Sprellyfest to take place March 30-April 1

Check out the upcoming Sprelly Fest! 

“If you want to get a coffee, where do you go? If you want to get a chicken sandwich, where do you go?” Adrian Silversmith asked these questions when talking about his purpose behind Sprelly. “There’s bagel stores, there’s ice cream stores, there’s all these types of stores. But there isn’t a PB&J store.”

At least not until recently.

Sprelly, a small business in downtown Fredericksburg, is devoted to crafting delicious, homemade peanut butter and other items. Silversmith pitched the concept of Sprelly at Fredericksburg’s Made in FredVA business plan contest in 2013, and began selling his peanut butter at local farmers markets in 2014. Two years later, Silversmith opened Sprelly on Caroline Street, where he and his wife, Casey, provided patrons with sandwiches and crêpes. They slowly began to pivot exclusively toward production and consumer-packaged goods, which provided them with a solid foundation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sprelly has set up shop at 1501 Princess Anne St. in Fredericksburg’s Canal Quarter District, which Silversmith believes will be a prime spot for business. “The idea is to snack-shop,” Silversmith said, “But you can also come grab-and-go a picnic, and either go to Old Mill Park, go to [Red Dragon] Brewery, stuff like that.”

This spring Sprelly is embracing their connections to the Canal Quarter District, as they will be hosting Sprellyfest from Thursday, March 30 to Saturday, April 1. In honor of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day that weekend, Sprellyfest is a community party between many businesses in the Canal Quarter District, including Red Dragon Brewery and Canal Quarter Arts.

The first day of Sprellyfest will be a five-course food and beer pairing at Red Dragon Brewery, with food from MAP food truck; one meal will be coconut shrimp, cooked with pineapple and coconut jam from Sprelly. On Friday, the second annual Peanut Butter and Bacon Party will keep Sprellyfest lively and tasty. Saturday will be an exciting block party, including peanut butter-inspired beer from Red Dragon, and PB&J-inspired art from Canal Quarter Arts. On Saturday, Sprelly offers a 10% on all items, as well as a free jar of peanut butter or jam, as well as a pint glass with the Sprelly logo.

Silversmith views the businesses of the Canal Quarter District as the same team, which is why he is excited  to partner with them for Sprellyfest.

“A rising tide raises all ships,” Silversmith said, reinforcing his belief that these businesses work better together.

Sprelly has a number of items that include not just peanut butter (of which I can personally recommend the delectable Salted Butterscotch flavor), but many new options as well. They have launched a variety of flavored peanuts, including Double-Dipped Milk Chocolate and Toasted Toffee flavors. Silversmith believes their “flavor-centric” approach will greatly please guests, as they will be provided with as many flavor experiences as possible.

But Sprelly is about more than just selling peanut butter. Silversmith has placed a crucial emphasis on buying products and ingredients from local businesses, from Virginia peanut farms to local printing companies for his mugs. He is also speaking with local farms to harvest fruit for upcoming jellies, which he hopes to begin selling next year. For Silversmith, supporting local businesses is critical. “You’re helping your friend,” he said. “You’re helping a family member.” He highlighted that it is important for small businesses, particularly in Fredericksburg, to band together and be there for one another. And Sprelly continues to follow through on that action.

As they move forward, however, Sprelly has an even larger focus. In addition to the goal of franchising the company’s stores, Silversmith hopes to employ people with disabilities at not just the current location, but every eventual location as well. The building that houses Sprelly is owned by the disAbility Resource Center, and supporting people with disabilities is essential to both Silversmith and his wife, Casey. Both have been outspoken advocates for employing people with disabilities, and he says that word has caught on, as many people have approached him to thank him for what he and Casey are striving to achieve.

“It is so humbling and powerful to hear something like that,” Silversmith said.

Where to Find Sprelly

You can visit Sprelly at 1501 Princess Anne St. or order products at sprelly.com. Follow them on Facebook for their latest hours.