Why I Chose to Move Back to Virginia to Plant Roots 

Andrew Cothern

Sometimes, the place we spend our lives searching for is right in front of us the whole time. At least, that’s been the case for Virginia residents Melanie Protti-Lawrence and Luke Smith, who chose to move back to their hometowns. Protti-Lawrence is the president of manufacturing company Lawrence Brothers Inc. in Bluefield, and Smith is an associate broker for Funkhouser Real Estate Group in Harrisonburg. Ahead, find out the reasons behind their moves and how they’ve rediscovered Virginia.

What was the impetus for your departure from Virginia?

Protti-Lawrence: I left to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, then moved to Spain, where I lived and worked for three years. I obtained my master’s in international law in Brussels, Belgium.

Smith: My then-girlfriend (now wife) and I graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg. We moved to Austin, Texas, then Los Angeles for work opportunities.

Why did you move back to Virginia?

Protti-Lawrence: My fiancé and I were married in Ethiopia and eventually settled in Alexandria, Virginia, before returning to Bluefield in late 2007 to carry on the legacy of my family business.

Smith: We moved back in 2014 for a one-year experiment. We wanted to see how much we’d enjoy living in a college town again and being closer to family, as opposed to a major metro on the other coast.

Did you have any qualms or hesitations about returning to the Commonwealth?

Protti-Lawrence: I definitely had concerns that I would experience “reverse culture shock” moving back to my small, rural community after living abroad. Other places in the state, like Alexandria, have lots of arts and culture, diverse restaurants, nightlife, etc. So far, we’ve found we’ve been able to make a bigger impact in our smaller community than we might have in a larger metro area. Once you establish your credibility and your neighbors get to know you, you can really change hearts and minds.

Smith: Maybe a bit of worry that we were giving up on big-city life a little too quickly. If I could go back in time, I’d tell my 24-year-old self, “You’ll be glad you left Los Angeles before a global pandemic and having your first kid.”

What’s one way your time spent outside your hometown has influenced this different season of life?

Protti-Lawrence: My husband and I own a manufacturing facility, and one ideology we’ve brought back with us is that as business owners, we recognize our ability to grant life-changing opportunities. We created a “fresh start” program to address workforce issues at our facility. Hiring returning citizens and adults in recovery helped us double our workforce. We had as many as 120 employees (as of September 2025), and one-third were “fresh start” hires. Speaking fluent Spanish also helps us hire immigrant workers. We then share those experiences with other business owners in the area, and now, they’re following suit.

Smith: My big-city life taught me an important lesson: Work can consume your entire life if you let it. It made me aware at a young age that it’s important to carve out time for other areas of your life, especially friends and family.

In what ways has your hometown changed since you moved back to Virginia?

Protti-Lawrence: We’re seeing more younger people staying in the area and getting involved in organizations. They’re getting involved in local government. It’s been fueling a mindset change and leads to the population embracing change, creating downtown councils and just generally trying new things.

Smith: I live in Old Town Harrisonburg, and the amount of revitalization, new businesses and creative energy that downtown Harrisonburg and Staunton have experienced over the last 10 years has been incredibly impressive and fun to be part of.

How have you put down roots in your part of Virginia since moving back?

Protti-Lawrence: Of course, owning the business means I have a personal stake in the success of my community. This region offers a lot of opportunities for growth. I sit on numerous boards, including the Industrial Development Authority board and economic development organization GO Virginia’s board. I’ve seen mind shift changes that’ve been exciting to be part of and an eagerness to support existing businesses I didn’t necessarily observe before.

Smith: In addition to my career establishing us in the region, my wife has a thriving fitness business and hosts a monthly pop-up fitness and social phenomenon called Secret Sweat Club. We had our son, Arlo, in 2021. We love that day care and kindergarten are a short walk from our house in either direction, as are numerous coffee shops, cafes, shops, a biweekly farmers market, a couple bike shops, etc.

What would you tell someone thinking about moving to Virginia?

Protti-Lawrence: After having lived, studied and worked abroad, I realized that in order to truly change the world for the better, you can start right in your own corner of the world, and Southwest Virginia is that for me.

Smith: Give it a shot. You’ll probably enjoy it more than you think. The people, energy and natural beauty are what make it an incredible place to live.

This article is sponsored by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.