Two years ago, that all changed with The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing opening in 2010 and The Conch Republic soon after in 2011. The area was completely transformed into an attractive, scenic stretch of restaurants along the James and tourists, visitors, locals, couples, families and Richmond-ers flocked like seagulls.

Today, Rockett’s Landing is making an even bigger splash. One of the Richmond area’s biggest law firms, Brown Greer, is relocating its headquarters to the 38,000-square-foot Cedar Works Building along the riverfront on Dock Street.

Although the building still needs to be renovated, there are major factors in favor of moving to Rocketts, according to Principal Orran Brown: convenient parking, the location, and the long-term prospects of what Rocketts Landing could develop into.

Rocketts Landing Memorial Day 2012 event

Check out these recent articles in the Times-Dispatch and Richmond BizSense, which give a more detailed look into Brown Greer’s latest urban development.

In the mean time, be sure to visit Rocket’s Landing on Sunday, May 27th for Rocketts Red Glare.  The event will feature the Kings of Swingband and a fireworks display to benefit the Neighborhood Resource Center of Greater Fulton.

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• How to make zoning easier to understand
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• UPDATE: Cineplex Slated for Boulevard
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RICHMOND, VA (May 24, 2012) – BlackFinn American Saloon, located at 1001 Haxall Point, today announced its plans to sell the restaurant to a local ownership group. The restaurant will remain closed until a sale is completed and the new ownership group has finalized its rebranding of the current space.

BlackFinn has been the sole restaurant tenant of the mixed-use Riverside on the James development since it first opened its doors in 2006. The new tenant will benefit from the revitalization plans that are in place for the surrounding Canal Walk area.

“With the efforts to update and expand the current offerings in the area, we feel that this is a good time and opportunity for both seller and buyer,” said BlackFinn operating partner Ryan Golbitz. “It’s been six terrific years and we are grateful for the support and the business that our community has provided.”

Details of the new restaurant’s name and theme are expected to be announced closer to the reopening date, estimated around fall of 2012.

Anyone else know details? I’ll update if I hear anything.

Be sure to watch the local news outlets for more updates/information.

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• Brown Greer Goes Waterfront on Rocketts Landing
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As a result, the downtown areas of cities that were once the hub of life, now bear the brunt of losing traffic, customers and most importantly, revenue.

So, can downtown revitalization be the missing link to saving cities across the US and solving the economic equation of success?

This question seems like a no-brainer, right? Well,  in theory, yes.  Improving, fixing up and revitalizing the downtown areas of any city no doubt enhances the quality of life, strengthens businesses and raises revenue.

However, the fact of the matter is, that many cities across the US – large and small – are still slowly catching on theconcept of exploiting the economics of land use. Fixing up downtown areas is exponentially less expensive to a city than expanding suburban developments or strip malls with new infrastructure and public services.

Public Interest Projects, one NC-based urban real estate developer dedicated to improving the quality of cities through revitalization of existing city spaces, has been practicing this approach for the past 20 years and so far has more than 15 success stories to date.

In a recent article in Atlantic Cities, Public Interest Project’s Director, Joe Minicozzi cites several urban development case studies throughout the article, where he employed this concept and had resounding success.

Humorously, Minicozzi explains with every metaphor he can think of: cash crops, french fries, even gas tanks.

“We tend to compare buildings to each other, without looking at their unit value. Like comparing a Ford F-150′s tank to that of a Prius.  We don’t shop for vehicles that way, because that makes no sense.  We look at miles-per-gallon, not miles-per-tank, because tanks come in all different sizes. We should look at buildings the exact same way. Take a look at the per-acre value of land and where the land is most valuable. Cities generate wealth by exploiting the economics of land use.

One urban development success story that Minicozzi highlights is the Asheville Hotel in Downtown Asheville, NC, a project few thought would succeed, but is now a booming, multifunctional space.

On the left: The Asheville Hotel in the 1970s.  Public Interest Projects set their sights on this dilapidated, 1950s-style, five-story brick building as a “Hidden gem in the ruff.”

On the right: The same acre of land, 20 years later as a booming, multifunctional retail space and apartment complex. To-date, it’s responsible for exponentially more property tax revenue that pays for police, parks and city streets in Downtown Asheville.

