We were craving a change of scenery this past weekend so after hitting up church on Sunday, we took a quick one hour drive to Purcellville, VA.
And it was lovely.
I don’t know what it is about me. I have lived in stereotypical suburbia my entire life and just can’t seem to sit still on the weekends. Take me away!
When I recently read on Heather Bien’s blog about her trip to Purcellville, I thought it was high time to give it a try too. I’d been to Purcellville dozens of times when visiting wineries (there are quite a few there) but had never been to the downtown section. Rest assured, it did not at all disappoint.
Oh, and a fun little history fact is that Purcellville was part of the W&OD rail line and is now the end of the W&OD Trail. The original train station is intact and you can peek in the windows to see where the segregated waiting rooms were. Make sure you read the information plaque which will show you where it all was. So crazy to think about!
I should also note that, while scenery and antiquing might not be your dude’s thing (it certainly isn’t mine’s), Jim actually really enjoyed his time out in Purcellville!
Also, I linked all of my recommended places in the headings 🙂
It’s Bazaar on 21st Street
This was our first stop and I kind of really loved it. You never know what you’ll find at antique shops. I’ll show you what I got below. Jim bought some programs from the Army Navy games in the early 1980s. Very cool!
Here’s what I got.. Can you guess what it is?
A fan?
Nope.. wait for it!
Taaaa daaaaaa! It’s a little tiered serving platter! I actually got the excited butterflies when I saw this in the store. Like WHAT?! This thing is too cool and why the HELL do they not make them anymore? I’ll be using this ALL the time.. Oh, and it’s silver which is also really cool 🙂
Gruto’s Ice Cream
If you know me, you know I LOVE soft serve ice cream and Gruto’s did not disappoint. There’s a bit of a Louisiana/Mardi Gras motif there (I’m guessing the owner is from there) and I loved everything about it. The girls working there were adorable and so sweet, the service was top-notch and the ice cream was delicious. Part of their little schtick was that they say “See you tomorrow!” when you leave… And TRUST me, I was tempted. This is a MUST if you’re in Purcellville (or Leesburg–they have a location there too!).
Catoctin Creek Distillery
I’d had Catoctin Creek’s whiskey before and enjoyed it. What I did not expect, however, was to ADORE their tasting room. Whoever designed this is a genius and I think it’s just so pretty! The building was originally a Buick dealership and I love how the original look and old feel shines forth. Oh, and the cocktail flight wasn’t half bad too ;).
I will also note that their little gift section is LEGIT and totally the type of place I would come back to for Christmas shopping!
Androit Theory Brewing Company
I’d been wanting to check out Androit Theory for a long time now because they were a sponsor at the 2019 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Brewer’s Ball, which is one of my favorite charities.
The location is a little off the beaten path, in Purcellville’s teeny industrial park. While the outside isn’t much to write home about (it is in an industrial park, after all), the beer and inside ambiance certainly make up for it. If you’re a beer lover, this is CERTAINLY worth the trip.
Belly Love Brewing
We happened upon this brewery because Jim was playing around on the UnTappd app and found it.
I loved this place. They take their theme VERY seriously and have kitschy names for their beers, which I always appreciate. “I’ll have a ‘Unicorn Kick to the Crotch,’ please!” (That’s what Jim had.. I had a “Shut the Fook Up.”) The ambiance of the tasting room is awesome.. It almost had a luxurious feel to it… Oh, and going back to the theme, the bathrooms are labeled “Innies” and “Outies” instead of “Men” and “Women.” Took me a minute….
Monk’s Barbecue
I blame my Texas friends for making me have ridiculously high standards when it comes to barbecue, and Monks did not at ALL disappoint. In fact, it might have been the best I’ve had in this area. If you can handle spicy, my advice is to skip the house barbecue sauce and go straight for the Angry Texan. You won’t be sorry. Oh, and the mac and cheese is a must.
As you can see from the photos, Purcellville is socially distant by default. If you’re worried about Covid, this is a great little town to sneak away. I simply loved it and can’t wait to go back!
