What is a mill anyway?

A mill is just an old time factory. The term mill was once in common use for a factory because many factories in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution were powered by a watermill, but nowadays it is only used in a few specific contexts.

Custom architectural wood working, which was practiced at Beckstoffer's, is the production of fine finished woodwork and furniture. Common products include doors, window casings, baseboards, mantels, and crown molding.

According to Old House Authority in the late 1880s there were approximately a dozen such businesses in Richmond with thirty to fifty employees: Thomas E. Stagg at 1421 Cary St.; J.J. Montague, at the corner of Ninth & Arch Streets; Hare and Tucker, at 2318 Main St.; Whitehurst and Owen, at Byrd & Tenth Streets; DuVal & Robertson, at 11th & Porter and 7th & Hull Streets; and Binswanger & Company, at 1427 E. Main St. Binswanger, now a commercial glass company, is still in business; Siewer's Lumber Company and Ruffin and Payne, still in business, were also in business in the late 1800s. Becsktoffers came online a little later in 1897.