Overall, this article and Public Interest Project’s Minicozzi raises several good points about how to improve cities, while being resourceful and economical at the same time.

Richmond is a prime example.

It’s a mid-size city that’s undergoing revitalization in several inner-city neighborhoods, however some areas are still in need of attention from public officials, land developers and advocates, like Minicozzi, to bring about renovation and change.

Let’s hope they’re reading this article and catch on sooner, rather than later.

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To honor mothers everywhere, the Museum District Association is hosting its 18th Annual Mother’s Day House and Garden Tour this coming Sunday, May 13th, from 1-6PM. You can buy tickets for $20 each directly from their website here, or you can drop by any of the following locations to buy tickets in person:

Babe’s Restaurant - 3166 W. Cary St.
Barrel Thief - 5805 Patterson Ave.
Cocoanut Jewelry - Short Pump or Willow Lawn
Ellwood Thompson - 4 N. Thompson St.
Mongrel - 2924 W. Cary St.
Strawberry St. Vineyard - 407 N. Strawberry St.
Tweed - 4035 Lauderdale Dr.
Williams & Sherrill - 2003 Huguenot Dr.

The lineup of houses will run north to south between the 3200-3400 blocks of Monument Avenue and Floyd Avenue. Visitors will also be able to walk inside each home on the tour, see the remodeled kitchens and get inspired to create their own garden space. The homes and gardens being featured this year will showcase the diversity of style and charm that makes the Museum District so appealing to live in.

Bandazian & Holden is proud to be a Sponsor for the event, and as our gift to mothers for all their hard work,  we are giving away two (2) tickets today, Friday, May 11th to a lucky winner who leaves us a unique comment here on the blog.

Just tell us why you read RVABusiness.com.

What you think of our stories?  Do you have a real estate question? Anything that comes to mind, we’d love to hear from you.  A comment, blurb, or short sentence is perfect!

The winner will be chosen and announced today at 5:30pm and contacted via their replied comment.

We are looking forward to a great turnout for this year’s House & Garden Tour!

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• It’s true, RVA, Mint is coming to the Fan!
• New insights on the sale of Cafe Gutenberg
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• More info about The Devil’s Triangle!

But, I always have to give that answer with the caveat that the last official word I had heard about it was a few years ago. I couldn’t even be sure that the same plans were in place. Thankfully I can point to this article on Richmond.com that gives us the lowdown on the current situation — which is pretty much as described as above. It sounds as though things are just on hold, but the same big plans are still on the books. In fact, this project is expected to take 10 years even once they finally get underway.

You need to go read the article to see all of the reported details, but I thought I would share a couple of details of the plans here:

What: Staples Mill Centre, proposed to include 1,096 apartments, 571 condominiums, 391 townhouses, 32 single-family homes, 60,000 square feet of offices, and 100,000 square feet of stores.

Where: About 80 acres between Staples Mill Road, Libbie Avenue and Bethlehem Road, near Interstate 64.

View larger map

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• How to make zoning easier to understand
• Redevelopment plans for Carytown get nod from Museum District
• UPDATE: Cineplex Slated for Boulevard
• Does downtown Richmond have a parking problem?

Twenty-five years ago, one business man invested heavily in the future he saw on Main Street

Just two decades ago, sports bars weren’t very common. This is a community story for locals and sports fans, about one of Richmond’s first sports bars, the changing city landscape around VCU and the retirement of one well-respected business owner.

One Richmond bar scores big and creates a legacy

While the city hosts numerous restaurants and acclaimed cuisine, we also have an often overlooked local sports bar–not a big chain–that’s worthy of a boisterous hurrah.

Mulligans Sport’s Grille first swung open its doors in 1990 to reveal about 20 televisions inside–none of them flat screens–all broadcasting sports games and commentary.

Think about that novelty. The playing field for sports bars used to be fairly empty of any competition.

Harken back to the early 90s, if you can. The daily routine was sans internet, cable television was not a household standard–and it certainly did not supply the multiple sports networks available now. There was an audible welcome from sports fans–to the extent that the dream of three men multiplied into six restaurants.

