Departments

Black-and-white view of a small valley village with houses, a white barn, and wooded hills under a clear sky.

Streets of Roanoke: U.S. 221/Bent Mountain Road

A main artery of southwest Roanoke County began as an agricultural necessity.
A smiling man with a short beard wears a black collared shirt in front of a glass storefront marked 3065.

A Big Fish in a Small Pond

As a Long & Foster real estate agent and Rookie of the Year, Chris “Kidd” Carter is excited about opportunities for prospective buyers in Roanoke.
A blue wooden picnic table on a brick patio beside a screened porch, with a black fire pit and potted plants.

The Picnic Table

Here in this issue celebrating home and marriage, an inexpensive old table may represent the best of both.
A white brick corner building with a "Deciphered Roanoke Escape Room" banner beside a street lamp.

Time for an Escape

Test your puzzle skills inside the rooms at Deciphered Roanoke.
A man in a blue checked shirt and a woman in white stand smiling outdoors on a paved path by trees.

Sweet Summer Flavors

Whether you prefer the classics like chocolate or want a more adventurous flavor like goat cheese, Blue Cow Ice Cream Co. can’t wait for you to visit.
A person photographs a plastic cup of amber beer labeled Deschutes Brewery on a wooden table with their phone.

Tasty New Taps

Deschutes Brewery's highly anticipated tasting room prepares to open in downtown Roanoke.
Black-and-white street scene of downtown Salem, Va., with brick storefronts, parked cars and pedestrians.

Main Street, Salem

The city’s primary street has undergone many changes, with more on the horizon.
A dense bed of green daylily leaves surrounds a wooden stake holding a small informational sign, with a chain-link fence behind.

What if the Whole City Were as Precise as our Alley Must Be?

It’s a wonderful city we live in. Could it be even better if all of it were as exactingly refined as a daylily bed out there by the garbage cans?
A smiling bald man in glasses, wearing a tan plaid blazer over a dark polo shirt, indoors.

‘Stronger Together’

Mayor Sherman Lea believes we all win when we can work together for the region.
Four men pose in sports jerseys holding a hockey stick, soccer ball, football, and baseball on the Roanoker July 1995 cover.

Never Far from a Ball Game

These four men helped the Roanoke Valley briefly become “Sportstown, Virginia” in 1995 (and one with a puck instead of a ball).

Departments

The Beaver Dam Sunflower Festival attracts about 20,000 visitors annually — a boon to the local economy.
Features

Bloom Town

Flower farms are finding new ways to keep our community beautiful.

Four-panel collage of downtown apartment interiors: unfinished room, empty living room, bathroom, and white kitchen.
Features

On the Rise

The renovations to create new living spaces continue unabated.

Brushed-steel faucet and gray tile backsplash in a renovation; banner reads "The Roanoker presents Ask the Experts.
Features

Ask the Experts: Homes

Local homes experts answer all your questions about decor, maintenance, real estate and more.

Recreating a Dreamy Blue Kitchen
Features

Recreating a Dreamy Blue Kitchen

Inspired by a beloved former home, this Old Southwest renovation layers sky-blue cabinetry, warm metallic accents, and tailored updates into