Richmond Business & Commercial News reminded us about Walk Score, a site that “calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc.”, part of an effort to recognize the benefits to our health, the environment, and our communities of living in walkable neighborhoods. This site puts a number on how easy it is to go day-to-day without relying in a car in Shockoe Slip, Shockoe Bottom, and Tobacco Row; Manchester is still a little ways out.

Sounding a lot like Tobacco Avenue, Style Weekly is reporting that Buck Ward, a Midlothian businessman, will be opening a Segway dealership next month in Shockoe Slip.

A beggarly account of empty boxes visits Kobe and comes away underwhelmed, describing the experience at the Japanese steakhouse as “satisfactory, but nothing particularly special”.

Style’s Halls of Kelly on the The Fountain Bookstore’s new owner Kelly Justice: “The Fountain Bookstore, started by Joyce Clay in 1978, specialized in corporate and technical books until the Smythes bought it in 1985. In 2000, the Smythes hired Justice to bring the bookstore into not just the regional but also the national arena. Justice has been inching toward that goal ever since.”

The listing of National & State Historic Registers for Richmond includes information about the Shockoe Valley and Tobacco Row Historic District (PDF), Shockoe Slip Mason’s Hall (PDF), the Manchester Industrial Historic District, the Manchester Residential and Commercial Historic District (PDF), Southern Stoveworks (Manchester), and even Belle Isle (PDF).

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West of the Boulevard caught that last Sunday’s Washington Post “Road Trip” featured Cary Street from Carytown to the Slip (PDF), with a nod to Richbrau and the Tobacco Company.

Not conceding the macaroni and cheese crown to LuLu’s, Granny Wade’s has opened up at 1316 East Cary Street and features Southern home-style cooking such as meatloaf, chicken&dumplings, and macaroni&cheese. Lunch Monday-Friday and dinner Thursay-Saturday. [via]