The Richmonder 25: Larkin Garbee contributes to Jackson Ward's thriving

Standing near the Maggie Walker statue, Larkin Garbee shared what she appreciates about her neighborhood.

“The beautiful thing about Jackson Ward is that you can kind of feel a little New York City because you have the hustle and bustle of Broad,” she said. “But you can go two blocks away to Clay Street and you have these beautiful tree canopies and gorgeous wrought-iron historic homes. So you can get the quiet and neighborhood feel that some people might love in the Fan.”

Jackson Ward became a historic landmark in the late 1970s. The area was well known as a beacon for Black businesses in the early 1900s, but was sliced in half when the federal government forced hundreds of residents out so Interstate 95 could be built in the 1950s.

Garbee, a 20-year resident of the district, has seen the ebbs and flow of an ever-evolving neighborhood – one that fiercely defends and fights to retain its deep roots to Richmond’s Black history, while at the same time making sure it stays high on the list of the city’s ongoing renovation and revitalization projects.

After graduating from VCU in the early 2000s with a business degree, Garbee initially moved to Virginia Beach. But after getting laid off working as an apartment manager, she couldn’t decide where to land next – in Lynchburg, where she grew up, or head back to Richmond. 

“Coming back here felt like just I would have more access to things,” she said. “So I crashed on my aunt's couch and did some bookkeeping for a couple of different companies. One was a tile business, one was a granite company and then also a concrete company. I was very interested in construction and had tried to get a job in construction, which is actually how I got fired, because they found out I was looking for a job.”

That didn’t stop Garbee from pursuing her goals. She ended up buying the tile business she was working for while at the same time trying to figure out a place to call home.

“I have lived in Church Hill, Jackson Ward, the Fan, Scott’s Addition,” she said, eventually settling in Jackson Ward. “I bought my first property there in 2007. So next year will be 20 years. I've had properties here and seen it transform a lot within that time frame.”

In those two decades, Garbee watched as the business landscape in Jackson Ward began to change, from shops and restaurants like Comfort and Popkin Tavern (now both closed) which set the stage for others to follow.

“We had these little seedlings of things that were happening. It was still an exciting time because you had Gallery 5, ART 180 came after that. So these little kinds of hubs were popping up,” she said.

One of the hubs that’s still popping is the food scene. Elizabeth Kincaid is an owner of Tarrant’s Cafe. She met Garbee almost two years ago when Garbee persuaded her to come to one of the historic association meetings, where she’s now a co-chair of the safety committee. 

“Her passion for the community and for the arts is what really stood out to me. And the more time I spent with her, the more I realized that she herself is just such a connector,” said Kincaid. “She's just like a cheerleader for the Jackson Ward community. And the business community, not just for the residents.”

Garbee also noticed something else happening with the residents of Jackson Ward. 

“There was a point I remember when, just from a leasing perspective, tenants started staying,” she said. “That's one of the things that struck me, people are staying in place. And there's just more density happening, more developments, more restaurants, more attractions coming back into the area.”

It’s because of these changes and of her desire to make Jackson Ward more than a headline in the news, that she became involved with the Jackson Ward Historic Association. 

“I'm a natural community builder. It's something I care deeply about. Initially, I was kind of like, I'm not going to get involved,” said Garbee. “I'm just going to let things be. But it's not in my nature to do that, as much as I was trying to fool myself. I wanted to be connected more to the people around me.”

One resident she connected with was Ashley Ray, who has known Garbee for more than 12 years, having once worked in one of Garbee’s earlier ventures, the coworking space 804RVA. Ray now lives two blocks away from Garbee, and both are involved in the safety and beautification committees for the historic association. 

“We used to organize a pickle festival together and we used to host pickle club meetings and I've done some startup events with her,” said Ray. “Larkin is a connector. And when she wants you to be in her orbit, she just kind of pulls you in and brings you into the fold and makes sure you know the people that you should know.”

Ray said they’ve been collaborating on all kinds of projects in Jackson Ward.

Garbee said businesses like CoStar have come out to do trash pick-ups in neighborhood spots, which has been a great way to engage with people in the neighborhood. 

“(VCU) would send us 20, 30 students. Which, as an alumni, was exciting,” she said. “And then I talked to these kids and they don't know about Jackson Ward. They live (and) go to school blocks away. And most of them have never even been to the neighborhood. They don't go to First Friday. They've never heard of the Black History Museum. They didn't know about Gallery 5. So that's where I get excited. This is not just cleanup, this is how you build community, build connections.”

Garbee, who’s already planning neighborhood events for the fall, said Richmonders should be on the lookout for the return of the pickle party, which was canceled during the pandemic, as she continues to find ways to welcome people into the neighborhood.

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