Wherever in the World It Is, You Will Find It At
Black Horse Manor!
40 Village Spring Dr.
Hardy, VA
(540) 721-0181
HOURS:
Tuesday - Saturday
10am-5pm
If you are one of the thousands of people who enjoy the
Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival, you might want to tip
your hat to Phil Hager. He’s the one who got the ball rolling.
Phil and his wife Margaret are wine connoisseurs, and also
operate one of the original lake businesses: the Phil Hager
Insurance Agency at Westlake.
More than twenty-five years ago, before there was even a
Chamber of Commerce, there was a Smith Mountain Lake
Partnership, of which Phil was a member.The purpose of the
partnership was to encourage tourism, and they were looking
for a way to extend the summer season in order to give local
businesses a boost.
Phil was on a business visit toThe Manor at Taylor’s Store,
which at the time was a bed and breakfast operated by Dr. Lee
Tucker and his wife, Mary Lynn. At the conclusion of their
dealings, Phil brought up the idea of extending the tourist
season at the lake, during the course of which he casually
mentioned that he was an aficionado of Virginia wines. A
brainstorming session ensued, resulting in a proposal to hold
a wine festival on the grounds of Taylor’s Store.
Dr. Tucker’s brother was part of a chamber quartet out of
Charlottesville, and Lee arranged to have them perform at
the first festival.
“We had 10 wineries, and the Smith Mountain Lake
Lions Club helped us with the parking,” Hager remembers.
“It was a one day event on Saturday for the first three years…
it was not a money maker by any means.”
The fourth year brought with it the opportunity to hold
the festival on the water, at Bernard’s Landing, and for two
days instead of just one. Phil and Margaret had taken on the
responsibility for planning and arranging the annual event.
Phil’s son Gavin and high school chum Chad Setliff ran ice
and collected trash “It was really a family affair,” he recalls.
He is also quick to give credit to numerous volunteers, who
have always been essential to the success of every year’s wine
festival.
The festival continued to grow, and after 10 years had
gotten a bit too large for the Hagers to handle on their own.
They decided to pass the baton to the Chamber of Commerce,
which by this time was firmly established. Over the years, the
Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival
has matured into the colossal event that
it is today.
Looking back, Phil and Margaret
are quite proud of what they started.
“It was a new idea; we had to establish
the rules as to how to set up a wine
tasting event that did not take place at a
winery.” It was the first in the region to
be held by a private organization.
This meant that the Hagers had to
work with ABC in order to establish a
process for setting up this type of event,
because nobody had done it before.
The SML Wine Festival was also
the first wine festival in Virginia to
actively promote and reward designated
drivers. In conjunction with MADD,
designated drivers were offered a lower
gate fee and free soft drinks. To this
day, the Festival lives up to its original
billing: “The first and largest Wine
Festival West of Charlottesville”.
History
A Taste of
REAL OUTLET
SAVINGS
• SofaS • recliner SofaS
• SectionalS • reclinerS
• leather • maSter bedroom
• children’S bedroom
• caSual dining
• mattreSS SetS
• occaSional furniture
• & much more!
New merchandise arriving daily.
Floor Samples and Discontinued
Styles from Grand’s 15 stores and
4 warehouses in 3 states.
Plus Manufacturer’s Overstocks.
WeStlaKe
On Rt.122 at Westlake Village
(540) 721-2227
Thurs. - Sat. 10-6, Sun. 12-5
Hours subject to seasonal change
We Welcome
Also Visit Our 2 Full Service Stores in Roanoke
Open 4 Days A Week
Thu r sday, F r i day,
Sat u r day & Sunday
WESTLAKE
Area’s Largest Mattress Selection
Over 50 models to choose from
FREE
Same Day Delivery*
FREE
Removal of Your Old Mattress Set
**
6 MONTHS
Special Financing Available
**
125
%
PRICE GUARANTEE
- Grand will
not be undersold on any Full Service mattress
set purchase
***
FULL SERvICE
Mattress Selection includes:
*
Free delivery on mattress purchases of
$
597 or
more. Same day delivery not available Sunday.
Must purchase by 4pm. Some areas next day
delivery. See store for details.
**
Subject to credit
approval. See store for details.
***
If you find the
same mattress set in stock for less elsewhere within
30 days of your purchase, Grand will refund 125
%
of the difference. Verifiable confirmation required
12780 (11-12)
Auto-Owners Insurance rankshighest among auto insuranceproviders in the J.D.Power andAssociates2008-2012AutoClaimsStudies
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In this moment . . .
Call or visit us:
It doesn’t matter if you saved money in 15 minutes.
It doesn’t matter if your neighbor has the same insurance you do.
What matters right now is the quality of your independent
insurance agent and the company that stands behind them.
Auto-Owners Insurance is “Highest in Customer Satisfaction
with the Auto Insurance Claims Experience, Five Years in a Row”
according to J.D. Power and Associates.
Phil, Gavin &
Margaret Hager
540.721.8822
13840 B.T. Washington Hwy.
Moneta , VA 24121
By Charles Alexander
Discover Smith Mountain Lake
Fall 2013
13
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