MBPA was warmly welcomed to The Hill School by Head of School Treavor Lord on February 14 for the first Biz Buzz of 2023. Delicious provisions from Back Street Catering, Boxwood Estate Winery and Lost Barrel Brewing were on hand to ensure a wonderful Valentine’s Day gathering!
The Hill School, gearing up to celebrate its 100th Anniversary, is yet another gem in the treasure chest of Middleburg. Since 1926, Hill has served children ages 4-14, creating a community that connects students, families, and faculty and staff through the shared mission of helping children become strong and happy. That strong sense of community is instilled in each child and these lessons are embodied through actions- none greater than Hill’s stewardship as a citizen of Middleburg. The 140-acre campus, woven with walking paths, is open to members of the community to enjoy; simply remember to please clean up after your dog!
Part of the community partnership is highlighted by the annual Hill School gala and auction, which offers businesses the chance to promote their products or services by donating to the auction. During the pandemic, Hill’s auction went online and provided additional opportunities for publicity, reaching over 1,000 people and growing from 600 bids to just over 2,400 bids.
“Now that people can bid online and in person, we are gaining a lot more exposure” said Kim Medica, Auction Coordinator. “If you are able to donate to the auction, I will be out and about in town with donor packages. We are very grateful for your participation and, as always, we strongly encourage our bidders to buy local.”
If you are interested in donating to The Hill School Auction, please contact Kim at 540-687-5897 or kmedica@thehillschool.org.
MBPA Updates
“Your MBPA Board put in long hours during January planning for 2023,” said Punkin Lee, MPBA President. “We have more in store than ever before!”
#MondayMemberSpotlight has begun on the Visit Middleburg Facebook and Instagram accounts, featuring two MBPA Member businesses every Monday. Please contact Katy if you have any updated information or an upcoming program that you’d like highlighted: info@visitmiddleburgva.com.
In honor of Black History Month, Visit Middleburg social media has highlighted our town’s own history and businesses past and present, along with some amazing historic photos from the Middleburg Museum.
Thank you for submitting the MBPA Member Survey, which was due February 20. MBPA values your feedback. It’s imperative for everyone to share new ideas and suggestions so that the MBPA bus can keep rolling!
2023 MBPA Memberships are due. If you have not yet sent in your membership for this year, please do so as soon as possible.
The Middleburg Gift Card Program is ongoing! Middleburg Gift Cards are available only to MBPA Member businesses and can only be used in town. If you have not joined this program, contact Sam Salmon for more information ssalmon@nwfcu.org.
Nominations for the Visit Loudoun Tourism Awards are now open! The Visit Loudoun Tourism Awards Program showcases the work, service, creativity, and contributions of individuals and organizations as it relates to tourism promotion. Take advantage of this opportunity to acknowledge those key individuals and programs that deserve recognition and thanks for their valuable contributions and success. Tourism Awards are given each year during Visit Loudoun’s Annual Meeting when we celebrate tourism in our community. Visit Loudoun accepts award nominations on an on-going basis.
To nominate a Middleburg entity, please click here.
Any questions should be directed to Dana Henry henry@visitloudoun.org.
LeBoudoir has moved to 22 East Washington Street! Stop in to see Kayse and do a little shopping.
Dee Dee Hubbard has retired after 18 years at the helm of the Middleburg Eccentric. Dee Dee was honored by the Town of Middleburg on February 23 with a Resolution of Appreciation for her work as co-founder and Editor of the Middleburg Eccentric and her decades of service to the community in a myriad of roles.
Shoplifting was a huge issue the day of Christmas in Middleburg, with more than a few businesses affected. The MBPA Board worked with Lt. Shaun Jones of the Middleburg Police Department to develop a plan to deal with this terrible issue. Shaun has created an information card with the MPD Duty Officer phone number and pertinent MPD information that will be distributed to Town businesses.
If you have ANY problem, please call the Duty Officer. Someone will always answer. Secondly, the MPD and MBPA will host a series of workshops for all businesses, including sessions focused on security methods, how to recognize and deal with shoplifters, how to train your staff to deal with shoplifters, and how to deal with juvenile shoplifters. Shaun will also take the educational component to local schools in the form of a Good Citizen Program, so that children can learn what to do if they see something or find themselves in a less than ideal situation.
The better informed we are, the better it is for everyone.
Town Updates
“We have two Thai restaurants,” laughed Ali MacIntyre, Director of Business & Community Partnerships for the Town. “Now we have two Ateliers!”
“Ayana Atelier, an aesthetic studio, has opened next door to Atelier Decor & Design on Washington Street,” she said. “Each recently had ribbon cutting ceremonies and are open for business.”
Visit Loudoun’s Certified Tourism Ambassador Class will be held March 28, location to be determined. Anyone interested in becoming a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) may register for this free class. To sign up, please contact Ali at amacintyre@middleburgva.gov.
More information on the Visit Loudoun CTA Program may be found here.
The Middleburg Career Fair will return to the Middleburg Community Center on Thursday, April 27. If your business would like to participate, contact Ali at amacintyre@middleburgva.gov.
Art in the Burg will be held Saturday, May 13 in downtown Middleburg.
Visit Middleburg and MBPA have taken over the events calendar. The Town calendar will only include official Town business. All events should be submitted to Katy at info@visitmiddleburgva.com by the 20th of the month prior. For example, all April 2023 events should be submitted by March 20, 2023. All events submissions should include a photo or graphic.
Upcoming Events
All events are available here. If you do not see your event, please send all details, including a photo, to Katy at info@visitmiddleburgva.com.
Door Prizes
Congratulations to door prize winners Lori Daly, Pam Stokes, Tori Sullivan, Michael Doherty and Casey Reihe! Door prizes were provided by Certified Humane, The Hill School and Willowsford Conservancy. Thank you!
The next Biz Buzz is Tuesday, March 14, 2023.