richmond but from Charlottesville and Lynchburg to be able to get some of those day trippers.”
And for those who prefer indoor recreation, there is Mostly Clay, a shop founded by Pam Butler ten years ago. Active in the business community and in local government, she says Farmville is growing and changing in good ways.
“I’ve lived in other small towns in Southside Virginia, and the nice thing about a university town is new ideas continue to flow in, and you don’t so much have: We’ve always done it that way before.”
Hampden-Sydney College and Longwood University enroll about 5,000 students each fall, adding to the city’s resident population of 23,000 and boosting the local economy. Again, the county’s chief executive Doug Stanley.
“You have people walking after 5:30 on Main Street. On Saturday it’s hard to find a parking space on Main Street, and a lot of towns would kill for that.”
But, he adds, Farmville has managed to retain the charm of a small town – something he learned soon after taking a job here.
“In September my wife came down with a really bad case of COVID, and she was in the hospital on a ventilator, and I was amazed at how supportive the community was. For a month or more meals were delivered to our house by people that I’d never met before.”
Last but not least, Farmville benefits from a herd of about a dozen alpacas that have taken up residence nearby. We’ll visit the Bright Eyes Retreat in our next report and introduce you to some truly remarkable beasts.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
