Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

In this episode we unpack the Browns Island closure and the proposed 2026 riverfront “boardwalk,” what it could fix, and where projects tend to stall in RVA. 

We visit the recent viral drunk raccoon story and how it jumped to national outlets. The story of a raccoon busting his way into an Ashland/Hanover ABC store, ransacking its shelves and passing out drunk in its bathroom on Friday, Nov. 28 has garnered national attention. It’s inspired Virginia ABC advertisements, themed cocktail recipes, a mass scavenger hunt and even a pet election.

Most of all, a limited-time merchandise campaign has raised over $200,000 for the Hanover County Animal Protection Shelter as of the time of reporting.

Then: CoStar’s planned “digital skin” and the broader AI billboard debate in an arts town. 

We zoom out to connecting downtown districts, Shockoe street upgrades, and the tension between adaptive reuse and clashy infill (including the Fairfax addition fight). 

Then we take a nostalgic turn with Rewind Vintage (VHS, retro gaming) and a quick look at attention economics: why we still make long-form and how big shared moments fade. We close with the typical moon-landing debate :)

Keywords: Richmond VA, Browns Island boardwalk, CoStar screen, AI billboard, Shockoe street improvements, Fairfax addition, non-alcoholic options, Point 5, Rewind Vintage, VHS, retro gaming, long-form podcasts, moon landing debate.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

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Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

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Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

Richmond then and now: how Black Friday shifted from a one-morning scramble to month-long sales, what that did to malls, and why shared cultural moments faded (with Barbenheimer as a recent exception and GTA 6 on the horizon). The episode looks at Richmond’s growth vs. preservation—think Scott’s Addition then vs now—and why local brands should publish consistently if they want to matter.

There’s a Richmond history detour into The Valentine museum and its Victorian-era remedy, Valentine’s Meat Juice, plus a practical segment on non-alcoholic holiday hosting (how to stock simple zero-proof options and why it reduces pressure, keeps mornings clean, and includes more guests). A late-night door-knock story leads to basic city safety and common-sense reads.

Topics include: Black Friday history, dead/dying malls, event culture, 1990s nostalgia, Richmond growth and neighborhood change (Scott’s Addition), local media and publishing strategy, The Valentine museum, Valentine’s Meat Juice, natural vs. Western medicine, sober-curious hosting, and urban safety.

Keywords: Richmond VA, Black Friday then vs now, dead malls, event culture, 90s nostalgia, Scott’s Addition, The Valentine museum, Valentine’s Meat Juice, sober curious, non-alcoholic holiday drinks, local media publishing, Richmond growth, city safety.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

In this episode we talk about how the Vera show has grown into locally recognized media, then get into a weird story about nine burglars jumping out of a Hyundai Sonata in Warrenton, and what it says about choices and consequences. We cover dog-poop etiquette and why online shaming rarely changes behavior. There’s a quick comparison to Japan’s “carry your trash” norm and a lost-bag story that shows how culture shapes outcomes. We taste a non-alcoholic tequila from Point 5 and share sober-curious options for the holidays. 

We close with the Shockoe street projects — two-way conversions, cycle tracks, roundabouts—and why details like paving and finishes affect whether people actually want to walk, ride, and spend time in a place.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

Follow Conditions:

https://www.instagram.com/conditionsband

https://www.facebook.com/conditionsband

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CdtIKatJJJuXXjjxRtT8X

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/conditions/275764015

Richmond made them, the world loved them. In this episode, Brandon Roundtree and Alex Howard of Conditions; both veterans of Richmond’s vibrant music scene, take us from Canal Club nights and storage-unit rehearsals to national tours and records that still hit millions of streams every year — Fluorescent Youth and Full of War. 

We get into the writing that’s melodic on record but explosive in the room, the mechanics of a true breakout from RVA, and why coming back to Richmond for a reunion mattered more than anything else. 

Conditions absolutely dominated the mid-2000s and helped put Richmond on the national stage. This month we are all celebrating 15 years since their debut album Fluorescent Youth. To this very day, their music has a cult fan base, receives millions of streams, and their final reunion show coming up this weekend sold out almost instantly.

Brandon is a father, a husband, and the insanely talented vocalist and core songwriter behind Conditions. He took his influence and experience from previous metalcore bands like Scarlet, and later when Conditions formed he became known for his melodic, emotion-driven songwriting and vocals.

Alex has been the guitarist alongside him since the very beginning — one of the engines behind so much of the melodic, driving sound that defined the band. Today, he’s taken that same talent to an even bigger stage. Alex now plays bass guitar for Jelly Roll — a Grammy-nominated and award-winning country music artist currently selling out arenas and headlining festivals worldwide.

