Children's Hospital Foundation

A sweet piece of history đŸȘ
An overhead view of the Interbake Foods building with the "Home of FFV Cookies and Crackers" sign
The factory shut down in 2006 and was vacant until 2013. | Photo by @cwclarke_photos on Instagram
The promise of fresh cookies + crackers still looms over West Broad Street near Scott’s Addition, but the old Southern Biscuit Company plant has had cold ovens since 2006.

Built in 1927, the tower began producing baked goods out of its main building — six stories of reinforced concrete. The company expanded the plant four times over the next few decades.

Around the 1930s, Southern Biscuit Company changed its branding to Famous Foods of Virginia and added a distinctive sign and water tower which still sit atop the building.

A black and white image of cookies on a conveyor belt.

A conveyor belt processes cookies at the factory.

Photo via Virginia State Chamber of Commerce; Library of Virginia Picture Collection


Inside the factory were two rotating rack ovens standing two stories high. Cookies baked as they rotated along circular racks, winding through the oven to ensure an even bake.

The factory was well-known for its production of Girl Scout Cookies. Southern Biscuit Company became the first officially licensed baker for the scouts in 1939.

A few more mergers saw Southern Biscuit become part of George Weston Ltd. in 1946 + adopt the Interbake Foods name in 1967.

An overhead shot of the Science Museum (formerly train station) and FFV factory.

The production plant, pictured in 1978.

Photo via VCU Libraries Digital Collections


When Interbake moved its headquarters to a new facility in Front Royal, VA in 2006, the Richmond factory closed. Most of the building was emptied during the move, but the enormous ovens remained. The building was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register as well as the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

Now, the iconic part of Richmond’s industrial skyline is home to the Cookie Factory Lofts, an apartment complex. A developer bought the building in 2013, after years of vacancy.

Want to learn the history of other recognizable Richmond buildings? We got the story behind the WTVR TV Tower back in August. Let us know what historic site we should cover next.
6AM City In-house

Click here to have your event featured.

Today
Wednesday
  • Kurt Vile and the Violators | Wed., Oct. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | The National, 708 E Broad St, Richmond | See the singer-songwriter described as “an old soul voice in the age of digital.”
  • RVA Yoga Hang at Starr Hill Rooftop | Wed., Oct. 12 | 6 p.m. | Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop, 3406 West Leigh St., Richmond | $30.00 | Participate in an hour-long, all-levels class and stay for a free beer afterwards.
Thursday
  • Hard Hat Happy Hour | Thu., Oct. 13 | 5-7 p.m. | The Valentine, 1015 E Clay St, Richmond | Free | Register to meet Nichol Garbor, the museum’s new Curator of Costumes & Textiles, and tour the emptied storage facilities.
Saturday
  • PopUp RVA | Sat., Oct. 15, Sat., Oct. 22, Sat., Oct. 29 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Diamond, 3001 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond | Free | Support small businesses at this weekly market which features live music + food trucks.
Sunday
  • Celebration of Dance | Sun., Oct. 16 | 2 p.m. | Alice Jepson Theatre, Richmond | Free | RSVP for a night of music and performances hosted by the UR Department of Theatre and Dance.
Tuesday
  • “Beetlejuice” | Tue., Oct. 18 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W Cary St, Richmond | $8.00 | See the ghost with the most on the big screen.
  • “Dear Evan Hansen” | Tue., Oct. 18 - Sun., Oct. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Altria Theater, 6 N Laurel St, Richmond | $44.00 | The Tony-winning musical comes to Broadway in Richmond.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

Tour Richmond Waldorf School, a non-traditional alternative

Try This: Tour Richmond Waldorf School, a non-traditional alternative
Presented by a RICtoday Partner
Classroom of students at Richmond Waldorf School
Waldorf matches each student with an instrument and incorporates music in regular class time. | Photo by the RICtoday team
City Editor Katie here. 👋 I recently toured Richmond Waldorf School, a local independent school that is celebrating 25 years of educating young Richmonders at their location on Robin Hood Rd. just past the Diamond. Waldorf is an educational philosophy dedicated to driving kids’ passion in arts, the outdoors, and friendship in a family-like environment for preschoolers up through 8th grade.

While we’re a bit too old to apply, we talked with staff members and administration about how you, your student, or a parent you know can try this alternative to public schooling.

What we tried:

I toured the school with Rachel Davis, the school’s Marketing & Advancement Specialist who has been with Waldorf for three years. A signature of Waldorf education is their focus on the student-teacher relationship. Teachers typically teach the same group of ~20 students from 1st grade through their graduation in the 8th grade.

