A Front Porch Chat with Pete Macedo
On a sunny afternoon in Blacksburg, Pete Macedo sat down for a candid 13-minute conversation with Joanne to share his story, his vision, and the heart behind his run for Mayor of Blacksburg, VA.
Pete’s journey is uniquely rooted in this community. From marching band tuba player, to university director, to local baker, and now a candidate for mayor—his path reflects a deep commitment to service and connection. Many know Pete as the face behind Blacksburg Bagels, but his story stretches far beyond the bakery.
In this interview, Pete opens up about:
His background & connection to Blacksburg
Leadership lessons from his time at Virginia Tech
The story of Blacksburg Bagels and what it taught him about small business and community
Why he’s running for mayor and how he hopes to serve
Housing, growth, and small business support—core issues facing our town
The meaning of his campaign slogan “Blacksburg Kneads Change”
How empathy shapes his approach to local politics
Whether you’re just getting to know Pete or you’ve been following his campaign from the start, this conversation offers a heartfelt look at the values guiding him forward.
Watch the full interview below:
Joanne:
Hey Pete, it's Joanne. I'm so glad you're here. Have a seat.
Pete:
It’s good seeing you again.
Joanne:
Yeah, we've been out and about. Looking forward to promoting you.
I'm a local resident—my name's Joanne—and I've enjoyed getting to know you. A lot of other people want to know more about you. So –
Pete:
Let's do it.
Joanne:
I wanted to ask a few questions.
Pete:
Sure.
Joanne:
Yeah. So, your name is Pete?
Pete:
Yep. Pete Macedo.
Pete’s Background
Joanne:
What brought you to Blacksburg?
Pete:
I came here for school. One of the big reasons I picked the university was that it had a marching band. It was a big part of my life growing up and part of my community. So being able to go to a school that had options like that was really important to me.
Joanne:
So were you a trumpet player?
Pete:
Oh no, no.
Joanne:
What did you play?
Pete:
I played tuba. I was in the band for 10 years, all through grad school, and in my senior year, I was the executive officer. It's the largest student-run organization on campus.
Joanne:
Are you still involved with the band at all on any level?
Pete:
Not so much. I do stay connected with them, and I go to some of their practices and things like that.
Joanne:
So you came to Blacksburg for that. Where were you raised?
Pete:
I grew up in Baltimore mostly. My family’s from New England originally, so we have a lot of ties up that way.
Joanne:
How many years have you actually been in the community?
Pete:
32 years now.
Joanne:
Wow. And I understand you were an employee at Virginia Tech on some level, and you have your own business now. Can you tell us about that?
Pete:
Yeah. I worked at the university with the distance learning programs. My main position there was as an administrative faculty member responsible for professional development. We started out with four workshops with maybe three people in each, and by the end, we had two certificate programs pulling through about 150 people a year.
At the end, I was the director for Distance Learning and Summer Sessions. A lot of our focus was to increase enrollment and revenue at the university without additional physical infrastructure, which I think is really important.
Joanne:
Would you say that job really embraced leadership skills? Were you in charge?
Pete:
Sure. We had a department of about 35 people in different disciplines. We had to do a lot of partnering with other organizations at the university and with upper administration. I was on the Provost's Council and met with different members across the university. Distance learning was really growing at that point and becoming more integrated into university efforts.
Joanne:
What was your educational degree at Virginia Tech?
Pete:
I have a bachelor's in physics and a master's in education—instructional design.
Joanne:
Interesting. And then you ventured off and started your own business. What is that?
Pete:
Blacksburg Bagels. I’ve always liked to make things, and when you make something like bread, you get to keep making it every day. It’s been a great way to become more engaged with the community through the farmers markets, and now with our shop. I never had that level of connection before—it’s been really special.
Pete’s Platform
Joanne:
So, it’s a people business. I know you’ve got that t-shirt with a cat and the little kneading thing going. What’s that about?
