Still Serving...
Va. Historical Society and Urban Explorers: Listen Up! 88 Years Still Serving The Farm!
He's what you'd call a barn cat. Not well trained when it comes to the litter, survives off of the occasional mouse and otherwise earns his keep being kind to those who stop by or are passing through. Willy is the cat's name and his made-to-last-like-a-barn home is no barn at all. The Ashland Feed store is what you historical buffs and urban explorers would call a step back in time.
Looking at its cinder-block enclosed front porch the place is unassuming and seems small. Step in though and find yourself in the truth-be-told cobblers dream! What I mean to say is that this building packs well over 5000 sq feet of store and storage in beyond that 12 by 12 antique porch.
What's more, you get the smell and the feeling of down-home comfort and good ol' traditional values when you walk into the place. The owner, Danny, doesn't just own it; he works this humble store and has been working it now since before he owned it.
A true story of stock boy gone to college becomes owner is this son of a preacher-man's tale and he never has too little time to sit down and tell you all about it. As a matter of fact, he prides himself on his store's philosophy and policy. Friendly service is what they'll give you there; plenty of it, and as was the tradition when the barn called Ashland Feed opened for business in 1918 it still is the case today.
Danny loves to talk you through anything you could need for a farm or garden, finding the right product and the right price is what I found him doing every time I tried to interview him for this article. We'll always carry your purchase to you car if you need it. We sell a lot of heavy stuff here and that's part of our service." He said.
Walking around the store it was hard to notice everything on sale from the inflatable chicken, empty egg cartons, Bear-trap style rat-traps and poison, to feed, seed, salt-licks, medicated cow rubs and goat-skin gloves, trash-can's equestrian -- Everything and so on. It was hard to notice it all because I kept staring at the floor and the ceiling and the structural integrity of this beautiful building.
Its tin roof on antique fire-ravaged beams and recent repairs that kept in tradition with the original construction of the building - all of it was beautiful. You don't, you just don't find a building like this standing anymore.
Ashland is a town that is itself a step back in time. And Ashland Feed is one of only three stores still remaining that are still the same store it was when it was constructed and opened. "It is hard to get a loan with a worthless old building like this for collateral" Danny said when he spoke with me about how business is slow and how it's hard to get the money for repairs.
The floors are worn down between knots and the tin roof is rusting through in places. And I suppose this is my plea to all of you who know better. This building is an antique with a heritage and a tradition. It is a landmark and should be in the historical registry. It is, after all, almost one hundred years old!
Ashland Feed needs to be saved and federal funding for restoration is "something I really can't say I know much about." said Danny when I asked him if he's considered it. He wants to keep his building as well as he can but the weather and time are doing their thing and Danny is fighting well enough.
With loyal clientele and the best old time service a person could ask for, Danny can cater to any need his customers may have and will. Meanwhile he needs help from those who know better than he in legal government matters. The cat can't take care of all the rats coming from the Ironhorse across the street, so he keeps his rat poison on the bottom shelf while telling us Willy's "probably off napping somewhere."
We all need a little help, even the mouser, public relations extraordinaire, who was himself a Hanover Humane society rescue so many years ago. No longer piddling on the floor he fills a traditional role in this historical building with a tradition of service and a far overlooked heritage of pure, out-dated, beautiful history.
~Shannon
He's what you'd call a barn cat. Not well trained when it comes to the litter, survives off of the occasional mouse and otherwise earns his keep being kind to those who stop by or are passing through. Willy is the cat's name and his made-to-last-like-a-barn home is no barn at all. The Ashland Feed store is what you historical buffs and urban explorers would call a step back in time.
Looking at its cinder-block enclosed front porch the place is unassuming and seems small. Step in though and find yourself in the truth-be-told cobblers dream! What I mean to say is that this building packs well over 5000 sq feet of store and storage in beyond that 12 by 12 antique porch.
What's more, you get the smell and the feeling of down-home comfort and good ol' traditional values when you walk into the place. The owner, Danny, doesn't just own it; he works this humble store and has been working it now since before he owned it.
A true story of stock boy gone to college becomes owner is this son of a preacher-man's tale and he never has too little time to sit down and tell you all about it. As a matter of fact, he prides himself on his store's philosophy and policy. Friendly service is what they'll give you there; plenty of it, and as was the tradition when the barn called Ashland Feed opened for business in 1918 it still is the case today.
Danny loves to talk you through anything you could need for a farm or garden, finding the right product and the right price is what I found him doing every time I tried to interview him for this article. We'll always carry your purchase to you car if you need it. We sell a lot of heavy stuff here and that's part of our service." He said.
Walking around the store it was hard to notice everything on sale from the inflatable chicken, empty egg cartons, Bear-trap style rat-traps and poison, to feed, seed, salt-licks, medicated cow rubs and goat-skin gloves, trash-can's equestrian -- Everything and so on. It was hard to notice it all because I kept staring at the floor and the ceiling and the structural integrity of this beautiful building.
Its tin roof on antique fire-ravaged beams and recent repairs that kept in tradition with the original construction of the building - all of it was beautiful. You don't, you just don't find a building like this standing anymore.
Ashland is a town that is itself a step back in time. And Ashland Feed is one of only three stores still remaining that are still the same store it was when it was constructed and opened. "It is hard to get a loan with a worthless old building like this for collateral" Danny said when he spoke with me about how business is slow and how it's hard to get the money for repairs.
The floors are worn down between knots and the tin roof is rusting through in places. And I suppose this is my plea to all of you who know better. This building is an antique with a heritage and a tradition. It is a landmark and should be in the historical registry. It is, after all, almost one hundred years old!
Ashland Feed needs to be saved and federal funding for restoration is "something I really can't say I know much about." said Danny when I asked him if he's considered it. He wants to keep his building as well as he can but the weather and time are doing their thing and Danny is fighting well enough.
With loyal clientele and the best old time service a person could ask for, Danny can cater to any need his customers may have and will. Meanwhile he needs help from those who know better than he in legal government matters. The cat can't take care of all the rats coming from the Ironhorse across the street, so he keeps his rat poison on the bottom shelf while telling us Willy's "probably off napping somewhere."
We all need a little help, even the mouser, public relations extraordinaire, who was himself a Hanover Humane society rescue so many years ago. No longer piddling on the floor he fills a traditional role in this historical building with a tradition of service and a far overlooked heritage of pure, out-dated, beautiful history.
~Shannon
posted by Shannon Hollender @ 7:47 AM
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