Small towns are known for being close-knit communities where neighbors help neighbors, but we don’t often hear about federal programs that offer seed money to grow multiple businesses and boost local economic development in the process.

Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG) do just that with far-reaching impacts that can be felt years down the road. Such is the case with USDA Rural Development’s partnership with the Waynesboro Economic Development Authority (EDA), which received a $99,500 RBDG in Fiscal Year 2011 to establish a revolving loan fund that has helped about 30 local businesses keep their doors open during tough times.

Director of Economic Development & Tourism Greg Hitchin has shepherded the project since its inception and has seen it go through some growing pains over the years. Stella, Bella and Lucy’s Restaurant was the first recipient of this assistance and is one of six stories we’ll share to illustrate the benefits of USDA RD investments in a city whose motto of “Where good nature comes naturally” is a nod to its scenic beauty and welcoming spirit. 

Cindy Doyle wanted to establish a business in the downtown area when she moved back to Waynesboro in 2009 to care for her ailing mother. Her husband Roger was the general manager of the local country club at the time and had a background as a chef.

“Waynesboro had a very viable downtown when I was a kid and it kind of hurt me to come home after 28 years and see how blighted it had become,” said Cindy. “I knew the building owner but had to wait a year-and-a-half to get it because another lady was paying rent on it and never used the building.”

The couple had some cash but not enough to open their own restaurant. Initial funding came from the Staunton Creative Community Fund* and the Waynesboro EDA. Though the first couple of years were a little “hairy,” the new restaurant named for their dogs Stella, Bella and Lucy soon began attracting customers from Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Richmond.

There weren’t a lot of businesses here when we opened and I was told we couldn’t do more than 50 people a day,” said Cindy. “I said ‘No, no, no, that’s not going to happen because everything is house made.’ It’s a lot of prep to keep it consistent and viable.”

That prep soon became a key focus for Cindy who had stayed out front for the first year-and-a-half of operations. When they started experiencing regular turnover on chefs, she knew she had to get into the kitchen and work the line. Today, she can make all the recipes and train new staff to do the same.

“As a kid, I used to get the potato salad at Haney’s Pharmacy before I went to the movies,” said Cindy. “I knew the lady who made it was still alive, and she gave us her handwritten recipe, which I still have.”

The Doyles were able to pay off the loan in about three years. Then, the pandemic hit in 2020, and Stella, Bella and Lucy’s closed its doors for four-and-a-half months. The couple had to take out a disaster loan and enroll in the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program to stay afloat. Their community also rallied around them to save what has become a destination restaurant.

“Our patrons started a GoFundMe account so I could pay my staff,” said Cindy. “I put them all on unemployment and paid them with that. We came in and cleaned and did things together and we kept our staff. We haven't had any other loans since we opened.” 

Now, Stella, Bella and Lucy’s is back in a big way with a steady stream of customers who’ve learned about the business by word of mouth and Facebook posts. The walls are lined with Cindy’s watercolor paintings and antiques available for sale. Roger likes to change things around, so the dining room may look a little different with each visit. The taste of home, however, is the one constant. 

“Some may think that Waynesboro wouldn’t generate enough traffic for a successful downtown restaurant, but that really isn’t the case,” said Roger. “We’re serving between 120 and 160 people each day. I can sit in here and see this entire place filled with customers. It’s a good feeling. It’s like we’re offering something special.”

“Every single one of our patrons has taken some ownership here,” adds Cindy. “This is their place. This is where they come with their friends. I don’t know why it became that, but it just did.”

Waynesboro is a lot different now than it was in 2011, thanks to the Waynesboro EDA’s ongoing collaboration with and support of a wide range of local businesses. It’s not an easy game, but it is doable if you have the right people on your team.

“Young people don’t know about mission statements and paying architects to do their drawings,” said Cindy. “I talked to Greg about it a while ago and said, ‘Let’s let people know what they have to do and how they have to do it when they want to come in and do business here.’ I think we’ve accomplished that.”

*Formerly known as the Staunton Creative Community Fund, the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit entrepreneurial support organization serving the entire Shenandoah Valley.