This month’s Business Profile is going to be a little bit different than those that we have printed over the last 27 years. I wanted to focus a bit on us, The Old Town Crier. While I am sure I will get a few comments about how “self-serving” this may be, I think it is something that our readers would like to know. Bob Tagert and David Underwood started brain storming about the Crier in June of 1987 while consuming a few adult beverages at the then popular Bullfeathers – now the ever popular O’Connell’s – on King Street. With the merging of the Gazette and the Port Packet at the time, the guys thought that Old Town needed its own publication and the brain storming began. David was a graphic artist and Bob was selling insurance at the time so they had the layout and the ad sales all squared away. They were missing someone with some writing talent and ran across a rugby acquaintance of Bobs, George West, who was a technical writer with Pepco. The triangle was complete. Starting out with no business plan, no investment money and a donated printer they pulled together the first issue in David’s dining room and it was published in January 1988 and every month since. There have been several publications over the years that have tried to emulate what we do that haven’t been able to stay the course. It takes a unique skill set to pull off what we do every month! There are many, many funny stories that go along with the first few years at the Crier – some of them we actually couldn’t print in this space – but we will save them for another time. George was invited to leave early on – one of…
As a very pleasant September comes to a close we can begin to bring out the long pants and sweaters…fall is in the air. This fall may be quite unlike any before…we will be watching the Nationals in the post season for the second time in three years, with hopes that they can make it to the World Series. Our other favorite team in Baltimore also has a chance to make it to the World Series, and wouldn’t it be great to see the Nats and O’s battle it out for world champion. No matter what the outcome, the Maryland, Virginia, D.C. and Baltimore areas would come out winners. Worldwide attention would be concentrated here! As the Civil War 150 years later continues, Doug Coleman takes us to Saltville in Smyth County, Virginia. Of critical importance, the salt marshes provided salt to cure and preserve meat…no salt…no meat…you lose the war! Doug also enlightens us to the “dead” who show up and participate in the reenactments…Happy Halloween! While Lori Welch Brown is on her honeymoon, Bonnie Browning is filling in for Single Space. See what Bonnie has to say about the “Love” boat. When Lori returns to writing her monthly article she will be armed with a lot more material as she begins to find out what “Double Space” will be like. Happy anniversary to Landini Brothers Restaurant for 35 years of serving excellent food and drink. Check out our Dining Out column and see why this restaurant has become an Old Town institution. October is also Virginia Wine Month and our Road Trip this month will give you a little of the history of Virginia wines and a little about the wine trails that you can travel. On yet another sad note, our friend Jim Parker passed away in…