Cooperative Living June 2014 - 33

women looking for unique clothing and
accessories. She fits in well here in the old
Wetsel Seed complex. Her neighbors
include two other young female business
owners - Tracy Fornadel of Ruby Red Shoe
Boutique and Sara Christensen of The Lady
Jane: Vintage Home Décor. " We're three
young women, and we all own our own
stores, " Pelletier says. " We carry different
items that complement each other, so that's
helpful. "
It's the adaptive reuse of some of
Harrisonburg's most iconic historic retail
and industrial buildings that makes the
downtown especially unique. Just a few
blocks from Mint is the old City Produce
Exchange, which now houses condominiums
as well as the Local Chop and Grill
House, a bi-level restaurant and bar specializing
in steaks, of course. The chop house
opened in 2009 with the intent of offering
as much local flavor as possible.
" There's such an abundance of beef in
Anna Pelletier opened her dress shop,
Mint, in the old Wetsel Seed
Company building on Route 11 just a
block from the courthouse, three
years ago.
this part of the Valley, " says Executive Chef
Ryan Zale. " We use as much local food as
we possibly can, and I like to visit each farm
we source from personally. "
Zale, who hails from a culinary school in
Pittsburgh and formerly worked as a chef at
the Inn at Little Washington, says the intent
of the restaurant is to " create something
where if you come in five days a week, you
can have a different meal each time.
Everything is hand-cut every morning. "
What I like about the chop house is the
way I can select my own cut of steak, the
rub, the sauce, and the sides. It's like making
one's own dinner without actually having
to make it! Zale treats me to some tantalizing
and unusual appetizers, including
ravioli wrapped in pork and a house-made
tofu. And the atmosphere can't be beat -
warm brick walls with windows overlooking
Route 11, crisp white tablecloths. It's a
delightful mix of rustic and elegant.
After dinner, I check in at the hopelessly
romantic By the Side of the Road Inn &
Cottages. Owners Janice and Dennis
Fitzgerald and their innkeeper daughter
Anna Bergey have been operating this B &
B just off Route 11 on the west side of
Harrisonburg since 1999, and were, in fact,
featured in the August 1999 issue of
Cooperative Living.
Things have changed a lot since those
early days. Today they not only offer roadtrip
travelers bed-and-breakfast rooms in
the main house, but three romantic cottages
as well. The couple completed the
cottages in 2005, not realizing, says Janice,
" that cottages were becoming the trend. "
June 2014/www.co-opliving.com
By the Side of the Road Inn &
Cottages is owned by Janice and
Dennis Fitzgerald, shown above
with their innkeeper daughter Anna
Bergey.
31
Chef Ryan Zale of the Local Chop and Grill House says,
" We use as much local food as we possibly can, and I
like to visit each farm we source from personally. "
PAUL SOMERS PHOTO
Cooperative Living June 2014

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