The Roanoker - February 2014 - 85

business

From left: Chris Moeller, Frank Moeller and Debbie Moeller have brought beer to Botetourt County.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH:
Startups on the Rise
From a family brewery to a two-woman architecture firm, these
Roanoke-are new businesses are creating their
own distinct flavors.
BY KIMBERLY BOYER BANTA | PHOTOS BY DAVID HUNGATE
THE RECENT RECESSION hasn't stopped
entrepreneurs from creating successful, new
businesses in the Roanoke Valley. From breweries to ADHD software, from mental health
support to architecture and executive coaching, Roanokers have put aside the risks of
opening a new business in favor of making
their business dreams a reality.

FLYING MOUSE BREWERY
Frank Moeller and business partners, Debbie Moeller, Chris Moeller, John Garrett and
Jim Trexel, opened Flying Mouse Brewery
in early September 2013. Frank Moeller has
been home-brewing for about 20 years. It was
THE

R OANOKER.COM

a good fit and hobby for a mechanical engineer
who liked machinery and moving parts.
The Moellers wanted to open the brewery
in Botetourt, where they have lived for over
20 years. The location had to accommodate
an industrial-type facility, but the group also
desired a nice view, well water, and a large area
for parking. Moeller says they got "exceedingly
lucky" on finding the site off Valley Road.
This is a new industry for Botetourt County,
and many people must learn what a craft brewery is. At Flying Mouse, patrons can drink a
beer while enjoying music and local food. Flying Mouse does not have a restaurant, but it
frequently offers food vendors. The brewery is

planning some exciting upcoming events such
as 5K/10K races and a chili cook-off with arts
and crafts vendors.
The brewery offers three beers, "3," "5," and
"8," numbered on a scale from light to dark.
Flying Mouse will incorporate specialty beers,
but at this time, it strives to make good-tasting
beers that appeal to a large number of people.
In the winter months, Flying Mouse will focus
more on production, and the brewery will offer seasonal beers.
Business is going well, but any pioneering
change to the local landscape comes with some
debates. Flying Mouse has faced two small
zoning issues. In the distant future, Flying
Mouse wants to build a small amphitheater to
enhance the music at the brewery, and it wants
to offer services to Appalachian Trail hikers,
such as showers and laundry facilities, due to
the trail's close proximity to the brewery. A few
local residents object. Nevertheless, Moeller
firmly believes these plans will advance Flying
Mouse's atmosphere and promote the brewery's emphases on Botetourt tourism and the
importance of local goods. These issues could
be concluded before this edition is published.

ROANOKE RESOURCE
Celia McCauley-Wittl and Courtni Sandras
created Roanoke Resource, a mental health
support agency, to help low-income, mentally ill Medicaid recipients who have been
incarcerated or homeless. McCauley-Wittl
and Sandras do not use labels such as clients
or patients; they help consumers.
Interestingly, counseling is not a service offered by Roanoke Resource; it is referred to
other licensed counselors. Instead, Roanoke
Resource organizes and presents daily-living
workshops in topics such as health and nutrition, baking, expressive art and finance. Roanoke Resource's activities allow mentally ill
consumers, who are often alone in the world,
to develop friendships and social bonds.
McCauley-Wittl and Sandras also work
closely with Roanoke landlords to place consumers in housing. Typically, convicted criminals, especially those with low incomes, have
a very difficult time finding good housing options, McCauley-Wittl explains.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

85


http://www.THEROANOKER.COM

The Roanoker - February 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - February 2014

The Roanoker - February 2014
Contents
The Network
The 360
The Look
The Flavor
The Gossip
The Calendar
50 Things Every Roanoker Must Do!
They Came, They Moved In, They Love It
Deviled Eggs
Great Neighborhoods
Schools With Ties to Their Communities
Arts & Culture: Are We Seeing More Big Stars?
Recreation: Pick a Pursuit and We’ve Got the Place
New Business in Town
Retirement at Great Prices
Great Shopping for All
Dining Awards, Part Deux
Dining at First & Sixth: Pretty to Look At, Pretty to Taste
The Dish
The Weekend
Special Section: The Menu
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Intro
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Roanoker - February 2014
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Cover2
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 3
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Contents
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 5
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 6
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 7
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Network
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 9
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The 360
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 11
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Look
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 13
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Flavor
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 15
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Gossip
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Calendar
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 18
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 19
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 20
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 50 Things Every Roanoker Must Do!
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 22
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 23
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 24
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 25
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 26
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 27
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 28
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 29
The Roanoker - February 2014 - They Came, They Moved In, They Love It
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 31
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 32
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 33
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 34
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 35
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Deviled Eggs
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 37
The Roanoker - February 2014 - A
The Roanoker - February 2014 - B
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Great Neighborhoods
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 39
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 40
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 41
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 42
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 43
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 44
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The Roanoker - February 2014 - 49
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 50
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 51
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 52
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 53
The Roanoker - February 2014 - C
The Roanoker - February 2014 - D
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Schools With Ties to Their Communities
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 55
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 56
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 57
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 58
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 59
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 60
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The Roanoker - February 2014 - 62
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 63
The Roanoker - February 2014 - E
The Roanoker - February 2014 - F
The Roanoker - February 2014 - G
The Roanoker - February 2014 - H
The Roanoker - February 2014 - I
The Roanoker - February 2014 - J
The Roanoker - February 2014 - K
The Roanoker - February 2014 - L
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 64
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 65
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 66
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 67
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 68
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 69
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 70
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 71
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 72
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 73
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Arts & Culture: Are We Seeing More Big Stars?
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 75
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 76
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 77
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 78
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 79
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Recreation: Pick a Pursuit and We’ve Got the Place
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 81
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 82
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 83
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M
The Roanoker - February 2014 - N
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 84
The Roanoker - February 2014 - New Business in Town
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 86
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Retirement at Great Prices
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 88
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 89
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 90
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 91
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 92
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Great Shopping for All
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 94
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 95
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 96
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 97
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 98
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 99
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 100
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 101
The Roanoker - February 2014 - O
The Roanoker - February 2014 - P
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Dining Awards, Part Deux
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 103
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 104
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 105
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Dining at First & Sixth: Pretty to Look At, Pretty to Taste
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 107
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 108
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 109
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Dish
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 111
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 112
The Roanoker - February 2014 - 113
The Roanoker - February 2014 - The Weekend
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Cover3
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Cover4
The Roanoker - February 2014 - Special Section: The Menu
The Roanoker - February 2014 - MCover2
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M3
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M4
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M5
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M6
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M7
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M8
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M9
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M10
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M11
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M12
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M13
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M14
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M15
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M16
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M17
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M18
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M19
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M20
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M21
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M22
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M23
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M24
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M25
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M26
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M27
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M28
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M29
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M30
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M31
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M32
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M33
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M34
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M35
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M36
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M37
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M38
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M39
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M40
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M41
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M42
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M43
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M44
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M45
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M46
The Roanoker - February 2014 - M47
The Roanoker - February 2014 - MCover4
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