5 Mom and Pop Businesses To Check Out in Loudoun

In the age of the corporate mega store, all small businesses require our support. In honor of National Mom & Pop Business Owners Day, which is celebrated every year on March 29, we pay tribute to some unique Loudoun businesses where mom – or pop – still hold court.

Bilstad’s Beignets

Everyone loves a good pastry so it’s no surprise the new Bilstad’s Beignets, conveniently next to savory, Turkish & Mediterranean restaurant Oxus7, is off to a great start. The husband and wife team of Scott and Jenny Bilstad own this beignet paradise and what started as a small pastry truck turned into a booming business with a unique pastry experience that brings in people from more than 90 miles away. Scott, who served in the navy as a trained chef, brings experience from traveling the world to the kitchen to create innovative recipes. When you stop by, be sure to try dippers with your pastry; from fruit and honey to apple butter flavors, the options are always changing.

Gruto's Soft Serve

In 2015 Don and Erin Wilson, parents to three young boys, purchased the beloved Gruto’s Soft Serve in Purcellville from long time owners the Pologruto family. Three years later, the Wilsons opened a second Gruto’s on King Street in Leesburg. Specializing in all manner of soft serve, from cones and cups to shakes, malts, floats and sundaes, they are famous for their decadent toppings (Jellybeans! Marshmallows!) and eye-catching names like the Triple-Decker Belly Wrecker. While the Purcellville location closes in winter, the Leesburg shop is a year-round concern and has been known to have a line outside even in winter. How popular must the three Wilson boys be at school?

Teddy’s Pizza

There are many things about New York City that leave an impression on people, with one of those being the pizza scene. Teddy’s Pizza and Subs, located in Middleburg, traces back to Brooklyn where Teddy’s father owned a famous pizza place called Lenny’s. Lenny’s was known for its top-notch, Brooklyn-style pizza where household names such as Sylvester Stallone sat and enjoyed a big slice. Teddy is keeping the family tradition going with his own pizza shop. Teddy’s Pizza and Subs incorporates everything that made his father’s shop so legendary from a menu filled with specialty pizzas to the inviting customer experience. Next time you’re in Middleburg, be sure to stop by to taste what everyone is raving about. 

The Aldie Peddler

Located in the vintage Village of Aldie is the Aldie Peddler store where partners, Wally and Terry Cotton, sell a variety of antiques alongside hand-crafted Amish furniture and a selection of (non-antique) wines from Argentina, Australia, California, Spain and Loudoun. The store opened in 1998 and has thrived almost solely on word-of-mouth recommendations from very satisfied customers. The Amish furnishings are carefully crafted poly lumber which produces a durable material for longer lasting furniture. While here don’t miss a tour of the surrounding historic village of Aldie and its 18^th Century mill. 

Re-Love It

Someone loved it before, now it’s your turn to re-love it-that is the mission for Purcellville’s consignment shop, Re-Love It. Michael Oaks and Kim Patterson traveled to Loudoun in 2009 during the recession and were looking to downsize. They searched up and down the streets for a store that could take on the items they no longer had use for, but they fell short. Luckily, Michael wanted to start a business in this area and got inspired by the absence of consignment shops. With that, the husband and wife duo sought out multiple properties before opening the doors to their new store in 2019. Today, you can check out Re-Love It on W. Main Street in Purcellville and find everything from clothes and furniture to antiques and houseware.