Two Richmond-area storefronts that opened as Maple Street Biscuit Co. locations back in early 2022 are getting new tenants this fall, after Cracker Barrel sold the biscuit chain and closed a batch of its locations nationwide this past summer. Both replacement deals have already been reported by Richmond BizSense, and both are happening within a few miles of each other in Henrico and Chesterfield.
Short Pump: Biscuit Belly Moves In
At 11621 W. Broad St. in Short Pump, the former Maple Street Biscuit Co. space has already converted to Biscuit Belly, a Louisville-based chain that stepped in shortly after Cracker Barrel’s sale. It’s a fitting turn: Biscuit Belly is one of the buyers connected to the Maple Street brand transition, so in this case the same storefront simply changed hands under a new operator with a similar concept.
Midlothian: Nash & Smashed Takes the Huguenot Road Space
About 12 miles south, at 2061 Huguenot Road in Chesterfield’s Huguenot Village Shopping Center, the outcome is different. Richmond BizSense’s commercial real estate roundup reported that Nash & Smashed, a concept built around Nashville-style hot chicken and hand-smashed burgers, has leased the 2,600-square-foot space. Nathan Shor represented the landlord in the deal.
The space has some history worth knowing if you shop or eat in that corridor regularly. BizSense’s original 2022 report on the Maple Street build-out noted the same 2,600-square-foot suite had previously been a Zoes Kitchen, and that Huguenot Village is anchored by Publix, with The Hot Yoga Barre, Fusion Bowl, Chicano Boy Taco and Crumbl Cookies as co-tenants. That original Midlothian location and the Short Pump debut opened within weeks of each other in early 2022 – Maple Street’s first two footholds in the Richmond market. Both spaces are now starting over with different operators less than five years later.
What This Turnover Pattern Tells Buyers and Renters
Neither closure reflects badly on the neighborhoods themselves. Both centers are well-established, anchored retail corridors – Huguenot Village has a Publix anchor and a stable co-tenant mix, and Short Pump has kept seeing steady retail reinvestment of its own, including a Sheetz that opened on a former Walgreens site nearby. National chains change ownership, brands get bought and sold, and individual leases end for reasons that have little to do with the health of the surrounding market. If anything, having two new operators sign leases within weeks of the old ones vacating is a sign that landlords in both Midlothian and Short Pump aren’t struggling to fill the space.
For buyers weighing a home near either corridor, that kind of quick backfill is worth more than the specific restaurant name on the sign. Nearby Bon Air shares a lot of that same Huguenot Road retail access without sitting directly on the corridor itself, if you want proximity without the traffic – our full guide to living in Bon Air covers schools, parks and pricing in more depth. You can see what’s currently listed near either area on our active listings page.
Thinking about buying near Midlothian or Short Pump? We can walk you through what’s actually for sale near either corridor right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Maple Street Biscuit Co. in Richmond?
Cracker Barrel, which had owned the chain since 2019, sold Maple Street Biscuit Co. and closed a number of its locations nationwide this past summer, including its two original Richmond-area locations in Short Pump and Midlothian.
What’s replacing Maple Street Biscuit Co. in Short Pump?
Biscuit Belly, a Louisville-based restaurant chain, has converted the former Maple Street space at 11621 W. Broad St.
What’s replacing Maple Street Biscuit Co. in Midlothian?
Nash & Smashed, a concept serving Nashville-style hot chicken and hand-smashed burgers, has leased the 2,600-square-foot space at 2061 Huguenot Road in the Huguenot Village Shopping Center.
What shopping center is the Midlothian location in?
Huguenot Village, a shopping center anchored by Publix with co-tenants including The Hot Yoga Barre, Fusion Bowl, Chicano Boy Taco and Crumbl Cookies.
When did the original Maple Street Biscuit Co. locations open in Richmond?
Both the Short Pump and Midlothian locations opened in early 2022, roughly within weeks of each other, as Maple Street’s first two locations in the Richmond market.
Does a restaurant closing affect nearby home values?
Not typically on its own. A single restaurant lease ending is common turnover in retail real estate and doesn’t reflect the underlying strength of a shopping corridor, especially when a new tenant signs quickly, as happened in both of these cases.
