Tracking Richmond's evolution, block by block: Cary & Robinson
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After three years as a vacant, graffiti-covered eyesore, there are finally signs of life at 2601 W. Cary St.
Why it matters: The restaurant space on the corner of Robinson and Cary streets kick-started the block revitalization nearly 20 years ago — the latest subject of our series exploring where Richmond is changing, block by block.
Driving the news: West Cary Sports Bar — a pizza, burgers and wings-driven concept from the owners of Carytown Indian Cuisine and Jannat Indian Cuisine — is preparing to open next month, BizSense reported this week.
- The restaurant will have plenty of TVs playing sports, plus arcade games to give kids of all ages something to do.
- They recently painted over graffiti that had stacked up for years as the building sat for sale for $1.2 million — a level of neglect that would've been unthinkable on that corner before the pandemic.
Flashback: Before 2008, Cary and Robinson was a corner many Richmonders avoided. It was empty beyond a vacant restaurant building, a lab parking lot and GRTC's largely abandoned former bus depot.
- But that year, award-winning restaurant Acacia midtown — now in Libbie Mill — moved from Carytown to 2601 W. Cary St.
- At the time, owners Dale and Aline Reitzer told me people thought they were crazy to move their then-fine-dining restaurant to the corner.
- But the Reitzers saw an opportunity to buy a building for just $375,000 and build their own restaurant. Their investment sparked more change.
Fast forward: The year after Acacia opened, the bus depot officially closed.
- By 2013, the corner was home to a street art festival and, just down the block, another restaurant, Cask Cafe.
- By 2018, the bus depot was replaced by the $45 million Cary Street Station development, complete with 285 apartments, retail space and PBR Fan restaurant. Kreggers at Hand soon opened down the street.
By the end of 2019, Cary and Robinson had turned into a destination for Richmonders. That's why the Reitzers — in what would turn out to be the most fortuitous timing — decided in February 2020 to put Acacia on hiatus and sell their building.
- A NoVa-based LLC bought the space for $1 million and two takeout-focused restaurant concepts, Instabowl and The Coop, briefly tried to make a go of it. But by 2022, it looked like Robinson and Cary's destination days might be behind it.
- That is, until this week.
The bottom line: Sometimes change is a good thing.