Hanover’s Perspective

Ashland District Legacy Businesses Recognized at 2018 Hanover Co. Business Appreciation

May 22, 2018

The 2018 Hanover County Business Appreciation event, hosted by the Hanover County Department of Economic Development, was held on May 17th at James River Cellars Winery and was the inaugural recognition of Hanover County Legacy Businesses.  The Hanover Chamber of Commerce joined forces with Economic Development as co-hosts.  Legacy Businesses are entities that have been located in the County for 50 or more consecutive years.  The Ashland District, represented by Supervisor Faye Prichard, had thirteen businesses recognized at this year’s event.  Mayor James Foley of the Town of Ashland conferred the awards to the business owners on her behalf.

Ashland Feed Store, celebrating its 100^th anniversary in 2018, is continuing a tradition established by its founders by providing outstanding support, education, and supplies for customers with interests in lawn care, farming, and wildlife. Employees of Ashland Feed are well versed in agriculture and wildlife needs, and can guide customers to the correct products and resources to address these needs.

Ashland Veterinary Hospital pledges to provide customers with the highest quality service in a caring and professional environment. Serving the communities of Ashland, Hanover, Mechanicsville, Glen Allen, Montpelier, Doswell, and Richmond for over 64 years, Ashland Veterinary Hospital is AAHA credited and recognized for the quality of veterinary services offered.

Boschen Masonry, Inc. was established in 1967 (51 years) and provides work in areas such as stone, glazed tile, pavers, and concrete block to a variety of commercial, educational, industrial, and residential areas. Whether it is a new project or renovation, Boschen Masonry has the skills to complete a project with the quality and excellence desired.

Charles H. Francis & Sons, Inc. (52 years) is a second-generation family owned and operated plumbing company which specializes in residential and light commercial new plumbing installation and service. In addition, they offer assistance in a variety of areas including drain cleaning, rooter service, gas piping, water and sewer lines.

Cross Brothers Grocery (106 years) was initially established at a butcher chop which sold other provisions and was established by brothers Herbert J. and Walter N. Cross in 1912. After changing hands several times over the years, it was recently purchased by five business partners for significant renovation to be completed by the end of May 2018. At that time, the store will reopen as “Ashland Meat Co. at Cross Brothers”, focusing largely on locally-sourced meat and grocery products.

Gilman Heating, Cooling & Plumbing (101 years) is a premier plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning company in the Richmond area. From their fleet of computer-dispatched service trucks to their factory trained and independently certified HVAC technicians, every part of Gilman Heating’s business is dedicated to giving our customers top-quality service at affordable prices.

Harris Heating & Plumbing Co., Inc., (66 years) founded in 1952, is a commercial plumbing and mechanical construction company focusing on plan/spec local and state government projects.

Herman W. Allen Inc. has been serving Central Virginia for over 50 years. As a family operated company, they have experience and capability to handle their client’s residential and commercial plumbing and HVAC needs.

Hermitage Roofing Company (67 years) have the extensive roofing knowledge and administrative skills that are needed to provide consistently accurate information and recommendations for customer’s roofing projects. They have experience installing a wide variety of roofing systems, and the success of Hermitage Roofing Company is reflected in the quality of services and the drive to get the job done right the first time.

J.M. Pollard & Sons (78 years) is a leading air conditioning, heating, and heating oil service company.  They specialize in services such as air conditioning and heat pump repair, and heating oil delivery proudly serving numerous communities in the Richmond and Central Virginia areas.

Luck Chevrolet (102 years) has been family owned and operated since its inception in 1916. They bring years of experience, stability, and integrity to the table when working to address their customer’s automotive needs. Luck listens to their customer’s needs, wants, and concerns and then applies experience and expertise to satisfy requests, whether they be sales, service, or are parts-oriented.

Stanley Construction Company (62 years) has been family owned and operated since 1956, providing service for commercial and industrial needs. Stanley is well known in the region for experienced road work and storm water management construction and maintenance operations. They are also skilled in working with mining projects and have partnered with utility companies on water and sewer installations.

Tompkins Jewelers, Ashland’s family-owned jeweler for over 59 years, has the experience, knowledge and ability to satisfy all of a customer’s jewelry needs. Not only do they sell quality items, they also enjoy creating custom pieces for clients or repairing a treasured item. With great attention to detail, they ensure that every item is inspected and the customer is aware of all the possible solutions to each repair. Tompkins Jewelers also creates a best-in-class relationship with online consumers by offering superior products through a customer focused experience.