Ram City Market to open in empty Walmart store on Grace

8.27R vcu market1

VCU plans to open a grocery store at 912 W. Grace St., which was formerly the site of a Walmart. (Mike Platania photo)

The Rams are behind one of the region’s latest neighborhood markets.

VCU plans to open a grocery store, dubbed Ram City Market, in the Grace Street Center building at 912 W. Grace St. on the Monroe Park campus.

The market will sell groceries as well as to-go coffee and made-to-order sandwiches. The store won’t carry alcohol.

It will take the place of a Walmart that occupied the 4,100-square-foot space until July 2019. Ram City Market is expected to open either late fall or early spring.

The store will be open to the public. Student customers will be able to use their meal plan accounts at the store.

It will be on the first floor of the Grace Street Center, which is home to the university’s procurement office, university relations and the global education office.

The market will be operated as part of the university’s existing contract with dining services company Aramark. The store’s seven to eight workers will be Aramark employees, VCU spokesman Mike Porter said in an email.

Ram City Market comes amid several other neighborhood market concepts that have recently opened or are on the horizon around the region. Chef Carlisle Bannister is planning to open a market in Tuckahoe Shopping Center. Sen Organic Farmers Market opened in Carytown earlier this year.

8.27R vcu market1

VCU plans to open a grocery store at 912 W. Grace St., which was formerly the site of a Walmart. (Mike Platania photo)

The Rams are behind one of the region’s latest neighborhood markets.

VCU plans to open a grocery store, dubbed Ram City Market, in the Grace Street Center building at 912 W. Grace St. on the Monroe Park campus.

The market will sell groceries as well as to-go coffee and made-to-order sandwiches. The store won’t carry alcohol.

It will take the place of a Walmart that occupied the 4,100-square-foot space until July 2019. Ram City Market is expected to open either late fall or early spring.

The store will be open to the public. Student customers will be able to use their meal plan accounts at the store.

It will be on the first floor of the Grace Street Center, which is home to the university’s procurement office, university relations and the global education office.

The market will be operated as part of the university’s existing contract with dining services company Aramark. The store’s seven to eight workers will be Aramark employees, VCU spokesman Mike Porter said in an email.

Ram City Market comes amid several other neighborhood market concepts that have recently opened or are on the horizon around the region. Chef Carlisle Bannister is planning to open a market in Tuckahoe Shopping Center. Sen Organic Farmers Market opened in Carytown earlier this year.

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POSTED IN Commercial Real Estate, Education, Retail

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Scott Burger
Scott Burger
2 years ago

The neoliberal experimentation continues…. VCU, not satisified with educating students with underpaid professors, now wants to further compete with local groceries and convenience stores… anyone else tired of living in ‘Ram City’? These are our tax dollars, folks…

SA Chaplin
SA Chaplin
2 years ago
Reply to  Scott Burger

So, Jackson, you see no problem with a government run retail operation? Do you prefer a government run grocery to the free market utilizing this space? Not me. I’m with Scott on this one.

Ed Christina
Ed Christina
2 years ago
Reply to  SA Chaplin

You guys do realize Aramark is running this market? From the Aramark investor relations page: ABOUT ARAMARKAramark (NYSE: ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover, and play. United by a passion to serve, our more than 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 22 countries around the world every day. I don’t think they are going to be staffed by Antifa super soldiers. Scott Burger: As a taxpayer what exactly is your issue with having a convenience store on VCUs campus? SA Chaplin: The “free market” has… Read more »

charles Frankenhoff
charles Frankenhoff
2 years ago
Reply to  Ed Christina

I see you haven’t read much of Scott’s work. You’ll want to google him and read a bit.

Ed Christina
Ed Christina
2 years ago
Reply to  SA Chaplin

Will Antifa make vaccines mandatory at the store?

Wake up sheeple!

charles Frankenhoff
charles Frankenhoff
2 years ago
Reply to  Ed Christina

Scott is a leftist…

Henry Fordsom
Henry Fordsom
2 years ago
Reply to  SA Chaplin

Aramark. Enough said.

Keith Van Inwegen
Keith Van Inwegen
2 years ago
Reply to  SA Chaplin

The property is not owned by VCU. It is owned by the VCU Real Estate Foundation which is not a state agency but rather a private entity.

Ed Christina
Ed Christina
2 years ago

Aren’t they a front for the Trilateral Commision ?

Justin Fritch
Justin Fritch
2 years ago
Reply to  Scott Burger

At least VCU has the best chance of adding solar panels 😛

charles Frankenhoff
charles Frankenhoff
2 years ago
Reply to  Justin Fritch

this man reads Scott Burger!

karl hott
karl hott
2 years ago

This could be a useful amenity for students who can’t make the walk to Kroger. A worthwhile addition to the multiple fast casual dining options on campus. Another, albeit small, reason that downtown Richmond’s rebirth over the past generation is usually linked to VCU.

charles Frankenhoff
charles Frankenhoff
2 years ago

sounds like a great thing