05/27/2025
When Mary and I moved to Lewisburg, our daughter was only a couple months old, so our time back here in West Virginia can easily be measured by her birthdays. So when Stella turned 20 years old this past winter, it was a sudden reminder that we have been publishing this magazine for 20 years. The first issue featured stories on Elk River Touring Center, Carnegie Hall, Moxie Café, and golfing at Snowshoe. Two advertisers in that issue are still with us today. The second issue, my dear friend Barbara Elliott wrote an article for us, and is still writing for GVQ today in her hilarious column, The Accidental Mountaineer. Somehow, through a couple of market crashes, two more children, the digital revolution, a pandemic, and major paper price increases, our little “magazine that could” has survived, and is in fact doing better than ever. Those early years were built on a lot of cooperation, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Erica Bell and Richie Tipton for helping me put together those first issues. As well as Rob Vass for being my first advertiser and Greg Johnson for being a long-time mentor and contributor. And of course a huge thank you to my parents who supported this crazy idea of a 25-year-old and have been our cheerleaders for all these years, as well as my inlaws who purchased 100 subscriptions during the first year for friends and family. Our magazine is one of the best-designed publications in the region, and that’s all due to Mary’s inimitable skill as a designer. Self-taught but always creative, Mary started designing the magazine because we had run out of money to pay someone else to do it. Today, she is one of the premier designers in West Virginia, and many of the store signs along Lewisburg’s main street are her creations. Our magazine is not only a homage to the DIY spirit but also a testament that a husband and wife actually can get along working together every day…mostly. Lastly, we started this magazine with a mission of showcasing the culture, heritage, and arts across the Greenbrier Valley. To that extent, for many years, we featured an “Art Class” every spring, where we would highlight 10 artists throughout the region. We are proud to bring that effort back in this issue with the Art Class of 2025, and we congratulate all of the artists featured. If you’re reading this, thank you. If you have ever been an advertiser, thank you. If you ever wrote an article or took a picture, thank you. You are all the small pieces that complete the puzzle—four times a year for the last 20 years. Here’s to another 20, and along the way remember that a smile and a wave are the best things we have to offer one another. —Josh Baldwin, Editor