Conditions were a huge part of the late-2000s, early-2010s pop punk wave. They signed with Good Fight Music, released 3 full length albums, 2 fan-favorite EPs, and spent years touring nonstop. From Warped Tour to SXSW — and sharing the stage with bands like Paramore, New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, and many many more - today they’re on the eve of their reunion show here in Richmond and they just dropped their brand new single, “Belong Foreve

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

Join RVAx – the Richmond fan club you didn’t know you needed to be a part of:

https://www.therichmondexperience.com

Follow RVAx:
https://www.instagram.com/therichmondexperience
https://www.tiktok.com/@therichmondexperience
https://www.facebook.com/therichmondexperience

How does Richmond decide where to go this week? Paige Poprocky and Kelsey Heintz pull back the curtain on ⁠The Richmond Experience⁠ — an independently owned, women-led, queer-owned local media brand that turns curation into what to eat, drink, see, and do in Richmond, Virginia. In this episode we have a fun chat about what it takes to run a lean, community-centric operation that locals deeply trust.

Kelsey and Paige run one of the largest local media outlets in Central Virginia.

We get into boundaries and burnout in entrepreneurship, evolving beyond basic content, how their paid vs. organic calendar actually works, and why their membership site stays member-first and ad-light. 

We talk neighborhood shifts from Scott’s Addition to Brookland Park, the Carytown chain debate, and how social media allows Richmonders to figure out what's happening around town.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

Richmond entrepreneur Hayden Mater sits down with us to unpack the ethos behind Mater Made — a watch brand built for real life, not glass cases. Hayden Mater is a serial entrepreneur, father and husband, and an explorer making timepieces that inspire curiosity, endurance, and a life well-lived.

Shop now at Mater Made:

https://matermade.com

Follow Mater Made:

https://www.instagram.com/mater_made

https://www.youtube.com/@MaterMadeofficial

https://www.instagram.com/haydenmater/

In this episode of Vera House we trace Hayden's arc from commodity trading and early door-to-door hustles to field-testing prototypes in harsh environments.

By day, Hayden is a department head at an international commodity trading firm, where he focuses on market strategy and operational leadership. But beyond the desk, he’s a modern renaissance man — a designer, athlete, and storyteller who believes business is a sport and life is meant to be explored.

What began as a fascination with functional design evolved into Mater Made, a brand that merges innovation, exploration, and well-roundedness — three principles that define both his watches and his worldview. Each Mater Made watch is more than a product; it’s a companion built for environments that test the limits of body and mind.

From the middle of the desert, to the middle of the ocean, and even to the racetrack and beyond — Hayden has taken Mater Made around the world to prove one thing: time is only valuable when you’re truly living it.

In this episode, Hayden lays out why he chose spec over status — movement choices that matter, materials where they count, and pricing designed to over-deliver. We dig into the idea of entrepreneurship as a sport (train the mind and body, compete daily), how to handle a launch that doesn’t sell out, and why documenting the adventure is part of the product and the journey. If you care about design that earns its keep — rugged × refined—this one’s for you.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

Less buzz, more clarity. We open with adaptogens over caffeine—Kin, L-theanine, lion’s mane—and why “awake” doesn’t have to mean jittery. Then we launch Boyfriend iPhone Bootcamp: turning a running joke into basics that actually matter—angles, light, distance, framing. 

From there, a tour through Richmond’s layers: 18th-Street throwbacks (Tiki Bob’s, Alley Cats, On The Rocks), the Altria/Mosque pool that used to exist, underground water and hidden rooms, and why rooftop pools never quite stuck here. We break down what works now—Black Olive’s tucked-in rooftop energy—then talk service as product with a candid Coalescence debrief. 

We close on resilience (doing the hard thing when the numbers pinch) and a real community moment: RPD vs RFD charity boxing at River City Roll, training at Vintage Boxing, and why shared rituals beat hot takes.

Keywords: Richmond VA, adaptogens vs caffeine, Kin Euphorics, L-theanine, lion’s mane, Boyfriend iPhone Bootcamp, Richmond nightlife history, Altria Theater pool, rooftop pools RVA, Black Olive rooftop, Coalescence coffee, River City Roll boxing, Vintage Boxing.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

Visit Point 5 at 3435 West Cary St, Richmond, VA

point5rva.com

In this guest interview, we sit down with Jody Sidle — founder and driving force behind Point 5 in Carytown (Richmond, VA) — to talk about the sober-curious wave reshaping how Richmond goes out. 

