Key Takeaways
- Southern Living Magazine released its “South’s Best” reader survey results for 2020, with Richmond garnering eight top ten rankings; six ranked in the top five. Titles include “Top Cities in the South” (9) and “Best Food City” (7), a label further substantiated with awards including Alewife’s “Best New Restaurant” (1), The Jasper’s “Best Bar” (3), and Mama J’s “Best Local Restaurant” (4). These accolades serve as indicators of Richmond’s strong market stance prior to entering the pandemic, providing insulation up to this point.
- Stony Point Fashion park has struggled in the past few years with retaining tenants and the financial burdens that followed, with the owners defaulting on their loan in March. These issues have been exacerbated since the start of COVID-19. During H1, several big retailers have closed permanently at the venue, including Panera and H&M. H&M confirmed its departure from the mall shortly after Nordstrom announced its permanent closing of its Short Pump Town Center location where it has been an anchor tenant since 2003. Additional waves of closures are expected in the market in the coming quarters.