ASHLAND — I found about 50 things to write about in downtown Ashland and the surrounding area this week, so I’ll mention a few of the highlights and promise more information in the weeks ahead.

I’m just starting with the first notes in the book and working my way from there. After a week away from the office, I returned to find an angry voice mail from a man who had previously called about a local blueberry farm. He was upset because he’d read my story about a young boy’s plans to eat cheeseburgers, but failed to let local senior citizens know where to get their fresh berries. I called him back and he kindly pointed me toward Don Davis, who grows about seven acres of blueberries on his family’s heirloom farm.

I got Davis on the phone and enjoyed talking blueberries with him, although he was quick to say it’s at least a week too late for anyone looking for blueberries straight off the bush. They have several quarts frozen for future use, but otherwise this year’s crop is gone. I asked Davis to hang onto my number until next year and told him we’d come out and do a story about his place at the start of next year’s picking season.

Stop by Stump’s

Bernard Stump at Stump’s Hallmark on Winchester Avenue in Ashland is just a few weeks away from closing shop forever, and is quickly selling out his merchandise at a 50 percent discount (candies not included). Stump said he hopes to make Aug. 31 his final day in business, although he knows he’ll still be around the shop liquidating fixtures and boxing any leftover inventory for at least a few weeks after that.

Stump is the first to say he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with himself after leaving the only job he’s ever had, but it sounds as if friends and family have already lined up a few good options for him.

Until it closes, Stump’s Hallmark will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (606) 324-1311.

Ribbon cut

The folks at Gary Allen Designs, on the corner of Winchester Avenue and 16th Street, had a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week and have since been welcoming customers for consultations about jobs ranging from faux finishing to party and special events as well as commercial and residential design, custom floral arrangements, gifts and accessories and more.

The shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and by appointment on Sunday. For more information, call (606) 325-0027.

On either side ...

Patsy’s owner Patsy Lentz has also expanded her shop at 240 16th St. with an annex on the other side of Gary Allen Designs, at the former Faces of Fashion location on Winchester Avenue. You still enter from the 16th Street storefront, although the expanded shop now has room for an expanded furniture offerings, including two new lines selected by Patsy for her customers. The shop is also stocked with many new fabric samples for special-order furniture.

Patsy’s is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and at other times by appointment. For more information, call (606) 324-1228.

Relocated

The next time you’re in front of the Paramount Arts Center, look across the street and you will see the new home of longtime downtown business Michael Quade Designs.

Peeking through the window, it appears the business is nearly ready to reopen although I had no luck finding anyone around.

According to the window signs, the business specializes in fine upholstery, custom drapes and reupholstery. For more information, call (606) 324-2563 or (606) 571-4822.

Just down the street

I found two guys working hard inside the future location of Porky’s BBQ and Pancake Palace at 1213 Winchester Ave., basically between the blue and green bridges to and from Ohio, across from Starbucks.

One of the guys said they hope to have the place open within about 60 days, and encourages anyone seeking a job to drop by between 9 and 5 Monday through Friday to fill out and submit an application. Looking at the list of job titles they hope to fill, it seems they need a lot of people to do a lot of different work.

The Ashland location will be the third for Porky’s BBQ and Pancake Palace, the workers said.

And, the BIG story

I promised to pass along more information about the ongoing renovations at the former Boston Beanery location on Greenup Avenue in Ashland, next door to the new city police station — soon to be known as D Ray’s Montana Grill.

I popped in last week and found Darrell Vowell, who owns the place along with his wife, Sandy, hard at work. In fact, the man looked like he’d been laboring in the hot sun shoveling gravel for a few hours. He seemed more than ready for a little break and we sat there for nearly two hours talking about their plans for the place.

Vowell said his career in food service began in 1967 when his father retired from the USAF and bought a restaurant in Arkansas that remains in business today.

“I literally grew up in the restaurant business from fifth grade to high school,” he said, pausing before adding, “and I hated it.”

Vowell pursued a career in the sales field, and was surprised at his passion for preparing food when it came time for company picnics and events. He also spent spare time “tweaking” a great barbecue sauce from his father-in-law, and eventually found his friends and family badgering him to bottle the stuff and sell it. Vowell submitted his sauce for judging at the West Virginia State Fair, and took first place in 2006 and 2007, qualifying him for resources and marketing that allowed him to commercially offer his line of three Cowboy Cook’n Co. sauces. The family operation later expanded to a restaurant in Wayne, where they stayed for three years before meeting Bob Thomas, and getting a glimpse of the vacant restaurant space along Greenup Avenue in Ashland. Vowell said he saw the potential of the place at first glance.

“My first impression was it is a shame a place this nice sat vacant for so long,” he said. “I liked what I saw.”

With a planned menu including bison steaks and burgers as well as the highest-quality of Angus beef he can find, Vowell made it clear he is obsessed with providing top-quality appetizers, entrees and beverages properly prepared and served.

“I am hell-bent on food quality. I’ve got to be able to deliver the goods,” he said.

In addition to providing full-service bar choices, Vowell said they will be slow-roasting their own barbecue to go with signature sauces, in addition to offering babyback ribs and “the real shortribs.” With a hint of excitement in his expression, Vowell said they will also be bringing back the CRT Shrooms made famous in the same location when it was known as C.R. Thomas.

“This will be the real CRT Shrooms with the real honey-mustard sauce,” he said. “It’s not a copy. It’s the original thing.”

The Vowells are actively taking applications and seeking employees who understand the business. Anyone interested in a job is encouraged to simply drop by and ask for an application.

Vowell said he hopes to have D Ray’s Montana Grill open for business in late September or early October.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.