Every neighborhood has its own unique landscape, and the Belle Isle Moonshine team wants to help you navigate each of them. In our Field Guide series, we're diving a little deeper into some of our favorite neighborhoods and showcasing a few of the businesses that help to make them unique with the help of some local influencers.
Our host in Richmond will be Shanna Battle, thrifting-maven and Content Creator-in-Chief of the style blog me and Minnie. With Shanna's help, we'll explore a few of Richmond's most notable 'hoods and the stores, bars, and restaurants that make them tick. Next up: the brewery and restaurant-packed Scott’s Addition!
All photos by Sandy Swagger Jones.
I love playing tourist in my own town.
Some Saturdays I find myself Googling random neighborhoods to find new hidden gems in my city to explore. Last Saturday my Google search led me to Scott’s Addition. Though this up-and-coming Richmond millennial mecca is not new to me, I’ve never really had a chance to explore it. After searching for a few suggested places to visit, I settled on Jackson & James, a men’s clothing store in the heart of the Scott’s Addition, and Tang & Biscuit, a shuffleboard social club that piqued my interest.
You really feel like you’ve entered another city upon entering Scott’s Addition. There’s no shortage of sprawling apartments, restaurants, and breweries on just about every corner. There are also little pockets of small shops weaved into the neighborhood, and that’s where I find Jackson & James.
From the second I stepped in, I felt as if I’d walked into a well-curated man cave. Before you have a chance to take a quick scan of the shop, you smell a mix of musk and sandalwood from the candles and cologne perfectly arranged on a shelf in a corner. Directly across I spotted a hanging rack of simple white t-shirts and jackets. I made a beeline but was distracted by a nearby shelf stacked with quirky bar cart accessories. A book of cocktail recipes caught my eye–the perfect holiday gift for my brother.
Next, I browsed the t-shirts, button-downs, and jackets. Now that my son is older, I’ve been looking to invest in a few items for his closet that will stand the test of teenage time. Since it seems winter is here to stay, I picked up an olive green field jacket and will keep a close eye on a green plaid shirt I think he would like.
As I made my way to browse their selection of denim, I came upon a small sitting section complete with a brown leather couch, a flat-screen TV playing SportsCenter, and a perfectly curated selection of old records tucked away in the corner. I couldn’t help but take a seat, kicking my feet up to get a recap of the week's game highlights. After browsing through the records, I take a look at a few pairs of jeans. I’ve been trying to get my dad a new pair, and their selection gave me so many options. I’ll have to bring him back to test a few out. With my goodies in hand and a date in mind to come back for some more shopping, I’m off to see what Tang & Biscuit is all about.
Upon hearing Tang & Biscuit was a “shuffleboard social club,” I was a bit intrigued. When I think of shuffleboard, I get this image of my grandparents playing with a group of age-appropriate friends on their extended retirement cruise. The second I walked in, I was greeted with lights from a larger-than-life “LOVE” sign that made the entire place glow. In the background is a colorful “Tang & Biscuit” mural, and directly across the shuffleboard court is a bar–a massive one!
I’d never played shuffleboard before but T & B manager Carrie was kind enough to give me a quick lesson. After a few minutes, I got the hang of it and challenged her to a few rounds! Midway through our game, I was served their signature Oranjutang Lightbulb–Belle Isle Black Label, triple sec, and Tang served in a lightbulb glass! With a drink in one hand and the cue in the other, I tried to push my puck in between sips of my elevated childhood drink. After a few, it was a bit hard. This is not my grandparents' shuffleboard–this is shuffleboard 2.0! I was told their version of shuffleboard was best played with a group of friends and a drink in hand, and after playing just one game sipping and shuffling, I can see why!
When we finished our last game, I made my way to the bar to refill my lightbulb and got the chance to sample a creamsicle version the bartender was testing out. Some drinks are complicated to make but this one is very simple–and the perfect complement to my brother’s cocktail book! Along with serving as the day’s taste tester (a job I took very seriously, but the way), I got the 411 on why this place is called Tang & Biscuit to begin with: in shuffleboard, the cue is the tang and the puck is the biscuit. A very simple concept with very fun results. My friends and I take turns planning monthly outings to catch up, and this place in next in the queue.
Post by Shanna Battle, founder of me and Minnie. Follow her on Instagram at @meeandminnie to get great thrifting, styling, and lifestyle tips!
All photos by Sandy Swagger Jones. She also has an awesome Instagram feed, which you should follow @sandyswaggerjones.