08/18/2026
If these walls could talk, they’d have a lot to say.
R.S. Bristow’s Store has been a cornerstone of Urbanna, Virginia since 1876, founded by Robert S. Bristow Sr. and kept alive across generations by people who loved it too much to let it go.
We sat down with current owner Linda Ludeke, town historian Larry Chewning, and Becky Edwards, whose mom Pat Marshall (and family) actually saved and ran the store when the Bristow family could no longer keep it going in the late 80s.
Customers come in and tell Linda that their parents bought their school clothes at Bristow’s back in the day.
How cool is that?
Linda will also be the first to tell you she couldn’t do any of this without her incredible team, some of whom have known Bristow’s longer than she has. That kind of loyalty says everything.
If you’ve never been to Urbanna or never stepped foot in Bristow’s, let this be your introduction. And if you already know and love this place, this one’s for you!
📍 202 Virginia Street, Urbanna, VA
