New restaurants, moving furniture and a natural high
October 3, 2015
Mellow Mushroom
Hampton Roads will get its first taste of Mellow Mushroom when the pizza franchise opens its Newport News location in the Marketplace at Tech Center later this month.
Former Navy pilot Gray Nelson decided that he wanted to run his own franchise after tasting a slice of Mellow Mushroom pizza in 2002. More than a decade later, he'll open his doors to the hungry and thirsty folks of the rapidly growing Oyster Point retail district.
“We knew we wanted to be at Tech Center,”; Nelson said. “;It’s an incredible opportunity at an incredible location.”;
One of the highlights of the new restaurant will be its decor and artwork, which Gray said will contain plenty of nods to the heritage and history of Newport News.
“The whole Hampton Roads area is an important place for my wife and I,”; said Nelson. “Now I get to come back and serve the community.”
Sweet Tooth Cafe and Bakery
Gloucester's Main Street got a little sweeter Sept. 25.
The opening of the Sweet Tooth Cafe and Bakery at 6655 Main St. was attended by Virginia Secretary of Trade and Commerce Maurice Jones and included a ribbon-cutting celebration that helped usher in a new era for the revitalized retail district.
Crystal Burton, owner of Sweet Tooth, was a winner of Launch Gloucester, an entrepreneur contest that awarded her nearly $50,000 in startup capital and prizes.
A total of 10 new businesses are slated to open on Main Street in the Gloucester Village, helped by $100,000 in state grant money and another $100,000 raised locally.
Sweet Tooth offers an extensive selection of "from scratch" desserts, including warm cinnamon rolls, specialty cheesecakes and banana pudding, as well as custom cakes and cupcakes.
Serendip
After 13 years at 243 Bute St. in Norfolk, Serendip is moving.
The popular home furnishings, fine art and upscale gift retailer will take up residence at the Palace Shops, in a space formerly occupied by The Wild Hare.
The shop has always had a loyal customer base, but co-owner Laura Klemt Slaymaker is looking forward to the new chapter in her business.
"The timing was right," Slaymaker said. "We love our neighborhood, but I've always fantasized about what it would be like to be somewhere busy where the dynamic is different."
Slaymaker and her mother, Mary Klemt, opened the business in the brick-and-ivy-covered building at the corner of Bute and Duke in 2002. It became a destination for design-savvy shoppers, and the Retail Alliance recognized Serendip as its 2014 Retailer of the Year.
Slaymaker said that the addition of light rail and new residential development in the neighborhood gave business a boost, but she looks forward to joining a restaurant and retail community that includes Decorum Furniture, Mermaid Winery and Baker's Crust.
The new location at 2112 Debree Ave. is projected to open Oct. 22.
Kroger's Simple Truth
There's a new natural food champ in town.
Kroger recently announced that its mid-Atlantic division saw double-digit growth in natural and organic food sales.
"When we look specifically at the Simple Truth brand, we have sold 24 percent more units this year," said Susan Terry, natural food sales manager.
Introduced two years ago, the store's Simple Truth brand is now the top natural food brand in the country. A recent report from JP Morgan Chase states that in two years Kroger is expected to pass Whole Foods as the nation's top seller of natural and organic food.
"Our Simple Truth brand offers quality products customers can trust to be certified organic or free from more than 101 artificial preservatives, ingredients and colors that can be easier on the pocketbook," Terry said.
Kroger operates nine locations in Hampton Roads.
P.F. Chang's
P.F. Chang's is now open in the Marketplace at Tech Center in Newport News.
The restaurant offers upscale dining and Asian-fusion dishes with an open patio. This is the second Hampton Roads location for the popular chain known for signature dishes such as Lettuce Wraps, Banana Spring Rolls and Oolong Chilean Sea Bass.
The location at 12090 Jefferson Ave., Suite 1600, will feature a broad selection of wines, local beers and specialty cocktails. P.F. Chang's also offers an extensive menu of gluten-free options.
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