Bloom Coworking offers accessible and affordable workspace solutions for new and growing businesses across Hampton Roads. Situated at the corner of High and Effingham Streets in Olde Towne Portsmouth, Bloom is perfectly positioned to support entrepreneurs in a collaborative, professional space.

Launched by the Portsmouth Partnership, a nonprofit economic development organization, Bloom occupies the first floor of the three-story structure that once was the Blumberg department store. "We developed a piece of property that stood vacant for 20 years," says Michelle Wren, executive director of the Portsmouth Partnership. "We hope our investment in this area is a catalyst for continued economic growth in Portsmouth and the entire region."

The new space offers memberships that meet a variety of needs, from private offices, to shared desks, to flexible membership packages including a "virtual office" option. All members have access to amenities like high-speed internet, 24/7 secured access, copy and print services, free parking, and a spacious kitchen and break room. Bloom also has a high-quality audio podcast room, a private courtyard, and even a private shower for members to freshen up between meetings or after a bike commute.

"As a nonprofit, we are focused on fostering an environment that will help lead to growth and innovation," says Michelle. "Our goal is to provide options for every type of individual, business, or team."

Bloom also hosts workshops and presentations that offer support to entrepreneurs and young businesses. Topics covered include website development, building successful systems, and mindfulness, and are often hosted in conjunction with Tidewater Community College. Workshops are open to all members of the community, not just Bloom members.

Bloom's main building opened in late spring 2022. During construction, a temporary space was opened just a few doors down on High Street. "Due to demand, we have opted to continue operating in both spaces," says Michelle. "We opened in 2020 with two tenants, and now have close to 100 members. The response has been nothing short of amazing." Bloom's success has not only been critical for entrepreneurs but has made the Olde Towne corridor more attractive for local businesses, like coffee shops, breweries, and retailers.

Founded in Portsmouth, TowneBank is honored to support the Portsmouth Partnership and Bloom Coworking. "Accessible co-working space offers opportunities for local businesses and creates customers for retailers that are investing in the Olde Towne business district," says Dawn Glynn, chief experience officer and president of the Corporate Services Group. "We are excited for the impact Bloom will have on the economic ecosystem of Portsmouth and the greater region."

Learn more at BloomCoworking.org.

The Water's Edge Village School (WEVS, pronounced as "waves") has a long history in Corolla Village on the Outer Banks and now is making plans to transform into a bigger school to accommodate more students.

The Corolla Schoolhouse was built in the late 1800s for children of lighthouse keepers and surfmen. It expanded from one to two rooms in 1911 and continued to be a center of local education until 1958 when the school was forced to close due to lack of funding and just two students enrolled.

In 2012, a motivated group of parents and friends worked together to reopen the school as WEVS — a free, public charter school run by the Corolla Education Foundation. In its first year, WEVS had 16 students and two teachers, making it North Carolina's smallest public school.

Ten years later, WEVS has more than 40 students with a waiting list and an excellent track record of academic achievement. WEVS provides small student-to-teacher ratios; hands-on, project-based learning; quality education for every learner; and community building. The school focuses on empowering students with a sense of social and environmental responsibility while nurturing both body and mind.

"It really does take a village to run a successful school. Small schools have the same fixed costs as large, traditional schools, but fewer students to help cover the costs," says Meghan Agresto, founding board member and current president of the Corolla Education Foundation. Meghan also manages the nearby Currituck Beach Lighthouse, a job she has performed since 2005.

Now WEVS has set a big goal to build a new schoolhouse next to the current facility, with donated land and plans for a 5,000 square-foot, six-room structure that will complement the surrounding Corolla Village. "The infrastructure around Corolla is expanding and we need more classroom space to accommodate the growing number of families who now live in town," Meghan says.

The 1890s two-room school will continue as the home for younger students. The new building will be for older grades and will include: flexible learning space to allow focus on instruction and practice of the arts; a science lab to supplement outdoor and hands-on learning with new learning tools and equipment; classroom space to serve up to 40 additional students.

TowneBank is honored to support the WEVS capital campaign to expand the school with a new academic building. For more information and to see how you can help, visit WatersEdgeVillageSchool.com.

From picking up discarded appliances by the side of the road to repair and sell to now owning and operating appliance superstores throughout Virginia — that's the amazing success story of Rob Nicholson and East Coast Appliance. Rob got out of the Navy in 1988 and went to technical school where he learned to repair appliances. He worked briefly for an appliance repair company before pursuing his dream to start his own business.

"I rented a little storage facility in Virginia Beach where I would repair appliances that I had picked up by the side of the road," Rob says. "I would fix them during the week and then sell them on the weekends." He moved to a larger space where he could sell more used appliances. "It grew like crazy, and we expanded to selling scratch and dent rejects that I would buy from some of the major retailers."

In 2005, Rob opened the first East Coast Appliance superstore on Laskin Road with more than 40,000 square feet of space for sales and inventory. "That location quickly became the template for our future growth." Today, East Coast has five stores in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Fredericksburg, and its Builder Direct service to supply products to builders, architects, and designers. "We plan to expand in Richmond, and our foundation gives us the opportunity to spread throughout the state and eventually have representation in most of the larger cities in Virginia," Rob says. "It would be great to offer our services to some of the more outlying regions too, so we are moving and growing with our eye on them."