Mulligan’s first opened in Short Pump, before the area was the bustling “suburban downtown” that so many city dwellers love to hate. Now home to Capital Ale House, the space is 12,000 square feet.

The first store was so successful that by its second year, the bouncers came to work before the waitstaff.  They were needed to control the the crowds who would try to push inside when the waitresses arrived, as to stake early claim to the best seats in the house. The Wednesday concert series brought thousands to Innsbrook, and hundreds would just camp out at Mulligans, many taking in the concert from the comfort of the patio.

John Sweeney, along with the Hurley brothers, Mark and Matt, were experimental business owners. They tried off-the-wall things like “cook your own steak” night, where hot grills stood ready for the sports aficionado to meet tong to meet steak.

The investors ran with their game plan, opening a total of six locations. After the Innsbrook location came Mulligans in Mechanicsville, Sixth Street Market Place, Southside, the Fan and then Farmville.

MULLIGAN’S PLAYS THE FIELD, RUNS BUSINESS DOWNTOWN

Sixth Street Market Place being the failed city investment that it was, Mulligans bailed ship and in 1996 docked at its current Fan location, at Harvie and Main Streets. Of the six locations this spot is one of the two Mulligan’s that remain.

Some might remember that the bar Coyotes was formerly housed in that spot. Some might also remember that until 1985, the legal age for consuming libations was but 19, which meant a bar scene could thrive around Virginia Commonwealth University–at that time it was a commuter school.

Those few students who did live on campus were young enough to drink. Many a neighborhood businesses dried up when the drinking age changed, said Sweeney and by 1996 there really weren’t any bars in the area around Mulligans.

In fact, Main Street ran through the VCU area without yielding many options at all. The VCU area pretty much ended a few blocks east of Mulligan’s, the main anchors of the area were 7-11 and Piccola’s Pizzeria, at Harrison Street. One big block west of the bar was the former Border Cafe (now Bellytimber), but the streets were mostly vacant and dim.

PASTELS SATURATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN HOPES OF BRIGHTER TIMES

Ed Eck, of Eck Enterprises, had a lot to do with the transformation of the dreary area.

In the late 80s, extensive remodeling and fresh pastel paint shined up a lot of the properties Eck had purchased along the long, two-block stretch of Main Street buildings.

Eck’s first business, supplying electrical materials, was near the Gold’s Gym off Harvie Street. When city businesses began an exodus over the county lines, Eck chose instead to invest in the Richmond area.

It took awhile though, and the area still doesn’t have the same sort of miniature Shockoe Bottom appeal like the area farther up at Main and Robinson Streets.

Style Weekly and Richmond.com once had headquarters in the strip around Mulligan’s, along with a handful of other businesses. Still, it wasn’t quite the mixed-use space it has slowly become.

Sweeney made the decision to touch down at that location because he thought it had a lot potential, the building was open and the place was already built out for a bar, with a kitchen. “We liked taking places that didn’t make it and turning them around,” he said.

He thinks the Fan area is a lot safer now. “Individual businesses and people added lights and safety, but the city really could step it up,” said Sweeney.

Eck also helped convert much of the dilapidated, boarded-up homes along Cary, starting at Meadow and heading east. The area was replaced with new buildings, businesses and renovated apartments. Lights came up and in moved people.

Also fueling the progress machine was the VCU transition over the the past decade, from commuter school to college university.

To understand how pivotal Eck has been in transforming this downtown stretch, take a quick glance at the business community he enabled: Little Mexico, Gold’s Gym, Uptown Color, PharrOut, Rev It Up!, City Dogs, Capitalmac, and Uptown Gallery–and that is not the entire list.

“The city’s vision was good but citizens had the vision and resources–and the desire to keep the architecture,” said Sweeney. “It was smart urban planning with the mixed-use retail.”

Video: Changes along Main Street brings foot traffic, residents and business.

EASY TO OPEN A SPORTS BAR NOW, HARDER TO STAY OPEN

Another thing that has changed over the years: television.

Mulligan’s in the fan now boasts around 70 of those boxes, about 50 more televisions than the flagship store had when it opened. People have more access to games, through cable and streaming internet at home.

