Eljo's – C-VILLE Weekly

Remembering Sandy McAdams

Sandy McAdams, founder of C&O Restaurant and Daedalus Bookshop, died December 21 due to complications from multiple sclerosis. He was 82.

When McAdams arrived in Charlottesville in 1974 with 20,000 books in a railroad car, he found a permanent home for his collection on the corner of Market and Fourth streets. Many locals recognize McAdams as one of the Downtown Mall’s founding fathers, thanks to his vision for revitalizing Main Street.

From the bookstore to a brief stint running an alternative newspaper in the ’70s to his time on the Live Arts theater board in the ’90s, McAdams made his mark on Charlottesville’s arts and culture scene.

In a 2015 C-VILLE article on the creation of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall scene, C&O Restaurant co-owner Philip Stafford recalled meeting McAdams at Daedalus: “I can picture this pretty well to this day—this sort of eccentric-looking guy walked up to me with a beard down to his waist, and sort of put his face up to me and said ‘What do you want?’ I said ‘I’m looking for this book The Art of Seeing by Aldous Huxley,’ and he said ‘It’s right over your shoulder.’”

McAdams and Stafford eventually sold the C&O in 1984, but the French restaurant has retained its place as one of Charlottesville’s most popular fine dining spots. Daedalus also remains a testament to McAdams’ impact on downtown Charlottesville, and will continue operating under Jackson Landers, who purchased the bookstore in late 2023. After McAdams’ passing, the store shared images of him working in his favorite place over the years—flipping through a book in one photo, deep in thought in another.

“Sandy always gifted a book to my children, without fail, every time we were in the shop,” one person commented on the post. “It was a treat to know him.”

McAdams is survived by his wife, Donna, two daughters, and two granddaughters. Instead of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to Live Arts.

Spending time

In a belated Christmas gift, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced December 26 that eight Charlottesville-area events and festivals would receive more than $70,000 in grants. Over $800,000 in funds statewide, and roughly $4.8 million in matching public-private donations, were awarded as part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s special events and festivals sponsorship program.

Among those receiving funds are the Tom Tom Festival, Foxfield Spring Races, Crozet Arts & Crafts Festival, IX Art Foundation’s Fae Festival, and Winter Wander at the Boar’s Head Resort. The program is part of a larger effort to increase overnight tourism and visitor spending in the commonwealth.

“This year’s grant recipients have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to growing their event footprint, increasing visitation, and enhancing the visitor experience in 2025,” said Youngkin in a press release announcing the grants. “By leveraging these funds, we aim to attract even more visitors, showcase the unique charm of our communities, and reinforce Virginia’s reputation as a premier destination for memorable events and festivals.”

Visitor spending in Charlottesville and Albemarle County for 2023 totaled just under $1 billion, an increase of almost 6 percent compared to 2022.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin awarded eight area events and festivals more than $70,000 in grants. Supplied photo.

Lace up

After the Main Street Arena closed in 2018, ice hockey and skating fans wondered when central Virginia would get another ice rink. This winter, Charlottesville-based Project Phoenix announced plans to request a permit for an indoor rink in Ruckersville. Its grand opening is years in the future, but the team has already acquired land off 29 North and hopes to see zoning approved.

Shelter loading

Plans surrounding a low-barrier shelter in Fifeville are still up in the air, City Manager Sam Sanders confirmed at City Council’s final meeting of the year. The proposal to convert Cherry Avenue’s Salvation Army store elicited pushback from some residents who suggested the shelter should instead open on Ridge Street. Sanders will take questions at a January 9 neighborhood meeting.

Suit and tied

Eljo’s Traditional Clothes, a menswear store founded by two UVA students in 1950 and currently owned by Myles Thurston, will soon change hands. While Thurston has not yet announced who purchased the business, ownership will officially switch over February 15. In the meantime, shoppers in search of a discount can enjoy up to 50 percent off Eljo’s inventory.

In memoriam

August 12 survivor Marissa Blair died on September 19 at the University of Virginia Hospital due to complications from pneumonia related to metastatic colon cancer. She was 35 years old.

Blair survived the August 2017 deadly car attack that killed her friend and co-worker Heather Heyer when her then-fiance Marcus Martin pushed her out of the path of the vehicle. In the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo by former Daily Progress reporter Ryan Kelly, Martin can be seen mid-air after being struck by the vehicle.

Following the attack, Blair continued her involvement in anti-racist activism, successfully suing Jason Kessler with eight other survivors for his involvement in organizing the Unite the Right rally.

“Marissa brought so much joy to her family, friends and everyone who knew or crossed paths with her,” reads a portion of the obituary shared by Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory. “She was a bright shining light with a true beauty inside and out and will be missed to a degree that words could never express.”

Blair’s service was held on September 28 in Lovingston, Virginia. In addition to flowers, the family requests people plant a memorial tree in her honor. Information on the memorial tree effort can be found in Blair’s obituary (obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com/marissa-blair).

Cost of business

Charlottesville staple Eljo’s is for sale by Myles Thurston, who has owned the store for 50 years. If the
menswear business is not purchased by the end of the year, the iconic Barracks Road store will close its doors permanently.

Opened by Elliott and Joseph Hyman in 1950, Eljo’s demographic has shifted away from UVA students over the decades. Most of the store’s current clientele are from outside of Charlottesville, with half of Eljo’s sales now custom-ordered clothing.

Thurston became a partner in the business in 1974, eventually buying Eljo’s from the Hyman brothers in 1984.

“After more than 70 years of business, and more than 50 of them in our family, we have decided it is time to find a new caretaker for Charlottesville’s best custom-designed clothing options for our community’s leading businessmen and professionals,” reads a post from Thurston on Eljo’s website.

Anyone interested in purchasing the business and remaining inventory can contact Thurston directly.

Phones down

Emergency and non-emergency phone lines were down for more than nine hours in Fluvanna County on September 28. The Fluvanna County Emergency Communications Center was notified of the interruption at approximately 1:45am, setting up temporary emergency and non-emergency numbers during the outage. Service to both lines was restored the same day at roughly 11:35am.

Underwater

Mint Springs Valley Park is closed following flooding from Hurricane Helene that caused significant damage to the roadway by the park’s entrance. Albemarle County Parks & Recreation shuttered the area indefinitely on September 29. The damage is in a different location than the culvert that burst in early August after Tropical Storm Debby, which closed the park for several days.

Fatal fire

A structure fire in Scottsville killed one person on September 27. Albemarle County Fire Rescue responded to a request for service at about 4:38am in the 4000 block of Jacobs Creek Drive, where crews found a heavily involved fire engulfing a single-wide trailer and spreading to a nearby vehicle. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and had not been identified at press time. Authorities say the fire does not appear suspicious.