East Coast Appliance has 140 employees and Rob shares what that means to him. "As we've evolved as a company, we have really concentrated more and more on our associates and their success. Many of them have been with us for years. We have the best people who do a great job every day for our customers. Service is at the heart of everything we do."

Rob has a passion for helping children and is quick to provide a refrigerator or a washer and dryer to a school or a day care that has a need. "My wife and I both really believe that if you are going to change anything about a country, a state, or a city, you need to help the children and that will start to change everything. Poverty holds children back from learning, so giving a refrigerator to a school so children can be better nourished means that they will be able to focus on learning."

Cecil Hobbs, retired senior executive vice president and commercial lender at TowneBank, first met Rob through a national bank competitor. "Cecil was a great friend and he helped me all along the way with a business plan and SBA loans as well as offering great advice whenever I needed it," Rob says. "When he moved to TowneBank, I told him I was going with him. Then when Cecil retired, I started working with Merrick McCabe. She is very creative, and we have a great relationship."

For more information, visit EastCoastAppliance.com.

There's a good chance your shoes have experienced the high quality work of the team at Cherry Carpet & Flooring in Portsmouth. If you've visited the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, Norfolk International Airport, or any TowneBank office, then you've experienced the Cherry difference. In 2022, the company celebrated 75 years in business as one of Virginia's largest flooring dealers.

Cherry Carpet & Flooring assists their clients with determining the right type of floor covering for their need, with regard to budget, performance, and aesthetic. President Ross Cherry says, "We don't sell flooring, we sell service, and we strive to make people's lives easier."

Ross's grandfather, Arthur L. Cherry, started Cherry Rug, Inc. (later Cherry Carpet then Cherry Carpet & Flooring) in 1947, specializing in rug cleaning and storing of summer and winter rugs. His father Brad L. Cherry, a founding director of TowneBank, started with the company in 1965 and brought them into commercial flooring in 1971 with a winning bid for Manor High School. Brad served as President, CEO, and COB from 1989 to 2017. Ross, a 1991 graduate of Churchland High School, returned home in 1996 after graduating from Clemson University to work with the company where he became president in 2010. They are proud to be a third-generation family business.

When asked about the secret to staying in business for 75 years, Ross shares, "Cherry is not one person, it's a team and they deserve all the credit. I love what I do and I love my team." He continues, "If you look at our reviews, they all speak to the quality of service the customers receive — we call that the Cherry Experience. That's our team, from the sales floor to the production team. That's what sets us apart. I couldn't be any prouder of them, especially in a time where it seems commitment to service and customers has gone away."

The other secret to 75 years Ross says, is what his grandfather instilled in him and his father from birth, "Arthur lived and worked by the philosophy that you give back to your community through personal involvement and philanthropic endeavors and saw that as the true measure of success." All three have served on numerous boards in their industry and community, and all three have been First Citizens of Portsmouth, in 1960,1984, and 2017.

Commitment to service is one reason why Cherry has been a Towne Bank member since 1999. Ross says, "We mirror the same mentality and that's service, quality, treating customers with respect, and giving back to the community. We see that in Towne and that's who we are too. From the floor up, the way Towne presents itself makes you want to be a part of it," Ross grins. He also gives kudos to their current banking partner, Brad Hunter, vice president and commercial lender in Portsmouth. "Brad and I have served on a few boards together. He's professional, ethical, and just a great guy all around. He represents what Towne is all about."

For more information, visit CherryCarpet.com.

The mission of the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) organization is to create one-to-one mentoring relationships that support critical social and emotional development in children. For 100 years, the organization's community-based program has connected volunteers, called "bigs", with children ages 5 through 18 to facilitate meaningful and impactful friendships.

Rob Marchand, senior vice president and commercial lender at TowneBank, has been volunteering with BBBS since 1997. He has worked with several young men over the years, often partnering with BBBS to mentor two or three kids in need at a time. "I didn't have a father figure to do things with growing up," Rob recalls. "I was driven to get involved by the thought that I could be that person for someone else."

In an effort to match bigs and littles with similar interests, BBBS relies on Rob's enjoyment of sports and video games. Rob met Dontrel, one of his former littles, when his mom entered him in the program at eight years old. The pair bonded over their love of sports and made lasting memories together, going on incredible trips to Atlanta to see the Falcons play, and Boston to watch the Celtics and the Patriots. For Dontrel's 16^th birthday, Rob surprised him with a trip to the MTV Music Awards in New York City. "These are things I could have never imagined doing growing up," says Rob. "To be able to experience it alongside Dontrel was really special." Dontrel is now 21, and while he officially aged out of the program at 18, he still connects with Rob every week to check-in.

In addition to fun outings, Rob helps his mentees with basic skills, like how to give a proper handshake and understanding the importance of making eye contact. Rob matched with 10-year-old Noah in February and learned in one of their first meetings that he wanted to learn how to ride a bike. "I gave Noah a bike the next time I saw him. Now, he is riding by himself — it's all he wants to do!"

As of this spring, 400 mentees were on BBBS's waitlist to receive mentors in Central and Eastern Virginia. Becoming a mentor requires a one-year commitment to spend quality time with a mentee each week, whether attending a community event, visiting a museum, exploring a park, or swimming at the YMCA. "The kids just want someone who will be there for them," says Rob. "It is time well spent changing a child's life. Week to week, you see the impact you make not only on that child, but on the whole family."

Learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, including information on how to become a mentor, at BigBroBigSis.com.