BizSense Beat is a weekly collaboration between VPM News and Richmond BizSense that brings you the top business stories during NPR's Morning Edition on Fridays.
Here’s a recap of the top stories for the week of March 17, 2023:
1,000-plus homes, a Wawa and more in store for area east of Sandston
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Jonathan Spiers
While their interchange at the western end of Henrico has been a center of development activity for decades, the crossroads of interstates 64 and 295 on the east side of the county is about to get an influx of growth of its own. More than 1,000 new homes are in the pipeline for the area southwest of the I-64-295 interchange in Varina, along with commercial development including a Wawa, fast-food restaurants and potentially a hotel.
Four development teams advance in City Center solicitation
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Jonathan Spiers
March Madness is only getting started, but the City of Richmond already has its final four selected in its search for a City Center development team. The city announced Monday night it is inviting formal proposals from four of the five respondents to its November solicitation for the redevelopment project that would replace the Richmond Coliseum with a mixed-use development and convention center hotel.
Chesterfield restaurateurs opening new brewpub up the road
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Mike Platania
Seasoned local restaurant owners Karen and Matt Verdisco are branching out in Chesterfield. The couple is preparing to open Local Craft Pizza & Beer at 6921 Commons Plaza, about a mile west down Iron Bridge Road from Brew Craft Bar & Kitchen, which they opened in the Chesterfield Meadows Shopping Center in 2013. Local’s main offering will be Neapolitan-style pizza, in addition to regular bar fare like wings, salads and burgers.
Dickie’s Seafood owner blames contractors for Northside fire in $10M lawsuit
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Michael Schwartz
An argument over who’s to blame for a fire that gutted a Northside seafood production facility has sparked a formal legal battle. Sustainable Sea Products International, which owns the Dickie’s Seafood facility at 1508 Brook Road, is waging a lawsuit against two contractors whose work it claims caused the 2020 fire that destroyed much of the property. The Florida-based company has sued Dutton Food Equipment Repair and Old Dominion Metal Products, seeking $10 million in damages on claims of negligence.
Book People bookstore relocating to Henrico after decades in Westhampton
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Jack Jacobs
Turning the page after nearly 40 years at the corner of Granite and Patterson Avenues in the city, a local bookstore is headed to a new, larger location in western Henrico. Book People earlier this month closed its longtime shop at 536 Granite Ave. and plans to reopen April 1 at 10464 Ridgefield Parkway in the Gleneagles Shopping Center. Owner David Shuman said the new and used bookstore has outgrown the Westhampton space it has called home since the mid-1980s, and had been on the hunt for a new location for more than a year.
You can find these and other local business stories at richmondbizsense.com.