2 books we mentioned in conversation:

• Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization: ⁠https://amzn.to/48XY5pU⁠

• Alcohol Explained by William Porter: ⁠https://amzn.to/3JIHuMu

Point 5 is Richmond’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop located right here in Carytown. Driven by her own journey into an alcohol-free lifestyle, Jody launched Point 5 to create an inviting space for everyone: including those who are sober, sober-curious, or simply interested in discovering high-quality alternative and unique beverages. 

At Point 5, Jody and Lewis; Point 5’s Manager - curate a smart selection of non-alcoholic spirits, functional and nootropic drinks, canned beers and wines, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free options that reflect modern taste and lifestyle.  

Their vision extends beyond retail: They believe that the ritual of gathering, pouring a drink, and being social doesn’t have to be defined by alcohol. Their mission with Point 5 is to normalize alternative drinking culture, encourage inclusivity, and support expanded choice within Richmond’s diverse community.

Jody opens up about quitting alcohol and rebuilding the nighttime ritual without the hangover, then walks us through real NA options with bite and “mouthfeel” that still feel like an adult drink (Amethyst, Little Saints, reishi/lion’s mane, and nootropic/adaptogen–driven beverages, and more).    

We get tactical: why bars and restaurants should stock serious NA programs (margins, tips, inclusivity), how this changes spend, and what’s happening inside corporate/events where mid-day “old fashioneds” are now zero-proof—and everyone can drive home.    

Jody also previews Point 5’s growth: two franchises in New Jersey, Williamsburg on deck, and how she protects local radius so every franchise owner wins. We close with an open invitation to explore — not as an identity or lifetime pledge, but as a low-pressure experiment you can start today.

And if you’re NA-curious, try asking for Amethyst or Little Saints next time you’re out — Richmond’s already making room at the bar.  

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

Richmond’s haunted season, told by people who live here. We trade first-hand moments and local lore: a green, hologram-like “entity” outside the Poe Museum that refused to appear on camera; the Iron Dog of Hollywood Cemetery and the child it guards; late-night reports of voices at the Science Museum; and the suburban myth that won’t die—the Henrico werewolf. 

Between stories, we talk why superstitions travel faster than facts, what it means to curate experience (not just chase scares), and how sober social rituals keep the vibe without the fog.

In this episode: Halloween costumes and masks as identity, horror vs. suspense, the Richmond Vampire and the Church Hill tunnel, a live NA espresso-martini taste test from Point5, a quick caffeine myth check and much much more.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri

Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here

10% OFF your next purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5

Richmond doesn’t need fiction; the lore writes itself. We start with the city’s running list of urban legends—the Addison Street “gun hole,” the Church Hill tunnel collapse, the Richmond Vampire, the tank down Broad, Francine the Lowe’s cat—and ask why these stories stick longer than headlines ever do.

From there, the conversation pivots to “conductor” leadership: what it means to shape culture without playing every instrument. Think Rick Rubin and the Steve Jobs analogy—taste, curation, and ruthless editing over busywork. Even the internet’s favorite punchline, “Just Do It” Shia, becomes a lesson in reframing motivation.

We also bring the city into 32-bit: a love-letter game called Small Town RVA (Pump House quests, Pokémon/Zelda energy) that turns local landmarks into a playable map. Then a whiplash detour into conspiracy culture via an 11-page “manifesto” dropped on Perri's windshield—meme politics, hoax lists, and why receipts matter in a post-truth feed.

We loop back through the Richmond gun hole saga (sidewalk shrine, city fill-in, and the rescue of the concrete) before closing on Henry “Box” Brown’s audacious escape from Richmond—history as performance, and why clever shysters still fascinate us.

What we cover:

• Richmond lore roll-call: gun hole, Church Hill tunnel, Richmond Vampire, tank down Broad, Francine
• Conductor vs. specialist: Rick Rubin, Steve Jobs, and the art of directing without “doing it all”
• Motivation reframed: the Shia “Just Do It” meme and why some jokes age into mantras
• Small Town RVA: a 32-bit game turning local history into playable quests
• The 11-page “manifesto”: hoax lists, meme-era politics, and how stories get legs
• Point Five (Carytown): NA/functional bev lineup & why third spaces matter
• The Addison Street gun hole: sidewalk shrine, city response, concrete rescued
• Henry Box Brown: the crate, the route, the showman after freedom—and modern echoes

If Richmond is a story, this chapter is about who gets to hold the pen—the mythmakers, the editors, and the people who turn our city into a weird genre of lore.

Quick interjection to invite you to Vera House Studios. If you are a local Richmond business, entrepreneur, brand owner, or service provider—and you know you need to create better content to get your products and services in front of the right people—we can help.

Get more info about our studio here.

This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.

Follow the movement:

instagram.com/verahouse.co

youtube.com/@verahousepod

verahouse.co

Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:

instagram.com/mykemetzger

instagram.com/planetperri