Go west, young Richmonder — to this shopping center, built circa 1960. | Photo by RICtoday

A few weeks ago, we asked readers what came to mind as the most iconic Richmond signs. As we bid farewell to the Arby’s cowboy hat, here are five signs we love to pass by.

🌵 Westland Shopping Center

📍 8045 W. Broad St. | This towering neon cactus was built to represent just how far west shoppers would feel they had to travel to reach its stores around 1960. Reader Jennifer G. called it a “random and awesome” landmark to pass near Broad and Parham.

💡 Hotel John Marshall

📍 101 N. 5th St. | Now home to an apartment complex, the Hotel John Marshall once advertised itself as “The Finest Hotel in the South.” The recognizable signage was restored in 2011, with the old incandescent bulbs replaced by low-voltage LEDs to preserve its historic look.

🌶 Sauer’s Vanilla

📍 2000 W. Broad St. | The C.F. Sauer Company was founded in 1887 and moved its spice operations to its home on Broad in 1911. The incandescent sign is a rarity in the 21st century.

🎱 Triple Triangle

📍 3306 W. Broad St. | Although the building is now home to Don’t Look Back tacos, this neon sign dates back to when it housed the Triple billiards hall. Reader Bill S. told us “every time I see it, it makes me smile.”

🍪 FFV Cookies and Crackers

📍 900 Terminal Pl. | Around the 1930s, the 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. Get more on the history with our story.

Was your favorite sign left off the list? Give us a sign and maybe we’ll add five more.

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EVENTS

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Wednesday, Jan. 25

Movie Matinees: “Cruella” | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 2-5 p.m. | RPL West End Branch, 5420 Patterson Ave., Richmond | Free | Snacks are provided at this free screening of the Disney prequel film.

Thursday, Jan. 26

“The Revenant” | Thursday, Jan. 26, Saturday, Jan. 28 | 7 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $8 | Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy star in this Oscar-winning film by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Late Night Dance Party | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 9 p.m. | SB’s Main Street Love Shack, 2600 W. Main St., Richmond | Free | Dance the night away with DJ Well Made, Pay Rent Brass Band, and eats from Cluck N Roll.

Friday, Jan. 27

4th Friday Reception | Friday, Jan. 27 | 6-8 p.m. | Art Works, 320 Hull St., Richmond | Free | Celebrate 20 years of Art Works with live music, refreshments, and the opening of four new photography exhibits.
“Ghost Quartet” | Friday, Jan. 27-Saturday, Feb. 4 | Times vary | Firehouse Theatre, 1609 W. Broad St., Richmond | $20-$40 | Experience playwright Dave Malloy’s song cycle about love, death, and whiskey.

Saturday, Jan. 28

Art After Hours: Rhythm and Roots | Saturday, Jan. 28 | 7-11:30 p.m. | VMFA, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond | $40-$55 | Groove at this specialty event with live music by Legacy Band and a spoken word performance by Roscoe Burnems.

We have a calendar filled with events and 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

NEWS NOTES

Weather

55º | Rain | 99% chance of rain

Closing

Postbellum will close on Sunday, Jan. 29 after nearly 10 years in business. The VCU-area restaurant announced the decision in a Facebook post. Customers can use any outstanding gift certificates at its sister restaurants, Station 2 and Oak & Apple. (ABC8 News)

Festival

Dominion Energy Riverrock will take Brown’s Island by storm May 19-21. The free festival has announced its music lineup for the weekend, featuring performances by The National Reserve, Kitchen Dwellers, Neal Francis, and 49 Winchester. 🎶

Open

Bar West, formerly Cocodrilo, officially opened yesterday. Pro tip: If you have an old Cocodrilo gift card, it can be redeemed at Bar West. Read up on the concept refresh in Richmond Magazine. 🍽

Development

Chesterfield has its eye on redeveloping Southside Speedway, a 57-acre space off Genito Road. The county’s economic development department is in the initial stages of finding developers who would be interested in bringing new amenities to the area. (Richmond BizSense)

Community

Get your recycling days right with the 2023 CVWMA curbside recycling calendar. The color-coded calendar should help residents in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Ashland, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, and parts of Goochland and Hanover. Download it for free. ♻️

Theater

The 2023 Richmond Shakespeare Festival will feature performances of “The School For Lies” in June and “The Comedy of Errors” in July. Open call auditions will take place this weekend — prospective actors should sign up for a slot and prepare a two-minute comedic, classical monologue. 🎭

Cause

RVA Community Fridges has a new location at Tequila & Deadlifts in the Fan. Head to the Grand Stocking on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 1-4 p.m. with donations of drinks, meals, snacks, or cleaning supplies and meet the team behind RCF. 🥗

Richmonder

We’d like to thank the Academy. Dean Fleischer Camp — who grew up in Henrico and went to Freeman High School — has been nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars for his film “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.” 🏆

Job

Agecroft Hall & Gardens is looking for a part-time collections assistant to work alongside the curator at the 23-acre estate. Mondays and occasional weekend and evening work will be required. Get more info and apply.

Biz

You make appointments for an annual doctor’s checkup, so why not treat your business with the same care? Review these seven tips to see what adjustments could bring you cost savings + better align you with your goals for this year.*

Wellness

If one of your 2023 goals is to create more time for self care and relaxation, an acupressure mat is a must. The mats are designed to stimulate pressure points to relieve tension, decrease stress levels, and increase circulation. This ProsourceFit full body mat includes neck support.*

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ARTS

Honoring RVA makers

This year’s unveiling will take place Thursday, Feb. 15. | Photo by Sandra Sellars, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

RVA Community Makers — an annual public art project honoring Black leaders from a range of fields — returns this month.

Led by Hamilton Glass, this year’s project highlights those who uncover and share stories of African American life, in line with the ongoing VMFA exhibition “Dawoud Bey: Elegy.” It will feature work by Richmond textile artist Unicia Buster.

The honorees are community leader J. Dontrese Brown, public historians Elvatrice Parker Belsches and Ana F. Edwards, visual journalist Brian Palmer, and Lauranett Lee, Director of Race and Social Justice at Richmond Hill.

Contribute to the project by heading to the free open studio on Sunday, Feb. 4 from 1 to 3 p.m. Add your story to the quilt-inspired paper collage, which will be displayed alongside Buster’s work. The public unveiling of the project will take place on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. in the atrium.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Robin.

Editor’s pick: Monday’s quiz was tricky — 45% of respondents were able to identify 1782 as the year of Richmond’s incorporation as a city and first City Charter. 40 years earlier, Richmond was established as a town.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Brush up on 5 things you should know about the City Charter Review Commission.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Robin Schwartzkopf, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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