Computer screens are hard to find here, as each classroom is specifically designed to foster learning in a hands-on, natural way. No textbooks either. Students in all grades will create portfolios of lessons to keep at the end of the year instead of being graded or taking traditional exams.

Keep reading to peek into the classroom and to discover what not to miss (hint: it includes biking to Pennsylvania).*
CONTINUE THE TOUR

Weather
  • 74Âș | Sunny | 5% chance of rain
Biz
  • The Short Pump Kroger has eliminated single-use plastic bags. It’s the first in the area to do so — the 17 other Richmond Krogers will follow suit by 2025. Customers can bring a bag, purchase a reusable plastic bag for 10 cents, or get a reusable tote for 99 cents. ♻
Community
  • The DMV is offering appointments at the RPL Main Branch (101 E. Franklin St.) today from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sign up to get your REAL ID, identification cards, or vehicle titles. 🚗
Sports
  • VCU Men’s Basketball will return to the Siegel Center for the Black & Gold Game this Sat., Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. This year’s event will feature a new game format. More details should be announced alongside the team draft tonight at 7 p.m. 🐏
  • Recently, we shared a survey where our number one fans can let us know what sports content to cover. By completing the survey, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a chance to win team-branded swag up to $100 in value.
Shop
  • The Shockoe Swap Meet will be back for its second year on Sun., Nov. 20 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Shop vintage pieces, sneakers, and jewelry from 50+ vendors at Main Street Station. Entry is free and vendor registration is going on now. 🛍
Holiday
  • Tickets are now on sale for the GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. This year’s theme is “Seeds of Light.” Tickets have timed arrivals and start at $17 for adults. 💡
History
  • Attention all history buffs. The Library of Virginia is looking for more information about an artifact from its collection. The book appears to be a financial journal from the 1770s, probably kept by a brotherhood of monks in Misquaque, Mexico. See if you recognize the monastery. 📜
Health
  • Virginia medical schools are aiming to increase the number of Black doctors through different recruitment initiatives. This VPM article explores the history + importance of Black physicians in Richmond. đŸ©ș
Eat
  • Restaurante Week, presented by VA Hispanic Chamber, is going on through Sun., Oct. 16. Celebrate the diverse world of Latin cuisine by dining at Latino + Hispanic-owned restaurants. Check out the list of featured spots for special deals. đŸœ
  • D’Artagnan is a farm-to-table pioneer, serving top chefs + home cooks nationwide since 1985. Their small farms provide a wide range of high-quality meat — think: duck, organic poultry, grass-fed beef, heritage pork + more. And because they offer overnight delivery, everything stays super fresh (and super delicious). đŸ„©*
Asked
  • Questions about women’s health can be uncomfortable or even embarrassing to ask your doctor in-person. So we’re calling on readers to ask the experts at Virginia Physicians for Women the questions you may otherwise hesitate to ask. (Think: gynecology, mammography, nutrition + more.) Ask here and we’ll follow up with answers.*
DYK
  • Did you know you can set up shop in our online retail store? We’re looking to support local brands in our RICtoday shop. We want to work with you. Send us an email to get started.
Trending
  • Fast-track those holiday shopping plans. For the first time, Amazon is hosting a second Prime Day with the Prime Early Access Sale running today, Oct. 11 and tomorrow, Oct. 12. Snag tech like earbuds or kitchen appliances at Black Friday prices — 45 days in advance.*
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Get the 411 on the new 911 system ☎

New system will improve emergency response in Richmond, VA
A woman in a headset sits in front of a computer display.
911 call-takers follow a decision tree when they receive calls. | Photo by Karen Gill, Richmond DEC
Richmond’s Department of Emergency Communications has a new method for emergency response.

DEC went live with a new protocol system for 911 calls yesterday at 10 a.m.

Here’s what to expect if you have to make an emergency call.

911 call-takers will follow a decision tree with questions about the specific situation. This means you may be on the phone for longer — but this won’t slow down response time.

Responders will already be en-route and can receive information from call-takers before they arrive. Callers also get consistent, clear instructions on what to do in the meantime.

DEC says the new system follows nationally-recognized standards for emergency response.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Robin.

Editor’s pick: If you lived in Richmond before 2006, you probably have some fond, fragrant memories of the old Interbake factory. I’m craving a cookie thinking about it. đŸȘ

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Here are 35+ local volunteering opportunities.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Robin Schwartzkopf, Katie Potter, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Rachel Sklenar | Advertise with us.
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