Waynesboro Florist has been a downtown staple for 45 years, and owner Webber Payne says he can’t imagine the store being anywhere else. “We benefit from the foot traffic downtown,” he says, “and we add to it as well.”

Webber Payne grew up in the family business, which has survived economic cycles, changes in the regional industrial base, and even a 1978 fire which relocated the store to it’s current location at 325 West Main Street. 

Waynesboro received Virginia Main Street Community designation in 2000, and Webber was involved from the start, participating in the establishment of Waynesboro Downtown Development, Inc. (WDDI), and serving on the design committee. the economic restructuring committee, and the board. 

Webber says he’s enjoyed the work in each role, but the design committee might hold the most pleasure for him. “Working with Frazier Associates to provide architectural renderings that demonstrate the district’s great potential to the community can really give you a first-hand glimpse into the future.”

And with the involvement of merchants like Webber, the future is bright, There’s a key to his longevity:  “We have been successful,” he says, “because we provide service and quality. We carry a luxury product; we have to go above and beyond.”  It’s a strategy that works across every Main Street community, and merchant leader Webber Payne at Waynesboro Florist stands as a model.

To nominate a merchant in your community for a Main Street merchant profile, contact Doug Jackson.