History of The Bank-Food
and Drink
The plot of land where The
Bank now stands started as
a private residence in the
mid 1800s. After changing
hands a few times, the land
and house were bought by The
Bank of Giles on May 12, 1905
for a mere $750. The plan
was to tear down the standing
house and build a new bank
building in its place.
On June 22, 1906 the new bank
was purchased by The First
National Bank of Pearisburg
for $4000. This bank served
as a community bank and landmark
until 1959 when the bank relocated.
The property was then purchased
by C.A. Lucas who later donated
the building to the Giles
County Historical Society
in 1981.
Unable to raise funds needed
to restore the old bank, the
society sold it in 1985. The
building changed hands several
times, becoming the First
National Bank of Christiansburg,
and then was purchased in
1992 by Attorney Garland S.
Spangler for his law office.
In 2005, Linda and Lynn Hayes,
owners of the Inn at Riverbend,
a bed and breakfast in Pearisburg,
decided to purchase the building
to provide a location for
a restaurant to serve their
guests and the New River Valley.
Meeting Chefs Cunninghame
and Linda West was fate! Cunninghame
grew up in Giles County and
was ready to leave Las Vegas
and return to this beautiful
area to lease this building
and open The Bank-Food and
Drink.
The rock-faced concrete structure
of Romanesque design has a
shed roof with perforated
parapet evocative of crenellation,
full height arched recess
and flanking turrets on the
front elevation with two full
height arched side windows.
Notice the impressions of
both a baby’s foot and
a dog’s paw in the keystone
over the entrance door!
The exterior has been preserved
in its original state, thus
making the building a significant
component of the original
18 buildings in downtown Pearisburg
placed on the National Register
of Historic Places. The building
now adorns an engraved brass
plate designating its place
on the National Registrar.
The Bank Food
and Drink offers gift certificates
in any amount.
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