Buster Brown, an Icon at the Craddock Terry Hotel, Crosses Over the Rainbow Bridge

LYNCHBURG, VA – Buster Brown, a wire-haired fox terrier and the original Official Greeter at the Craddock Terry Hotel, Marriott Tribute Portfolio, in Lynchburg, Virginia, peacefully crossed over the rainbow bridge on August 7, 2023.

Buster Brown was born in Minnesota to a family who raised wire-haired fox terriers. He was approximately 10 weeks old when he arrived at his new home as the newest team member of the Craddock Terry Hotel. During his puppy years, he honed his skills at being so adorable and such a rascal at the same time. Many men’s pants were replaced (he loved the cuffs), and several pair of sunglasses fell from guests during a petting session and became fair game for a “catch me if you can” chase around the lobby.

A true master of somewhat innocent thievery, many a guest would come back to the desk asking if Buster Brown had grabbed a missing something from their purse. As he grew, he learned his role as the official greeter and did it with such finesse that guests often entered the hotel looking for him before checking in. He would dance for them, walk with them to the check-in desk, wait by the elevator to show them to their room, let everyone know when the UPS delivery arrived, and become so still sitting in his large shoe chair that some thought he was a stuffed animal.

He would also welcome his four-legged friends and share the house rules with them, which was largely to have fun running around the lobby. He was a gorgeous boy with a beautiful coat of many colors and a personality that was as sweet as honeysuckle on a summer day. Buster Brown became one of Lynchburg, Virginia’s most famous residents as his photo graced the New York Times travel section. His photograph was published and mentioned in many other publications, including Southern Living Magazine, Virginia Living Magazine, and the Washington Post. Many of the hotel's guests, including the famous ones, had their photos taken with Buster Brown as a part of their vacation or business trip memories.

In 2018 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association for his exemplary hospitality service example. Each year the hotel would send out a cartoon Christmas card designed with Buster Brown as the lead character and always signed by Buster Brown and HIS Team at the Craddock Terry Hotel. As he walked the downtown streets with guests and his teammates, people would pull their cars over and ask, “is that Buster Brown?”

In 2019, having served in his role for 10 years, Buster Brown officially retired. Penny Loafer, a female wire-haired fox terrier, became his trainee and now serves as the Official Greeter at the Craddock Terry Hotel. While he visited the hotel often, he enjoyed his retirement in the home of long-time hotel team member Christin Gregores Fox and her family, along with some four-legged brothers with whom he had great fun. He traveled, went on vacations to lakes and beaches, and had a huge backyard in which to run and play.

He has left lasting memories on the guests of the Craddock Terry, his teammates, Virginia Tourism, and his Lynchburg community. He is the epitome of great hospitality. He was the goodest boy ever, and he will be genuinely missed.

About the Craddock Terry

Craddock Terry Hotel, Marriott Tribute Portfolio, is an award-winning boutique hotel located in downtown Lynchburg, VA. Craddock Terry was once a turn-of-the-century shoe factory that has been transformed into an upscale hip hotel blending original brick warehouse architecture with chic modern style and historical artifacts from the heyday of the Craddock-Terry Shoe Corporation. The wonderfully dog-friendly hotel offers 44 rooms, personalized service, and two award-winning restaurants, Shoemakers American Grille and Waterstone Pizza. The hotel also offers almost 4,000 square feet of meeting space, perfect for any celebration.

The Craddock Terry Hotel is operated by Cornerstone Hospitality LLC, Williamsburg, Virginia. cornerstonehospitality.com

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Pamela Devaney
Managing Director
+1760 846 4640
Cornerstone Hospitality, LLC