Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 30 · column 1 of 3 · from the scan, no model involved
Family, books
and coffee
go band in band
By the time Avis McCutchan’s five daughters were grown, the stay at home mom was ready to try something new. In 2003, McCutchan, an avid reader, opened noteBooks, an independent bookstore in the heart of downtown Floyd. T
On the front of the historical cedar-sided building (built in 1911) that once housed an appliance store and then a health food store, she hung her business shingle - a large ? attention getting sign announcing: Art, Music, Ideas, and Coffee.
"Books and coffee go hand in hand," says her daughter Rose, manager of the Black Water Loft coffee house. The loft, which opened in 2004, sits atop the book store and features a balcony porch view of the one stoplight downtown, lots of comfy sitting nooks with couches, and an unforgettable decor that mixes hip with homey.
Inside the sunlit loft, the hiss of the milk steamer can be heard as Rose’s youngest sister Grace serves cappuccino to a trio of customers perched on bar stools. Rose explains that her mother, who has read practically “everything," has a special knack for helping customers pick out books for themselves and as gifts, taking into account the interests and age of the reader.' Avis, a Maryland native, recounts how she and her husband Mac first came to the area, saying, “Mac and I went to Virginia Tech. We loved it." They never left. All * five of their daughters were bom and raised from kindergarten to high school graduation in Floyd. Theda, Rose, Katie, Elsie, and Grace (named after grandmothers) range in age from 18 to 33 and all have had a hand in running the family bookstore and coffee house. * Theda helped her father write the business proposal and * currently writes book reviews for the bookstore blog, Blue 1Ridge Bookworm (http://blueridgebookwofm.wordpress. com/). Katie did most of the loft decorating. Elsie was the first loft employee. When Rose returned to Floyd after teaching children's theatre and pursuing an acting career
CONTINUED ON PMC 10
PHOTO THIS PACE: Daughter and mom, Rose and JMs, take a break in the Black Water Loft to talk about their family run business.
iVv
''3
J
60.0%