Virginia ABC Leased Space in Stratford Hills Center
The state liquor retailer will relocate its Richmond store to a larger 5,800-square-foot footprint.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The Virginia ABC has secured a lease at the Shops at Stratford Hills to house a new retail location. The store will move from its existing 5,000-square-foot site at 7036 Forest Hill Ave. to a larger space nearby.
Why it matters
The relocation allows the state-run retailer to expand its local footprint within a major Richmond retail hub. The move captures a portion of a 10,400-square-foot vacancy left by a former tenant, filling space in a center anchored by Target and Publix.
The new Virginia ABC store will encompass 5,800 square feet, an increase over its current 5,000-square-foot capacity. The site occupies a portion of a 10,400-square-foot space vacated in 2025.
The players
Virginia ABC
The state government agency responsible for the retail sale of distilled spirits and the enforcement of alcohol control laws.
Shops at Stratford Hills
A significant Richmond retail center anchored by national tenants including Target and Publix.
The details
The state liquor agency is repurposing a former Popshelf retail unit located at 7101-F Forest Hill Ave. to facilitate the expansion. This move follows other recent activity at the Shops at Stratford Hills, including the opening of a dental office and the 2026 arrival of a nearby Chipotle. The transition represents a consolidation of retail operations within the Richmond commercial corridor.
Timeline
2025: The Popshelf store closed at the Shops at Stratford Hills.
2026: Chipotle opened a location at Forest Hill Avenue and Cherokee Road.
March 2027: The new Virginia ABC store is anticipated to open.
Market Landscape
This move marks the latest evolution of the Shops at Stratford Hills following the 2025 closure of the former Popshelf space. It continues a pattern of tenant turnover in the center, which has also seen recent entries from dental and food service providers.
Operators in the area should monitor the shifting traffic patterns within the center as this state-run anchor establishes its new footprint. With a March 2027 opening target, nearby businesses should prepare for the operational shifts associated with high-frequency retail re-openings.
The takeaway
Retail expansion by state-run entities can drive increased foot traffic to adjacent commercial centers. Businesses should track center-wide tenant rosters for clues regarding broader redevelopment activity in the South Richmond corridor.
Further reading
For more on local business site changes, see Richmond Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Richmond BizSense.
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