Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 8, 1993 TAG: 9308060181
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FLOYD LENGTH: Medium
Five newspapers existed between 1854 and 1891. The last one, "The Mountain Boomer," was renamed "The Floyd Press" in 1893. Today, it's the oldest continuous business in the county.
For more than half a century, the newspaper operated at 32 Locust St. The Floyd Press moved to its present location at 710 Main St. in 1968, vacating the soapstone brick building that still bears its name.
Ben Franklin and Dollar stores then occupied the former press building before its front windows were bricked in, the side windowpanes were covered with yellow paint, and the access between the first floor and basement was sealed.
Early in 1992, Lee and Marlana Lyerly purchased the property and last spring opened their shop, The Blu Goose (yes, that's blu without the final and silent e).
"Overall, the property was in good shape," said Marlana. "We just had to be very, very careful about cutting into the front bricks to expose the windows. One inch the wrong way, and the glass would have been shattered."
The Lyerlys' son Lance, a woodworker, took precise measurements on the inside of the store front before allowing any incision from the outside.
Once the front bricks were removed, they worked on opening the staircase to the basement where they found an old desk with drawers that held the typefaces for setting copy and assorted printing paraphernalia.
The yellow-painted windows reminded Marlana of an old country cabin, so Lance designed a cabin front with porch, tin roof overhang and a false door and constructed it on the inside wall with weathered wood found around Floyd.
With just four months' experience selling handmade crafts from the workshop beside her home, Marlana organized the 2,200 square feet on the first floor. It accommodates her own crafts, Lee's antiques, a Christian bookstore, Lance's custom furniture, daughter Lori's country miniatures and a unique selection of Appalachian crafts.
"Many of the type drawers have sold to local folks who used to work at The Floyd Press or just wanted one for a small shadow box display because it had local meaning," Lee said.
The shop displays an interesting selection of black American caricatures carved out of crushed pecan blocks, quilts from $70 to $300, Christmas ornaments and decorations and one-of-a-kind twig furniture and small scenes Lance created out of native laurelwood.
Military memorabilia, small collectibles, a life-size man and woman of undetermined years, and an authentic cigar-store Indian with a $1,500 price are exhibited throughout the store.
"We have intentionally included crafts and antiques in all price ranges," Marlana said. The bookstore carries T-shirts, note cards, posters and gifts.
The Lyerlys have been most pleasantly surprised by the number of faraway visitors they've had since opening May 1.
"We've had customers from Russia, Germany and Venezuela, Dodge City and Seattle," Marlana said. "And they all marvel, like we did, at the rural beauty of Floyd."
The couple moved to Floyd four years ago, after two decades of world travel in military service. While stationed in Hawaii, they made friends with natives of Radford who suggested the New River Valley for retirement.
As owners of a historic building, which will be included in an upcoming survey of soapstone architecture, the Lyerlys have touched a bit of history in what they believe is the most beautiful place in the world.
by CNB