Virginia Realty since 1945

See enlarged OV Park, today.

Red Rooster's famed painting
of OV Funspot

We miss the old Belo's, (today, a hardware-- but once the fabulous Candlelight Restaraurant). The quick grocery was right next to First Virginia (once Southern Bank of Norfolk ) and "Red" Thornton's Virginia Realty. It was also across from Beachtowne Shoppes, where Holly Spires morphed Abbie's Deli into Granby North. Also in those shops are everyone's favorite barber, Mr. Davenport. Mr. D. decades back, operated a shop next to the Iron Duke at Johnson's Square. Conveniently, Doug's Hot Dogs serves up Hormel's™ and clam chowder, a super alternative for moms "sliding thru" adjacent McDonald's: for an even happier meal! Also, Tommy (Bobby) Lassiter corrected us in that the curb service drive-in that was located where the OV McDonalds is today, was called Park Grill.

OV Shopping Center itself has the perfunctory pharmacy, grocery, liquor store and everyone's personal shopping fave: Dollar Tree (coming soon to a "burb mart" near you).  A real buck banger is Royal Garden, for yummy Lo Mein or General Tso's Chicken-- with green tea, egg drop or wonton and eggroll included for a ridiculously low price, if you have a yen. Adjacent, just past the Post Office, is Post 60/Fleet Reserve on First View. 

The new Ocean View Beach Park (replacing the beloved, old "Fun Spot") across from the shopping center, coordinates with various committees, sponsors and residents in presenting festivals, concerts, holiday events and art shows such as the one pictured here, the August 1988 Chesapeake Bay Art Association's annual show; featuring a variety of work by regional artists, including area favorite, Paul DeVaughn Trice AKA "Red Rooster" best known for his OV Funspot print; he's a periennial winner of the Sarah Constance Historic Award. See historic Downtown Ocean View photos, contributed by dear Red Rooster.

While we are here, let's not forget Greenie's, still there (where Rooster's mom worked) in the same spot for more than fifty years; O'Hara's which moved across the street to what is now the shopping center and became Maddogs' in the early 70's, operated by Tommy Barnes and Steve Haley (gone- but not forgotten tribute to days of Joe Cocker and Leon Russell).

The old park is so rich with history, it would take a sizable book to cover most of it. One "kewl" fact: the waffle-cake ice cream cone was introduced by the Doumar family at the park in the early 1900's. This ingenius and convenient method of serving ice cream was definitely a boost for the park. It's often forgotten the Doumar family once operated out of our "Coney Island of the South" offering Abe Doumar's creation but the cones are still made by hand, at their long-standing 20th Street & Monticello curb service location.