The Hat Factory, a live-music venue opening in the former Toad’s Place on Richmond’s Canal Walk, will make its debut Sept. 11 with a concert by roots rockers the BoDeans, according to its Web site. The rock band Cowboy Mouth will follow Sept. 17. The events were among several listed on http://www.hatfactoryva.com. The schedule lists Saturdays as “Country Night.“

Executives of online ticketing service Etix and the owners of the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, N.C., plan to open the live-music venue Hat Factory and a yet-to-be-named restaurant next month.

The owner of the Lady Byrd Hat building on Richmond’s Canal Walk hopes to have a restaurant and live-music venue in the former Toad’s Place by this fall. “We are very close to something very exciting for that space,“ said Margaret Freund, owner of Fulton Hill Properties. She would not identify her prospects but said she’s working to address issues related to signs, parking and use of the Canal Walk to help the next tenant open with solid footing.

Richmond’s Canal Walk is marching east as the Virginia Capital Trail. Simons Construction Co. started work this week on the city’s first substantial phase of the trail, a 55-mile recreational path being built between Richmond and Williamsburg. The $2.3 million section will extend about 3,500 feet from the floodwall near 18th Street to Great Shiplock Park.

Reynolds Packaging Group, the owner of almost 18 prime acres on the south bank of the James River, is pitching Manchester as the place to play ball in Richmond.

Bob Scudder and Dougie Bowman would have had a spectacular view of downtown Richmond from one condo on the 15th floor of Vistas on the James. They decided to go for the knockout.

Toad’s Place is currently closed. A posting on the inside and outside walls of the live music club at 140 Virginia St. on the Canal Walk reads that due to “serious default in rental payment and other obligations . . . “ the venue was closed today.