Category: Shopping

Last Weekend for the Bough & Dough Shop

Our favorite tree from this year’s Shop is decorated with ornaments from Ornamentally Creative, Mark Chambers, Lighthouse Woodworking, and Very Merry Mittens. Additional decor on the mantel is Libba Pendleton and Dave Hickman.

Thank you all for coming out to the 47th Holiday House Tour last weekend. It was a magical day, even though the weather did not fully cooperate with us. From our rough numbers, it looks like over 340 people braved the damp and overcast to visit our winter village. We’re absolutely thrilled and delighted!

This also means we’re in our final weekend of the Shop. We are open 10 AM – 5 PM this Friday-Sunday on the first floor of the Hexagon House, 530 Amherst St. While some artists have sold out or picked up items, we still have plenty of goodies to choose from, including fabulous one of a kind handmade ornaments, many types of wood products, holiday decor and wall art, and tasty treats for a quick pick me up.

If you were contemplating an item earlier but had not purchased it, now’s the last chance to stop in and snag them before the Shop closes for another year on December 10. Our current sale offers are:

  • 10% off all Gustafson Glass products
  • 10% off necklaces and bracelets by The Merry Beader
  • Any remaining tables from George Davis will go on sale Saturday
  • Remaining greens in the Laidlaw Amphitheater are set your own price and wreath prices are negotiable

We hope if you’re checking out the winter village downtown this weekend, you’ll also stop by our outpost!

Bough & Dough Shop Opens Next Friday!

Time has flown this fall and we’re almost ready for our pop-up holiday boutique to open at the Hexagon House. The PHW Office asks for your patience one more week while we complete our holiday transformation and reopen as the Bough & Dough Shop on Friday, November 17!

Before the Shop opens, you have one more week to enter our “Holiday Doors of Winchester” contest. Deck your door and share a picture on social media tagging PHW. The top three doors will win an amazing prize pack including a “More Doors of Historic Winchester” poster, a Limestone book, a Community Food Store print, postcards, and a pin. Don’t miss out, let your creativity shine! Winners will be announced Nov. 22.

What is the Bough & Dough Shop?

The Shop is a boutique-style holiday gift shop held as part of Preservation of Historic Winchester’s annual Holiday House Tour. We open the Friday before Black Friday to coincide with the start of ticket sales for the Holiday House Tour. This year, the Shop will be open Nov. 17-Dec. 10, from 10 AM – 5 PM Wednesdays-Sundays. You can find the full list of days the Shop is open at Virginia.org or at our Facebook event.

The Bough & Dough Shop stocks delightful decorations, charming ornaments, sweet treats, and unique gifts from local artisans displayed in the theme of an old-fashioned general store. You will also be able to pick up Holiday House Tour tickets and “More Doors of Historic Winchester” posters.

Outside in the Laidlaw Amphitheater, you will find a selection of handmade wreaths and fresh-cut greens for holiday decorating. The shop is constantly replenished with items, so watch our Instagram @boughanddoughshop for new arrivals and updates throughout the event!

The Shop can accept cash, checks, and credit/debit cards for payment.

PHW extends our gratitude to Colony Realty, a full page advertiser in our Holiday House Tour booklet. Sponsorships like this help us to put together the event and make it a success every year. Thank you!

Happy Halloween!

It’s our last Harvest at the Hexagon House event tonight, 4-6 PM! Grab your costumes and come for one last visit to the Hexagon House in “Fall Mode.” “More Doors of Historic Winchester” posters are available, as well as membership renewal swag items. Trick or treaters can grab candy and explore the first floor of the Hexagon House.

Starting October 30, we’ll be taking the next two weeks to put away fall and transform the Hexagon House into the Bough and Dough Shop. Keep your eyes on our Instagram account to watch our progress and get a sneak peek at the arrivals from our local artisan vendors. We’ll be transformed into holiday mode for the opening of the Shop on November 17!

Halfway to Halloween Is Tonight!

We are at the halfway point in our Harvest at the Hexagon House Friday night celebrations! Stop by our office at the Hexagon House at 530 Amherst St. tonight between 4-6 PM to renew your membership and grab a free gift from the table OR stop in to buy a copy of the new poster “More Doors of Historic Winchester.” Tonight we’re doing a casual costume night – if you feel festive, stop by in your Halloween garb or an ugly fall sweater.

Nest week, on Oct. 27, same time and place, we’ll end our Harvest event with full costumes and a mini trick or treat event for the kids (or kids at heart). Costumes highly encouraged!

