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We
call it “The Little Store That Could” – because in its first life
(from 1986 to 1993) Virginia Born and Bred was a small
Lexington
,
Virginia
enterprise that wasn’t going anywhere fast. When good friends,
Julie Lindsey and Peggy Maass, saw the place, they had the same vision.
They bought it together in 1993, rented the space, and immediately began
to offer unusual gift options for the local populace as well as for
college alumni, students, and the increasing number of visitors to this
small community in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
In
the fall of 1995 the original partners created their first store
catalog (without the aid of a computer!) and in the summer of 1997 they
bought the building and added much needed extra space. “The Little
Store That Could” was catching on fast and earning repeat customers and
many friends. Then tragedy came to set things back with the death of
beloved partner, Peggy Maass, in 2001.
In
memory of Peggy, and not to be undone, Julie kept going, took on new
partners, sold stock in 2004, engaged more help, and continued the
long-time efforts of the store to offer highly personalized services and
to feature the most alluring, useful, and decorative gifts available.
The catalog business really began to succeed and the Virginia Born and
Bred team celebrated growing success. Making friends of satisfied
customers was always the store motto and remains its mission to this day.
So,
“The Little Store That Could” stayed true to the dreams of its
original partners which always included a desire to go green, and a goal
to expand its internet options. On the verge of reaching these
goals, the store began to experience the effects of radical changes in the
economy. The price of mailing out its catalogs became prohibitive
and the time seemed right in 2009 to move “the little store” in
another direction - into the modern age of web sales. The team is
once again celebrating a promising future, working hard to send the
message out to all its customers and friends – old and new.
Virginia
Born and Bred is truly “The Little Store That Could” and continues to
adapt to the times.. It’s still a smallish store nestled in the
foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in a wonderful small community
called
Lexington
,
Virginia
. It has not “languished” since 1993, but remains an active,
healthy resource in the community and now establishing a growing internet
presence as well.
Julie and the team love to welcome visitors and friends in person – and
on-line - and you can always count on one thing. If you visit
Virginia Born and Bred – on-line or off - you are destined to become a
friend for life of “The Little Store That Could.”
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