Heading into the holiday shopping season, retailers are beginning their sprucing-up rituals. While some merchants put up lights, Christmas trees and menorahs by rote, others are going through it for the first time. And though Mary Mollen is one of those novices, preparing for the post-Thanksgiving rush will be easier after the three-month redesign of her store, The Toy Center.

Driving north on Chamberlayne Avenue from downtown, you’ll see a nondescript beige building that sits off to the left. From a distance, it looks like any warehouse in any urban area in America. But look a little closer and what you’ll find is a nearly 60-year-old building that has been gutted and renovated by its owners, brothers David and Tom Kern.

There are certain things in life you don’t expect to see—Red Sox and Yankees fans celebrating together; dogs and cats frolicking in the sun; auto repair shops and antique dealers sharing space. Once in a while, though, you get surprised, like when chocolate and peanut butter joined forces. Another unexpected mishmash is happening on U.S. 60 in Powhatan County.