Month: June 2025

Melrose Plaza Names Inaugural Class of Living Legends

Posted on by Rachel Spencer

New Exhibit To Recognize Roanoke’s Influential History Makers

In anticipation of the Grand Opening of Melrose Plaza, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys announces the inaugural class of the Living Legends exhibit – seven remarkable Roanokers whose lasting impact continues to shape and inspire the Roanoke community. This annual exhibit will honor visionary leaders and celebrate the legacy they’ve built for future generations.

“The Living Legends of Melrose Plaza are changemakers who continue to have influence,” said Richmond Vincent, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. “When we unveil the Melrose Plaza History Wall in July, these seven leaders will be recognized for their lasting contributions.”

The Living Legends exhibit is an extension of the Melrose Plaza History Wall. Updated annually, the rotating exhibit will honor community members who have made extraordinary contributions to education, civic leadership, journalism and cultural preservation.

“It’s important that these honorees know their efforts are seen and appreciated,” said Jordan Bell, local historian. “Their stories will live on at Melrose Plaza and inspire generations to come.”

The inaugural class of Living Legends to be featured at Melrose Plaza are Richard Chubb; Doris Ennis; Sherman Lea, Sr.; Peter Lewis; Peggy Sue Mason; Reginald Shareef and Claudia Whitworth. Full biographies will be revealed during the Grand Opening ceremony on the Living Legends display.

This year’s honorees are the first in what will become an annual tradition, with new Living Legends added each year to keep Roanoke’s history alive and evolving.

The honorees will be formally recognized during Melrose Plaza’s Grand Opening celebration on Thursday, July 31. For more details about the event, visit https://melroseplazaroanoke.com/.

Melrose Plaza to Celebrate Grand Opening in Northwest Roanoke

Posted on by Rachel Spencer

Melrose Plaza to Celebrate Grand Opening in Northwest Roanoke

Melrose Plaza, Roanoke’s new neighborhood center, will officially open its doors on Thursday, July 31, 2025. The project, which began as a community conversation and research study, has now become a transformative community initiative led by Goodwill Industries of the Valleys.

The Grand Opening event will feature a ribbon cutting, a tribute to Roanoke’s rich Black history, and a renewed promise to build opportunity where it’s most needed.

“Nestled in the ceiling of the lobby at Melrose Plaza is a Sankofa bird – a symbol of going back to get what has been left behind,” said Richmond Vincent, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. “This symbolism is woven into the very fabric of Melrose Plaza – a catalyst for change that is transforming Northwest Roanoke and bringing Goodwill’s mission to eliminate poverty to life.”

Melrose Plaza will feature key essential services designed to address the social determinants of poverty, including:

  • Wellness on Melrose, a health and wellness center to promote healthy living  
  • Henrietta’s Café, an extension of Market on Melrose offering fresh and ready-made meals for individuals and families
  • Market on Melrose, which opened in November to address Northwest Roanoke’s food desert
  • The Excel Center, Virginia’s first adult high school, offering free childcare and transportation to remove barriers for adult learners, which will officially open in August 2025
  • Bank of Botetourt, which opened its Melrose Plaza office in May 2025 to expand financial access
  • Roanoke Public Library – Melrose Branch, serving as a cultural and educational anchor since 2019

In addition to these services, Melrose Plaza will celebrate the culture of the area through public art on the building’s façade, designed and led by Roanoke native Bryce Cobbs. The Melrose Plaza History Wall and the Living Legends exhibit will honor Northwest Roanoke’s rich history while honoring local influencers and changemakers. The Harrison Museum of African American Culture will join Melrose Plaza in the fall to round out the plaza’s cultural offerings.

The Grand Opening event will welcome local and statewide leaders and will include the unveiling of the much-anticipated Melrose Plaza History Wall and Living Legends exhibit.

For more information on Melrose Plaza, visit https://melroseplazaroanoke.com/

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