Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on November 25, 2020.

Floyd Tourism director Pat Sharkey didn’t want to see the corner of Locust and Main Street be dark for the holiday season. With the recent closing of Farmers Supply store, known for the festive Christmas window displays created by the store’s longtime manager Janice Yearout Patton, Sharkey saw an opportunity to bring some holiday cheer to the community and showcase gift ideas that local businesses offer.

After receiving permission from the building owner to decorate the Farmers Supply windows, Sharkey enlisted the decorating help of some businesses participating in the Tourism Office’s ShopFloydVa, a holiday promotion to support safe shopping that is funded by the Virginia CARES Act, a pandemic employment initiative.

“I don’t know if we can make the windows as amazing as Janice did, but it would break my heart this holiday to see it dark on top of dealing with COVID,” Sharkey said.

“We have over 70 Floyd businesses participating in ShopFloydVa,” Sharkey continued. She explained that the promotion currently offers local shoppers $10 off purchases of $30 or more through December 13 (one promo code LOVEFLOYD10 per customer per business). Local shoppers can go to the shopfloydva.com website, where businesses are listed by categories, and be directed to e-commerce sites. Category choices include Retail Shops, Artisans, Farm and Food, Restaurants and Spirits, Music, Services and Wellness.  Purchases can be curbside delivered or shipped.

Shoppers who sign up for ShopFloydVa E-newsletter at the website will receive updates, ongoing promotions and a chance to eligible for a free drawing chance to win a 2021 Floyd Getaway Package, a $500 value that includes lodging, dining, and retail gift certificates. Winner to be announced January 1, 2021.

On Sunday evening a Floyd local posted on Facebook’s Floyd Group page, “I sure do miss Farmers Supply’s Christmas decorations.” Monday morning, Sharkey and volunteers began decorating to transform the empty windows. Among the strings of lights and sparkling tree ornaments, Stan Spencer and Cameron Callahan prepared the first live Christmas tree, donated by one of the participating tree farms, Maple, Slaughters and Rifton Tree Farms, to go into the window.

Spencer and Callahan are part of the Sacred Star and Stone family, a unique downtown rock shop owned by Katrina Gravely.  “Without Katrina, her holiday love and her decorations, this couldn’t happen,” Sharkey said.

Along with Sacred Star and Stone, the tourism office and town are also partnering with the Floyd Country Store and their annual Gingerbread House Contest, celebrating the artistic skills of Floyd Countians of all ages.  Gina Dilg, who is heading up the contest, is encouraging participants to register online at floydcountrystore.com/event/gingerbread by December 7 and bring their creations to store during business hours before Monday December 12.  The gingerbread houses, which will include a Youth Category, will be voted on by the community, and winners will announced and receive prizes on December 23.  The houses will be displayed at the store and around town, including in the Farmers Supply community decorated windows.

__________Colleen Redman