Visiting this ‘museum-like’ Virginia business is like ‘walking back in time’

ASHLAND Va. — You’ve heard of a window into the past. At Caravati’s Architectural Salvage in Ashland, you can choose a door or several other paths to yesteryear.

It is a business where the family has been recycling for 80 plus years.

“Most of these (posts) are from the Victorian era. Many of these date back to the 1880s,” Jimmy Kastelberg explained. “Behind me you will see a Victorian oval mirrored mantel piece that was built at the turn of the century.”

The store specializes in saving architectural gems from houses and buildings under restoration or scheduled for demolition.

“Salvaging house parts is nothing new. Europeans have been doing it for years,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy Kastelburg is the hands on owner of Caravati’s.

“I’ve been here almost 38 years,” Jimmy said.

The Richmond native agrees that they certainly don’t make things like they used to.

“Just the sheer weight of items tells you this item was made with good material,” he said.

Saving century old sashes is in his blood. Jimmy’s grandfather, Louis, started the business on Richmond’s Southside in 1939.

“He knew the value of really good craftsmanship,” Jimmy s recalled.

Louis recognized early on there was a market and money to be made in salvage.

“Heck, if they’ve been around 100 years they’d last another 100 years,” Jimmy said.

The dedicated founder born in the 1800s shared his passion with Jimmy and kept working till 1983.

“He had a lot energy. He died when he was 85 and never retired,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy knew he needed to haul the mantel of his granddad’s legacy.

“When he died, there was no way my family could let it go by the wayside,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy and his crew recently unloaded dozens of original doors saved from the Altria Theatre.

“A lot of people remember it as the Landmark or Mosque way back,” Jimmy said.

Employee Brady Prohaska says old stuff endures unlike what is mass produced today.

“It’s better than the dump,” Brady said. “To be able to come to a place where you know for a fact it came out of a certain home or certain business and you can hold on to that I mean there is nothing better.”

Jimmy’s business partner, Elaine, says her husband has had a keen eye for old things since they started dating more than 40 years ago.

“Some people say it is like a museum. It is walking back in time walking into the homes of their grandparents,” Elaine said. “For me, I’ve never known anyone whose ever gotten up and been so excited to go to work every day.”

Recently, the Caravati operation pulled up stakes in the city and relocated to an old Ford showroom in the Center of the Universe.

“One thing I’ll point out is that we carry the old hand-blown glass. The old glass. The beautiful wavy glass,” Jimmy said.

The next chapter of this business of repurposing ancient windows, doors and flooring is taking shape.

“The reason people come in here they are looking for the uniqueness. They’re not looking for the cookie-cutter,” Jimmy said.

Jimmy is carrying on his grandfather’s tradition where it is out with the new and in with the old.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I think he is smiling down on us. Yes.”

Jimmy says his oldest son will one day take the reins at Caravati’s, but he doesn’t plan on leaving the business any time soon. Their store on England Street in Ashland is open Tuesday through Saturday.