Pete:
That was something a family member came up with—a lot of dad jokes and puns. "Blacksburg Kneads Change." I thought more about what kneading means in bread-making—you’re making it stronger, moving toward a goal. But it takes time, patience, and knowledge. It’s kind of like running a town… kind of like a lot of things.
Joanne:
Since you’re running for mayor, what is your platform? What are you about?
Pete:
First, transparent and informed decision-making. Communicating with people, gathering information, and being clear about why you’re making the decisions you are.
Second, incremental growth. We all know the town needs to grow, but doing it in stages lets you make adjustments along the way. That’s something I’ve valued in the growth of my own business.
Joanne:
What’s one positive thing you’ve observed about how the town is currently being run that you’d continue?
Pete:
This town is outstanding at supporting small businesses. Chains come and go, but small businesses are supported by residents, students, and other businesses. There’s a real sense of community among business leaders here.
Joanne:
If you were to jump on one issue right away to help the town improve, what would it be?
Pete:
I recently learned that the town can put code requirements and penalties in place for vacant buildings. That’s a big issue—speculative property ownership where buildings sit unused. People buy and hold property as an investment, and we can stop that.
Joanne:
Your opponent has been on the council for about a decade. [How do you feel about that in comparison to your own experience?]
Pete:
I think I have specific leadership experience and community engagement—with neighborhoods, the people, and the university. That combination is rare and valuable. It’s important to have that perspective so that you can know where people are coming from and can help make decisions. It gives me credibility when I walk into the room to have a conversation.
Joanne:
Are you excited about how people are receiving your campaign?
Pete:
Absolutely. It’s funny—at my bakery, I’m always amazed at how excited people are to come in and support me. And then for them to say, “I also think you’d be a great mayor”—it’s surprising and really motivating.
Joanne:
Someone asked me about empathy. What role do you think empathy plays in being a good mayor?
Pete:
It’s essential. The mayor represents the community. Sometimes only one person can get into the room, and that’s often the mayor. That person has to speak for everyone—not just doing what’s best for them, but truly representing the community’s wants and needs. You have to take the time to put your heart into other people’s chests and feel what they feel.
Joanne:
A lot of people don’t come to town meetings unless there’s a problem. How would you help engage the community more?
Pete:
There are a lot of meetings in town, but only a few are recorded and broadcast. People may only care about one agenda item, not the whole meeting. We have the tools to clip and share those parts—it’s just a matter of flipping the switch.
Joanne:
Let’s talk about Virginia Tech. You once said the town should schedule more activities when students are here so they feel part of the community. What does that mean to you?
Pete:
Students often don’t feel included—or even wanted—by the town. We need events and opportunities that make them feel welcome and invite them into the life of the town. A lot of our big events happen when they’re gone—Solstice, Steppin’ Out, the Fourth of July. You can’t just wait for connection to happen; you have to create it on purpose.
Joanne:
How can we improve synergy between the town, Virginia Tech, and the Board of Visitors?
Pete:
It starts with the right conversations—and a willingness to admit you don’t know everything. You have to walk into those rooms ready to learn, to show that you welcome input. That’s how we make better decisions together.
Joanne:
So you see more engagement with all parties working toward the same vision?
Pete:
It’s a large group, and we won’t always share the exact vision. But we can collaborate on what matters most and support each other’s work, even if it’s in parallel paths.
Joanne:
To wrap up, what would you like to say to someone who doesn’t know Pete yet?
Pete:
I want folks to know I’m not doing this just to have another job.
Through my work at the bakery, I’ve gotten to know so many different kinds of people. I see how many of them want to be part of a community. We need to foster that—to create more opportunities for people to connect. And I hope I can be someone who helps make that happen.
Joanne:
How can people learn more about you? Do you have a website?
Pete:
Yeah, it’s PeteMacedo.com. You’ll find our platform, events—like our bi-weekly Popsicles in the Park series—and you can even message us directly with questions. We’ll write back and set something up.
Joanne:
So a community member could write in and you’d respond?
Pete:
Absolutely.
Joanne:
Well, we’re excited that you’re running for mayor. Thank you for your time.