“It’s easier to become a sports bar now,” said Sweeney. “Now you have to do more than just show a game.”

It might be easier to open a sports bar, but it takes a certain finesse to handle all the obstacles. Sports are obviously the bread and butter of the business, and with sports comes fair-weathered fans.

“You will notice that once you get to the midweeks in NFL,” Tray Vanneman, who has been with Mulligans 14 years, said. “A lot of people’s team start dropping off and they stop coming in because they only want to come out when their team is winning.”

But Mulligan’s hasn’t fumbled. Instead, inside the cavernous 8,000 square feet space you will find all the necessities to bring out the crowds.

There are video games, darts, billiards, ping pong, a outside deck, a covered outdoor patio, and a main smoking room. Patrons have lots of things to do besides just catch the games: poker, karaoke, trivia and keeping up with the elaborate, daily rotating happy hour menu.

SWEENEY AS COACH, STEADY DRIVE FOR THE WIN

Former owner toasts to 30 years in the restaurant business.

Sweeney moved to Richmond from Buffalo, NY in 1978 and started teaching at Freeman High School, in the Industrial Tech department. In the late 80s, he switched careers and went to work as a bartender at the Red River Rib company.

He thought he would get his MBA, but that never happened. In fact, he laughs at the thought now. “An MBA was unnecessary, you have to get out and work for someone else to learn the business.”

Perhaps Sweeney inherited a penchant for the restaurant business from his large Irish family. It’s clear he’s an extrovert and great conversationalist, as he sits comfortably chatting and answering questions for two hours. Topics delve in all directions; from city politics to best live concerts to current books and back to Richmond’s future.

As people tell it, that’s the same charisma he brought to the bar. Sweeney loved the daily interaction. “Of course it’s important to enjoy what you do, but you’ve definitely got to really enjoy the restaurant business.”

He attributes the success of Mulligan’s to “surrounding himself with good people.” He definitely built a team. Three employees have more than 12 years at the bar. Sweeney said the top manager has been there from the beginning and that the head bartender started as a bar back.

No one can say enough nice things about him as a person, or as his qualities as a dedicated, hands-on restaurant owner

“John will bend over backwards to take care of his people,” Vanneman said, and commented that Sweeney has seen more of his adult life then Vanneman’s own father. “You need help in your personal life, there’s John.”

“John is hands down the best boss I’ve ever had, period,” he added.

So one could imagine that the recent sale of Mulligans had the employees worried. Would the new owner employ Sweeney’s philosophies? Would their 10 plus year careers at Mulligan’s come to an end?

NEW COACH TAKES OVER THE PLAYBOOK

Like Sweeney, a fork in the career path steered Edward Dudley into the restaurant business.

Formerly employed with Verizon, until an unexpected layoff in 2009, Dudley bounced back from unemployment by investing in the franchise sports bar Wings, Pizza and Things, situated at Regency Square Mall.

Edward Dudley, now with 2 years in the business, loves the electricity of a busy night.

He signed right before the Michigan-based Taubman stopped making its mortgage payments on the property and many big name stores withdrew from the once bustling mall.

One night Dudley, needing a business with more foot traffic, came across the online sale listing for Mulligan’s. Four months later he was the new owner.

NCAA March Madness saw Mulligan’s scoring major points. Sweeney and the bar appeared on ESPN when national attention turned to VCU’s shocking Final Four success. Lines were out the door seven hours before game time.

No one had seen anything like it, and “what it did for business was unbelievable,” said Sweeney. “It covered a lot of past sins.”

It was a good time to sell, and Sweeney was ready for a vacation, one of the first in 20 years.  “The interest on the market was unbelievable,” Sweeney said.

Bandazian and Holden, a Richmond firm specializing in property management, commercial investment and business brokerage, negotiated the sale. In July, Dudley took over the court.

Vanneman said the crew’s initial fears and hesitations have disappeared. The transition has been smooth, and mostly unnoticeable by customers. The menu has been upgraded, and much-needed building repairs are underway. Otherwise, Dudley is hands-off and busy managing his other restaurant.

“I have taken a lot of things I learned here and implemented it there, and visa versa,” Dudley said.

