Biz Buzz: RiverFront Investment has a new home

RiverFront Investment Group is moving into a new home.

The investment firm was expected to begin moving into its new Shockoe Slip space Friday and open for business today.

"This space fits our personality," said Rod Smyth, chief investment strategist at RiverFront.

The company spent about a year working on the space, which was redesigned by Commonwealth Architects.

RiverFront is an independent investment adviser founded in 2008. It manages about $3 billion in assets.

For the past three years, the company has worked out of offices in the Arboretum Office Park in Chesterfield County. The new office, at 1214 E. Cary St., was built in 1866 and most recently housed Richbrau Brewing Co., which closed last year.

Peter Quinn, RiverFront's president, chief financial officer and a founding partner, said it was important to the company that the new space maintain its original feel but adorned modern amenities and touches.

Throughout, glassed-in conference rooms with flat panel TVs meld with brick walls and wooden beams. In a specially designed kitchen, two stainless steel refrigerators stand a few feet from an original fireplace.

Aside from the architectural touches, one of the most catching features of the space is the lack of offices.

All employees, about 30, sit clustered in low cubicles in open spaces.

That was deliberately done to encourage a spirit of collaboration, said Karrie B. Southall, director of operations. "That's something that's very important to us here," she said.

Also important to RiverFront was being in Shockoe Slip.

"You have so many choices of where you want your office. For us, the Slip was the right place," said Doug Sandler, RiverFront's chief equity officer.

The location serves two purposes: it's near the downtown financial district and it allows them to bring clients into a comfortable space in a unique district.

"We have a very nice local business," Smyth said. "But we want to build a relationship with people (across the country). One of the things we want is for them to come in, spend time in Richmond and get to know who we are."

Gallery moves

After 10 years at the Gayton Crossing Shopping Center, West End Gallery has moved.

The shop, which specializes in custom framing and art, is now in the Short Pump area of western Henrico in the Shoppes at Westgate shopping center on Lauderdale Drive off West Broad Street.

The 2,000-square-foot store opened last week.

"Business has been surprisingly strong during a spiky economy, enough that expanding made sense," owner Chris James said.

James said the new location, which is about 800 square feet larger than the previous one, gives West End Gallery better visibility.

Cook Out opens

Burger joint Cook Out has opened a new Richmond-area restaurant.

The new eatery is in Colonial Heights on Boulevard near Dupuy Avenue.

It is the chain's third in the area. The others are in Henrico: on West Broad Street near Staples Mills Road; and on East Ridge Road near Parham Road.

The company said earlier this year that it is considering opening a restaurant in the Short Pump area.

North Carolina-based Cook Out specializes in burgers, hot dogs, barbecue and 40 milkshake flavors.

Hobby store opens

Hobby Lobby expects to open its new Chesterfield County store today.

The store in the Hancock Village shopping center is the Oklahoma-based retailer's second in the Richmond area.

The store is the second major retailer to open this month at the center on Hull Street and Winterpock roads. Dick's Sporting Goods opened its 50,000-square-foot store earlier.

Discount retailer Five Below is set to open a store in the center Nov. 4.

The arts and crafts retailer, which carries crafting supplies as well as home decor and gifts, has another store on West Broad Street in Henrico.

Hobby Lobby has 495 stores in 40 states. The Chesterfield store will be its fifth in Virginia.

New eateries coming

Chick-fil-A expects to open its new shop in Westchester Commons in Chesterfield next week.

Construction is almost complete and the company has begun hiring; it expects to create 65 jobs.

The fast-food eatery's new restaurant is beside the Wells Fargo bank branch near the entrance of the center, which is on Midlothian Turnpike just east of state Route 288.

As is Chick-fil-A's tradition, 100 adults waiting in line when the restaurant opens Nov. 3 at 6 a.m. will win a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals.

Once the new location opens, the Atlanta-based chain will have 19 restaurants in the Richmond area, including 11 free-standing ones. In all, it has more than 1,600 restaurants in 39 states and Washington.

Also at Westchester Commons, Sedona Taphouse, a high-end brew pub, should be opening in December, according to its website.

The restaurant, which will carry 500 types of beer and host live music, is in the pedestrian friendly center of the development across from Books-A-Million. It is currently under construction.