The Little Shop of Auras
July 15th, 2008
In every town and hamlet in Shenandoah County, there are special places to visit and shop.
Some offer great food. Others offer unique gifts. And still other places have art and music to nourish the soul.
There is at least one shop in Shenandoah County that has all of those things and more. The Woodstock Cafe and Shoppes is a delightful oasis that casts such a positive aura, you will never go away feeling unfulfilled.
Coe and Jean Sherrard bought the business several years ago and have created a true “destination” for visitors to Woodstock.
On the 4th of July weekend, my mother (who was visiting) and I were puttering around looking for things to do and we decided to stop in at Woodstock Cafe. We thought perhaps we would get a drink and sit for a minute.
What we discovered was a band playing and every seat in the front of the cafe claimed by people who were obviously having a great time. They sang along with the music and clapped and cheered, all the while tasting wines from the wine shop and eating tasty treats from the cafe.
Mom and I went to the back to take a seat. We had decided to order some She Crab Soup with toasted bread. Jean had told me that regulars have come to expect this soup on Fridays - many traveling down the Valley from the city (Northern Virginia and D.C.) for this particular treat.
After our first taste of the soup, we knew exactly what everyone was raving about. I am not a big fan of seafood, but I do like crabmeat that is not too fishy. This soup was wonderful.
Although we could not sit where the action was taking place, we did enjoy listening to the music while supping our soup.
Two days later, we brought my Dad and husband down to hear Dave Elliott play his guitar and sing. He had a list of songs that he was prepared to play and the audience shouted out selections. There were fewer in the crowd on this particular Sunday, but that just meant that we were actually able to see and hear the act!
I have neglected to mention that the Shoppes include everything from stained glass to jewelry. Unique art and pictures, furniture and books, there is a little something for everyone.
Personally, I have bought many tin stars there to add to my collection. Birthday and Christmas presents have come from there. I just bought Mom a frog from there for her Mother’s Day present. I have a hard time walking through without making a purchase. Which truly says more about their affordable eclectic selection than my compulsive shopping habits.
I will warn you that there is some construction going on downtown right now, but there should be no work happening on the weekends. The streetscape in front of the historic courthouse includes undergrounding some utility lines and putting in new traffic lights which has caused some congestion. It will all be over this fall, but it certainly is no reason to keep you from stopping at the Woodstock Cafe.
You can look them up on the Internet at www.cafeshoppes.com.