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the “More Doors” poster with signatures by the photographers, these two Harvest events will be your last chance – after this no more posters will be signed. Copies without signatures will be available again starting Nov. 17 when the Bough & Dough Shop opens for our holiday season.

If you would like an event more history themed, however, there will be an open house at 115 E. Cecil St., one of the PHW preservation award winning properties from this summer. Stop by between 4-6:30 PM. All history lovers are welcome to see this recently preserved log cabin!

Last but not least, we will be closing out our call for Holiday House Tour sponsorships also at the end of day Oct. 27. Space is still available for the interior booklet (estimate at this point is about two and a half pages left for advertising sponsorships). If you are interested, the sponsor forms are available online here. If you have questions or need help with your ad, drop us a note at phwinc.org@gmail.com.

Hang Out at the Hexagon House

Tonight, Friday the 13th, is our second Harvest at the Hexagon House event, 4-6 PM. Stop by 530 Amherst St. to renew your membership and grab some swag, or pick up a copy or two of “More Doors of Historic Winchester.” Our theme this week is a relaxed hangout – we’ll be in our comfy PHW t-shirts and have some soothing background music going. (Men with hockey masks are politely requested to leave their machetes at home.)

We had a couple people inquire about payment methods. We are able to accept cash, checks, credit/debit cards, and also PayPal/Venmo. For those who remember last year’s Shop, we have a new card reader and tap and chip payments are back. If you’d like to come prepared with cash, the amount per Doors poster with tax is $15.80. Don’t worry, we can also make change – we got our Shop moneybox ready early this year!

Happy Harvest!

Our first Harvest at the Hexagon House is taking place tonight, 4-6 PM at the Hexagon House, 530 Amherst St. The event is free to attend and open to anyone interested. We encourage those who are up for membership renewal to drop by in person and choose a thank you gift from our selection of items when renewing their membership. And of course, the main draw for tonight’s event is the official launch of the “More Doors of Historic Winchester” poster.

We know a few out of town readers have requested a copy, so to coincide with our launch party, a limited number of posters are available on our online store. We ask that local shoppers refrain from purchasing these copies and instead visit us at the in-person events.

We hope to see many of you over the coming Fridays in October!

Dogwood berries in bright red at the Laidlaw Amphitheater.

Friday Roundup: Harvest at the Hexagon and Bough & Dough Shop Artists

We’re excited to bring back a classic PHW event of yesteryear in a new format! Visit the PHW Office at 530 Amherst St. Friday afternoons in October to join or renew your membership and receive a thank you gift for free! Items include pins, small posters, books, and more—while supplies last!

Our first Friday event will also feature the public launch party of “More Doors of Winchester” poster sales. Stop by to pick up your copy for $15 plus tax. The photographers will be on hand if you’d like your copy signed!

Mark your calendars for October 6, October 13, October 20, and October 27 between 4-6 PM at the Hexagon House, 530 Amherst St. for four afternoons of fall fun!

We are also pleased to announce our selection of artists for the 2023 Bough & Dough Shop:

  • Angel’s Roost Quilts
  • Blooming Hill Lavender Farm and Gift Shop
  • Nina Burke
  • Lorraine Candell
  • Capers in Crochet
  • The Card Shop Bakers
  • George Davis
  • Double D’s Bees
  • Eye of the Needle Embroidery
  • Gustafson Glass
  • Hailewatercolors
  • Heathen Works
  • Dave Hickman
  • J&W Farm
  • Susan Keenan
  • Lighthouse Woodworking
  • The Merry Beader
  • Ornamentally Creative
  • Libba Pendleton
  • Very Merry Mittens
  • Waterlilly

The Shop this year will be held Wednesdays-Sundays at the Hexagon House, November 17-December 10, 10 AM-5 PM. To coincide with some other holiday events happening in Winchester, the Bough & Dough Shop is rolling with a theme of an old fashioned general store this year. We hope to have fantastic products as well as a fun visual experience for shoppers. We’re also excited to test out our Laidlaw Amphitheater space for our greenery and wreath sales – hopefully there will be a little less bending down to pick your boughs this year. Look for more information as we move into November!

