Here’s a recap of the top stories for the week of April 24, 2026:
Virginia’s retail marijuana law batted back to governor’s office
Reported by BizSense’s Jack Jacobs
Last week, Gov. Abigail Spanberger made amendments to a bill that would jumpstart the retail marijuana market and returned the bill back to the General Assembly.
Spanberger’s substitute bill included different approaches to the number of retail permits granted when the market launches, changes to how the market would be taxed and a six-month delay of the start date for retail sales.
The Legislature reconvened this week to consider the governor’s amendments to several bills, but lawmakers soundly rejected Spanberger’s weed substitute and sent the original bill back to the governor’s desk. She now has 30 days to either sign the legislation into law as originally passed or veto it. If she chooses not to act on the legislation, it would become law without her signature.
Stone Brewing Co. moves manufacturing out of Richmond
Reported by BizSense’s Mike Platania
Duvel Moortgat USA, a global beverage company, recently announced a deal to acquire Stone Brewing Co. and plans on moving its manufacturing hub out of Richmond.
The sale marks the second time in four years Stone Brewing has changed hands. Once the Duvel deal closes, Stone’s beer will be brewed in facilities belonging to Firestone Walker (Paso Robles, California) and Boulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri).
Stone Brewing’s existing production facility in Richmond’s Fulton neighborhood will become a full-time production facility for Sapporo Holdings, the Japanese brewing conglomerate whose US division bought Stone in 2022.
Sapporo is still obligated to a 25-year lease and performance agreement with the city’s Economic Development Authority that Stone agreed to before settling in Richmond in 2016. Richmond lured Stone to build its East Coast headquarters in the city with a $25 million incentive package.
The Fulton facility, which is owned by the EDA and leased by Sapporo, currently employs about 160 people locally.
Scott’s Addition strip club lawsuit moves to out-of-court settlement
Reported by BizSense’s Michael Schwartz
A lawsuit brought forth by three disgruntled former performers of Richmond gentlemen’s club Richard’s Rendezvous may soon be forced to settle.
The suit, filed in federal court in Richmond, alleges that dancers were forced to pay undue fees and fines that “constitute unlawful ‘kickbacks,’” and that the plaintiffs are entitled to be compensated for those funds.
The suit details a $10 “house fee” performers had to pay the club for each shift they worked — in addition to money they were required to pay to the DJ — and a series of fines the dancers were allegedly required to pay for breaking certain club rules.
Richard’s denied the allegations and called for the case to be dismissed, but the court ordered earlier this month that all parties enter into a settlement conference, which is set for June 4.
The long-running gentlemen’s club on Altamont Ave. opened in the 1980s. Richard’s is owned by Susan Dewitt, widow of club founder and namesake Richard Dewitt.
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