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 Aug. 25, 2023:
Still unable to open, upstart Fan bar KavaClub heads to court in fight with VDH
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Mike Platania
Still stuck in regulatory limbo and unable to open, an upstart Fan bar is looking to the court system for help in its battle with the state health department.
Last week KavaClub, which will produce and serve kava, a nonalcoholic and psychoactive drink, filed a motion in Richmond Circuit Court seeking a temporary injunction that would allow it to open for business at 1529 W. Main St.
The bar has been in the works in the former Canon & Draw Brewing Co. space since early 2023, but in the spring the Virginia Department of Health denied KavaClub’s application for an operations permit. That decision, the VDH said, was because kava’s main ingredients are not Food and Drug Administration-approved and because of doubts from the regulator about the safety of kava.
Stone Brewing doubling Richmond production capacity ahead of Sapporo beer launch
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Charlotte Matherly
Fueled by its sale last year to Japanese beer giant Sapporo, Stone Brewing is in production expansion mode at its massive East End Richmond facility.
Starting in late November, Stone will add three Sapporo beers to its repertoire as becomes its new parent company’s U.S. manufacturing base in addition to producing its own line of Stone brews.
In anticipation of that new capability, Sapporo is injecting $40 million to ramp up the Richmond facility’s production.
Food truck park The Glades rolling into former Innsbrook After Hours site
Reported by Richmond Bizsense’s Jack Jacobs
The former Innsbrook After Hours property has lined up its next act.
The Glades, a 4-acre food truck park from local entrepreneur Phu Nguyen, is planning to begin operations in mid-September at 4901 Lake Brook Drive, where the long-running concert series was previously held.
The Glades will feature about 20 food trucks, as well as covered seating, plantings and decorative lighting on its opening day.
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