Friday Roundup: Blight and Bough & Dough Shop Updates

411 S. Loudoun‘s demolition request to the BAR was concluded yesterday, after the brief hiatus in August for a status report with the court. While a potential buyer was interested in purchasing and rehabbing the property, the owners were unwilling to entertain the idea of a sale. Given the very unusual nature of this request, the BAR members voted to abstain from ruling on this demolition, as no alternate path could be found. Both the 514-520 S. Loudoun townhouses and 411 S. Loudoun will likely be demolished before the end of this year.

Discussion after the meeting included the situation at 137 S. Loudoun, which is also a blighted structure. BAR members are concerned about a potential loss of another salvageable building. In this case, the current owner is willing to sell, the property is listed for sale, and much site plan work has already been completed and a facade restoration plan was previously approved at BAR (which will transfer to a new owner). We will encourage our readership who may be interested in rehabbing a building to investigate this structure.

We would also like to extend our thanks to the artists who have applied to the Bough & Dough Shop. We plan to send out the acceptance letters with individualized recommendations for products starting Tuesday, Sept. 12 – if you applied but don’t hear from us by email on Friday, Sept. 15, please reach out to us at phwinc.org@gmail.com.

For our usual shoppers, it looks like we will have a good mix of new and returning artists. We’re looking forward to sharing our artist lineup in next Friday’s dispatch!

Friday Roundup: Town Talk Edition

PHW hit the road this week and visited Mike McCool in Front Royal for Town Talk!

Decades of Dedication: How Preservation Historic Winchester is Saving the City’s Architectural Legacy.

In this Town Talk, our publisher Mike McCool, speaks with Sandra Bosley, Executive Director of Preservation Historic Winchester, and delves into Winchester’s heritage conservation efforts.

Winchester has a long-standing history of beautiful homes and landmarks, reflecting the rich tapestry of its past. In the face of modernization, one organization has remained vigilant, ensuring that the city’s historic heartbeat continues to thrive.

See Royal Examiner Town Talk.

Apply for the Bough & Dough Shop 2023 by September 1!

Today also marks the final week before PHW closes our artist applications for the Bough & Dough Shop 2023. If you’ve been hesitating, don’t wait any longer! Download the informational packet to learn more, and fill out the application on the last page. It’s free to apply, and we would love to find new artisan talent to showcase in this year’s event. Return your applications by end of day Friday, Sept. 1 either to the Hexagon House at 530 Amherst St., Winchester, VA 22601, or by email to phwinc.org@gmail.com.

Friday Roundup: Yard Crawl Weekend and Upcoming August Events

Tomorrow is the annual Route 11 Yard Crawl! If you are selling or participating, we wish you good luck and many happy finds. If you’ve never participated in the Yard Crawl, the official event spans 43 miles between Stephens City and New Market. While most of the event takes place outside PHW’s stated area of influence, it’s still a good excuse to visit the four major Frederick County sites – the New Town Commons and the the Family Drive-In at Stephens City, and Laurel Ridge Community College and Cedar Creek Battlefield Museum and Visitors Center in Middletown. Check out the event at their webpage.

Don’t feel like leaving Winchester? The next Behind the Scenes Tour at Handley Library is also taking place Saturday, 11 AM. Meet at the Lower Level of the Handley Library. The tour will take you behind the scenes to all floors of the building. Come learn about the architecture and history. Walk on the famous glass floors and peer down the well built into the stage. Tours are free and open to the public!

Are you an artist or know someone who is? Are you curious about the Bough & Dough Shop that takes place at the Hexagon House in November and December? Have you always wondered how we find new artists? Our August Open House is one of the ways! Visit us next Saturday, August 19, between 10 AM to noon at the Hexagon House, 530 Amherst St. in Winchester, to learn about the Shop, see the space, and grab an artist application. PHW representatives will be on hand to answer questions on logistics and processes, and it’s a great time for new artists to bring sample items to show us in person. You can also download the informational packet and application in advance from our website. If you’re considering joining the Shop, don’t delay – we’re closing applications for 2023 on September 1!

Mark your calendars for Hungry for History: Basic Preservation and Canning on Thursday, August 31, 5:30 – 7:00 PM at the Handley Library, Robinson Auditorium. This program is an introduction to food preservation. Guests will learn a little history and science behind safe food preservation, as well as learning about the five main ways we preserve foods today: boiling water bath canning, pressure canning, freezing, dehydrating, and fermenting. You will leave with introductory knowledge of food preservation and a few helpful handouts. This event will be presented by Hannah Copp, Family and Consumer Services Associate Extension Agent focusing on food, nutrition, and health, Virginia Cooperative Extension.