For a long time there was a disparity in consumer venues between eastern Henrico County and the saturated shopping sites of the growing West End. A possible new development could close the gap a bit.
CBS 6 has confirmed a Richmond Times-Dispatch report that Arizona development company Bromont Investments could buy, then demolish the Fairfield Commons Mall at Nine-mile Rd. and Laburnum Ave. in eastern Henrico, and replace it with a brand new shopping center. According to the company it’s not a done deal yet, but if all goes as planned, you could see a 300-thousand square foot center that will look very similar to what they’re doing with the old Cloverleaf Mall in Chesterfield.
The Fairfield Commons opened as the Thalhimer-anchored Eastgate Mall in 1967. Fast forward 45 years later, and it’s now a shopping center that’s lost most of its big national chain stores. It does have a Peebles and a number of locally owned businesses setting up shop there. A spokesperson at Bromont Investments says they’re looking at buying, then redeveloping the property, which would include a 90-thousand square foot anchor store.
People living in that part of eastern Henrico used to have to drive a long way to get to the more popular shopping centers and malls in the Richmond area. Many, like Angela Poindexter, tell us they’d like to see more options near them. “Lately business has been dying. It’s just been dying and I don’t know why”, said Poindexter. “I don’t know if that has anything to do with the economy, but I’d like to see more business in the area.”
The new shopping center would be tentatively called Eastgate Town Center. It would also be just a 7-minute drive down the road from The Shops at White Oak Village on South Laburnum Avenue that opened in 2008 with more than 40 national, regional and local retailers and restaurants.
The spokesperson at Bromont Investments says the company’s Vice President Joshua Rector is on the East Coast today, actively pursuing the deal.
