Biz Buzz: Hotel Sierra designed for business travelers

With lighted columns in the lobby, a second-floor terrace complete with swimming pool, and high-end lighting in the halls, the new Hotel Sierra seems more like a boutique hotel in Manhattan than an extended-stay lodge backing up to a Dick's Sporting Goods.

But the latter is exactly what it is.

The Hotel Sierra is at the rear of the Short Pump Town Center, across the walkway from the Baker's Crust Café. The hotel, which opened about two months ago, will hold an invitation-only open house on Thursday.

At its heart, the 134-room Sierra is an extended-stay hotel geared mostly for business travelers, said General Manager Steve Kendall.

Rooms include stainless-steel appliances, 42-inch flat-screen TVs and iPod docking stations.

The rooms range in size from a standard 500 square feet to a 700-square-foot suite with a full-size bathtub. The halls have earth tones and soft corners, and there is a lounge in the lobby.

The second-floor terrace has a pool, tables and lounge chairs.

Room prices start at $129 a night.

"It's a very unique product for the area," Kendall said.

Since opening, Kendall and his staff have been reaching out to corporations that do business in the area and, in the past, might have favored staying at hotels in or near the Innsbrook Corporate Center. They also are looking to attract executives of retailers with stores at the mall.

He's got one tenant booked for 86 nights and another for 76.

But so far, weekends have been the busiest.

"That was very surprising for us," Kendall said.

He believes the attraction is the Short Pump Town Center and the proximity to restaurants and area offerings -- both of which he hopes to capitalize on to land corporate visitors.

The upscale concept for Hotel Sierra also is a first for its Kansas-based parent company, LodgeWorks L.P.

The local hotel is part of the chain's new line of inns that "celebrates contemporary design and unexpected touches of luxury."

In all, LodgeWorks has six Hotel Sierra locations with the new upscale look scheduled to open nationwide by the end of 2010.

Bachrach closing

Upscale men's clothing chain Bachrach is closing its store at the Chesterfield Towne Center.

The chain, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May, is liquidating all but about 15 of its 49 stores, including one at Tysons Corner Center in Northern Virginia. The store at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City will remain open.

The 4,100-square-foot Chesterfield Towne Center store is set to close in August, according to a store employee.

Company executives would not comment.

The local Bachrach, which is across from the Coldwater Creek store, opened in November.

Denise Smith, the mall's marketing director, said the center's leasing officials have spoken with several retailers about taking over the space but have not yet reached a deal with a potential tenant.

Development on hold

Work has mostly stopped on the planned Stonehenge Village Center at Wal-Mart Way and Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield.

Developers have completed the grating, stormwater retention, utilities and curbing at the 175,000-square-foot mixed-use retail and office development.

A speculative office building will go up on the western portion of the site, but work on the rest of the project has stopped until the economy turns around. Developers have ordered the steel and have begun working on the pad for the office building.

Stonehenge Village was originally expected to open this past spring.

A Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurant is no longer planned for the center. While the county held up approval of the restaurant because of architectural concerns, the chain altered its expansion plans and killed the deal, according to a real estate source.

Developers will use the delay to look for anchor and out-parcel tenants for the development.

Hearing shop opens

NewSounds Hearing Aid Center in western Henrico County opens today.

The store is in the John Rolfe Commons Shopping Center off Ridgefield Parkway.

The store sells conventional hearing aids as well as wireless and Bluetooth devices.

NewSounds also offers free hearing tests.

Contact Louis Llovio at (804) 649-6348 or .