Friday, May 01, 2009
Twin River Outfitters will have new twist
John Mays
Priscilla Richardson is columnist The Botetourt View. You can contact her at 981-3430 or via e-mail.
Priscilla Richardson
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If you want your children to go into business together, here's how you might go about it. First of all have twins. Then, when they go to college, make sure one majors in accounting, the other in business management. After a few years of working for other businesses, they'll be ready to open their own business. One to manage it, the other to take care of the financial side.
This is what happened to Dan and John Mays, 37, twins who both love canoeing and run Twin Rivers Outfitters in Buchanan. You'll find them just off Route 11, also known as Main Street, at the end of Lowe Street close to the bridge, right on the James River.
After growing up in Chesapeake, and visiting this area for about 20 years, they went in the canoe and kayak rental business. "About five years ago we bought a company in Lexington," Dan Mays said. "It had started in 1978. We bought it in 2004 and we were based in Rockbridge County. Then two years ago we were finally able to buy riverfront property in Buchanan. In Lexington, we were a half a mile away from the river. You almost have to be located on the river. It's difficult to operate canoe rentals without riverfront access."
So now ideally located on the James, the twins are starting another season of rentals and adventures on the river. Their season goes from April to October, and they do far more than just rent the boats. They offer river trips, tubing as well as canoeing. And this isn't some old tire inner tube. "We use special vinyl tubes with handles for drifting down the river with the current," John Mays said. You need reservations for any trip, so call before you plan time on the river with them.
And now to help their customers spend their weekends and vacations close at hand, they have purchased and are restoring the yellow 1870 Rogers house at 19837 Main Street, just around the corner from the livery business. Most recently it housed an antiques shop, even further back, "a lot of locals got music lessons in the house, violin and piano lessons, so I've heard," Dan Mays said.
The house will offer four rooms with private baths, initially, but not breakfast. "It's an inn, not a bed and breakfast," he explained."They'll have a price range according to size, between 79 to 89 [dollars] a night, reasonably priced." His brother John will live in the basement to take care of guests around the clock.
The place is in the process of renovation. If you go up the front steps and look through the front door, you'll see bare walls. "We have work yet to do, we're doing half and half subbed out. We did all the carpentry. We'll do the easier stuff, we'll do all the painting. We had a company do the a/c, the plumbing and the drywall."
Dan's wife, Emily, will help with the furnishing. "It's not going to be a real fancy place, more Blue Ridge Mountain decor." So keep your eyes out for changes as they work their plan.
What about food for these overnight visitors? Well, Burger King is just across the street. And next door to the inn sits the new Rivers Edge restaurant, making waves in town for their steaks and seafood, and serving breakfast on Fridays and Saturdays.
But you don't have to stay overnight in Buchanan to enjoy a river vacation at home, right here in Botetourt.
For more information, go to canoevirginia.net or call (540) 261-7334.
