VINTON, Va. – The Town of Vinton is getting a makeover, and people are noticing. It’s all part of a plan to bring in more people and business.
Jessica Blankenship has been a waitress at the Dogwood Restaurant in Vinton for over a decade.
Blankenship can attest to some of the changes the town has seen and mentioned the Dogwood Restaurant is seeing growth as well.
Economic Development Specialist Marshall Stanley said town leaders redeveloped properties like the former library into a thriving Macado’s restaurant.
The Old Gish Mill is soon to become a mixed-use facility.
Moves like creating space for pedestrians and bicyclists on the roads will make the town feel more friendly.
Behind the scenes, the town freed up its workforce by ceding control of the water supply to the Western Virginia Water Authority.
“What that did was allowed the experts in the water to focus on the water in the town of Vinton,” Stanley said. “While also allowing our public works department to be freed up to create other projects, like creating sidewalks.”
Town leaders also created a warm business atmosphere, leading to more restaurants in the area.
Vinton’s Program Director, Chasity Barbour, said they needed existing businesses like Dogwood to invest and believe in the area.
“We are no longer a drive through town we are a drive to town,” Barbour said.
Barbour said some projects - like adding murals to the area - have been in the works for about five to six years.
They hope this will attract more people to the area.
“27,000 cars a day, for a long time, didn’t have anywhere to stop so they drove through here, now they can stop by and get coffee at RND on their way home, they can go Macado’s,” Barbour said.