One of my most favorite places to visit this time of year is the small country store in Valentines, VA. It is located in the place I call home: Brunswick County.

Of course, the reason why I love to visit Valentines this time of year is because of the community’s unique name and what it means during the month of love.

The store and post office shine this time of year. There are Valentine decorations throughout. What better place to be on Valentines Day than in Valentines surrounded by valentines of every shape, size, and color.

I’m not the only one to feel that way. Every year, hundreds of people drive from miles away to mail their special Valentines in the Valentines Post Office because of the unique heart-shaped cancellation stamp bearing the name Valentines used on mail sent through that tiny post office. Thousands more mail packages stuffed full of Valentines to the Valentines Post Office for the postmaster to mail from the Valentines Post Office.

It is with a lot of love and work that the Valentines postmaster has shared with others from around the world since 1972.

I have covered many a story in Valentines over the years: marriages performed on Valentines Day in that post office, snapping pictures of school children visiting every year, talking with parents who were once school children who visited Valentines years ago - they grew up, got married, had their own children who they then brought back to experience the unique store as they once did.

I remember calling the late Willie Wright, the postmaster who, for years, gave his time and talents to making Valentines special every year for all his visitors and postal customers. Even though he was swamped with thousands of Valentines to stamp and cancel, he always made time to talk with me. I was not the only media person to bother him. He enjoyed telling me all about what news organizations, television/radio stations, even celebrities that had contacted him from around the world that season.

His stories were as tasty as the hunks of sharp cheddar he sold from huge cheese wheels and ice-cold glass bottled drinks pulled out of an antique drink box tucked away inside his small store. I looked forward to time spent with old retired farmers sitting in rocking chairs or on top of stacked wooden drink crates, talking and sharing stories around the pot-bellied stove located in the middle of the store.

Just thinking about Valentines Day brings back so many memories of that unique place. Mr. Wright is deceased now, but I’m sure he’s smiling from above as the postmistress who followed continues his heart-felt traditions.