It’s been said that the difference between tourists and travelers is that tourists are intent on ticking off attractions that guidebooks tell them they must, and travelers want to discover for themselves what makes a destination special.
If you are in the latter category, your best resource is the locals. Who knows a city better than the ones who live there? They know where to find a shopping bargain, and where to locate a hidden gem that those guidebooks sometimes fail to mention.
They certainly know where the best restaurants are, and they can probably even steer you to a great place to spend the night. Should Richmond be in your future travel plans, here’s a look at what the locals recommend.
If you’re starting your day off with a shopping spree, you’ll need some caffeine to fuel you. Where do the locals go for their morning coffee and a bit of gossip with their neighbors?
That would be Purdy’s, a Main Street coffee shop whose motto is “Coffee is our craft. People are our passion.”
Everyone is treated like a local here. The accommodating staff knows that a good cup of coffee is essential to starting off a good day, so they will be ready with a smile and a cup of handcrafted micro-roasted java.
Pick your pleasure – Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Columbian, Sumatran – Purdy’s has all these and more on a rotating basis. Pair it with one of their cinnamon rolls, and you’re set until lunch time.
The Main Street location (they have another on Big Hill Avenue) puts you in walking distance of some of Richmond’s most interesting shops, offering everything from custom-made musical instruments and one-of-a-kind designer apparel to home décor and vintage items.
When it comes to finding that perfect purchase, it sometimes takes a village – in this case Apparitions Vintage Village. Owners Robin and Charlie Sowers and their daughter Allie Hart keep it all in the family here.
The trio even refers to two other family members, Boston Terriers Tater and Wren, as “our unpaid employees.”
This Village is actually two stores separated by an archway – Apparitions and Second & Main, the latter described as a modern mercantile.
The owners’ passion for vintage is apparent in everything from clothing and jewelry to furniture and antiques. They’re equally passionate about local artists, artisans and craftsmen. From a hand-crafted soy candle to an equine painting, you’ll find it here. And their selection of vinyl records is truly epic.
You may be able to buy some music at Apparitions Vintage Village, but you can buy the instruments that make that music at Currier’s Music World.
The West Main Street location may be new – having been open here for just a year – but the Currier family has been supplying Richmond residents with the sounds of music for more than half-a-century.
With her wealth of knowledge and southern hospitality, proprietor Cathy Currier may just sell you an instrument and become your new best friend in the process.
Start with the showroom and its collection of musical instruments. The colorful guitars in all shapes and sizes will reawaken your dreams of being the front man for a classic rock band.
If you’ve already bought your instrument and need repair or custom work done, Currier’s has you covered there as well.
And if you want to hear how well you sound on your newly purchased instrument, take it for a test check in the store’s teaching studio.
“As my dad liked to say, “We are the GP (general practitioner) of the music business. We do it all – sell, repair, teach – you’ll never need another music store,” says Cathy.
Located just next door to Currier’s, Stark Southern Boutique is the kind of apparel shop that a modern Southern Belle hopes to discover. The kind of belle who knows that owner Haley Stark can outfit her in whatever she needs – whether for the boardroom or the ballroom.
Whether today’s belle is looking for yoga pants or tennis shorts, cocktail dresses or ball gowns in sizes ranging from petite to plus, she will find it at Stark Southern Boutique.
After a day of shopping and observing the local scene, it’s time for a little relaxation, and you won’t find a better place to do it than Chenault Vineyards, situated amid 500 acres of lush Kentucky bluegrass.
The terrace overlooking the vineyards makes an ideal spot for watching a blazing sunset, especially when sipping a glass of the winery’s Cabernet Franc. You may be in Kentucky, but the landscape surrounding the winery evokes images of California’s Sonoma Valley.
Andrew Jones, a manager at the winery and a consummate host, explains that Chenault’s vintages range from sweet wines to complex red blends, and that they use grapes both locally grown and from as far away as Chile.
After you’ve toasted the sunset, make your way to the dining area inside the rustic Welcome Center to nosh on a charcuterie board and sip more wine while waiting for your hand-tossed pizza to be delivered tableside.
You’ll leave Chenault Vineyards with the knowledge that Kentucky isn’t just about bourbon.
Want an overnight accommodation that will make you feel like you’re a guest in someone’s well-appointed apartment?
Andrew Jones can help you there as well, as he not only manages a winery, but owns and manages a luxury Air B&B on Richmond’s Main Street.
He calls the 100-year-old restored apartment building The Tenant House, and has named each of the four beautifully decorated and outfitted apartments after a compass direction – North, South, East and West.
Each is associated with an element, and decorated accordingly. North is water and has a shimmering blue color palette. South, with its red and orange color scheme, represents fire. East is air, so the décor is airy with lots of yellow and white, while West is Earth with its mixture of gray, green and brown.
Depending on whether you want to be tethered to the earth or float in the air, whether it’s water or fire that most excites you, The Tenant House can make your dreams a reality.
Speaking for all of his fellow business owners, Jones invites visitors to “shop, play and stay in Richmond.”
To which we can only add……and do it like a local.