Sweeney, already looking on the horizon for the next opportunity, said he really has no regrets. “In hind sight there are always some things you would do differently.”

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• It’s true, RVA, Mint is coming to the Fan!
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Here is the email from the City of Richmond that we received regarding the upcoming event:

As part of our  ongoing efforts to provide you with valuable information & resources, the City of Richmond Department of Economic and Community Development-Business First Richmond Program is pleased to announce another in our series of free educational seminars.

The City of Richmond Department of Economic & Community Development and the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will host the first in a two part series on establishing and  growing your business.   Part I in the series the” Entrepreneur Express Seminar” will address the basic concerns of establishing a business in Richmond.  The seminar will be held Wednesday, October 12, 2011 from 8:30 am to noon at the Police Training Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road, Richmond, Virginia 23220.  (See Entrepreneur Express Seminar Flyer for details)   Please share this information with your clients and colleagues.

To sign up (free!), you can either register online by clicking here, or call 804-371-0058.

Oh, and make sure to let me know if you’re going to be there! Leave a comment here or at least be sure to come up and say hello when  you see me there.

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*image courtesy of Alan Turkus (http://www.flickr.com/people/aturkus/)

A common complaint in the restaurant industry here in Richmond is about how outdated and difficult (and sometimes just plain nonsensical) the ABC regulations are, especially for start-ups. Well it might finally be time for that to change:

…the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control Board is for the first time in 20 years reviewing and updating all of its regulations in an effort to rewrite or eliminate any antiquated and burdensome restrictions. And they’ve asked the state’s merchants to help, giving them until Oct. 17 to propose changes.

Read more at the Washington Examiner

You heard them, folks. If you have an ABC license, then they want to hear from you! Be a part of the updates in the ABC laws. If you’ve seen what can be done better, now is your chance to speak up.

Where to speak up? I’m not exactly sure. I checked the Virginia ABC website and didn’t see anything specific about the initiative, but calling them directly would be a good place to start. If you do know the reporting process, please leave a comment with the information.

(Thank you to Richmond BizSense for pointing out this article in their morning email. If you’re not receiving it already, then you might want to rectify that.)

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Amy closed on the deal to purchase the real estate and the equipment at 2501 West Main Street this past Friday afternoon. Richard Holden, Principal Broker at Bandazian & Holden, represented Amy in the purchase.

It has been on the market for some time. Fan of the Fan reported back in June that the restaurant had closed, and I know that it had been for sale for some time before that. We are proud that Bandazian & Holden was part of making this sale happen, and even more proud that such a fine restaurateur will be the one taking over.

The new restaurant will be Mint New Casual Cuisine. From all of the great ideas that I’ve heard from Amy and from the reactions I’ve heard so far from the neighbors, the Fan District will be very happy to have her there!

Congratulations on the purchase, Amy! I can’t wait to try out the new place!

Congrats to Amy Cabaniss on closing this PM on the Davis & Main bldg! Coming soon, Mint New Casual Cuisine! #rva #rvadine

September 23, 2011 3:37 PM via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@rvabusiness

Nathan Hughes

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This is important. Do not stop paying rent. There is no advantage to be gained legally by withholding rent, even if the place becomes untenable. The courts do not look kindly on a tenant taking that kind of decision into their own hands.

Instead, listen to the advice given in this recent article by Richmond.com, “Don’t Let The Walls (Or Ceiling) Cave In On You“:

• Be current in your rent
• Give your landlord written notice of the problem
• Wait a reasonable amount of time

After a reasonable amount of time has passes, take a copy of the written notice, along with the next months rent, down to the John Marshall general district court at 400 N. Ninth Street. A clerk will help you file a legal assertion.

…

There is a small filing fee of $56 to file assertion. We’ve even tracked down the onlinie form, DC-429, available through Virginia courts here. 

If you stop paying rent, you may still be liable for late fees and other repercussions for being late (i.e., bad marks on your credit or even eviction). You are not alone or powerless against a landlord, but you have to play by the rules that have been set up to protect everyone involved.

Have you been through this process with the courts? I would be grateful if you share your experience below in the comments, so that everyone can learn from it!

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