Men’s clothing store Beecroft & Bull plans to open in the spring at 5712 Grove Ave., where it is relocating from its current spot at River Road Shopping Center. (Jack Jacobs photo)
After nearly two decades in the River Road area, a men’s clothing store is picking up where a longtime women’s apparel shop left off in the Libbie-Grove retail corridor.
In the spring, Beecroft & Bull plans to relocate to 5712 Grove Ave. from its current location at River Road Shopping Center II at 5029 Huguenot Road.
Craig Beecroft
At about 2,400 square feet, the Grove Avenue spot, which was formerly home to La Grande Dame, is slightly smaller than Beecroft & Bull’s current location. But owner Craig Beecroft said that after about 20 years on Huguenot, it was time for a change.
“When the space became available, we gave it serious consideration and pulled the trigger,” he said of the Grove Avenue storefront. “We’re looking to expand our customer base and introduce ourselves to different people.”
The move to an area with high foot traffic is an attempt to replicate success the company found when it shook things up with the relocation of its Virginia Beach outpost from the Oceanfront to the Hilltop North Shopping Center.
Craig’s father Moss Beecroft and Charles Bull opened the company’s first store in Newport News in 1958, according to a Virginian-Pilot report. The company is headquartered in that city today, though the store has since closed.
The company previously had stores in Norfolk and Williamsburg as well, according to an online obituary for Moss Beecroft, who died in 2020.
Beecroft & Bull opened its first Richmond store in Shockoe Slip in the 1980s. It moved that outpost to Huguenot Road in 2003.
It also had a Charlottesville location for 25 years, before closing that store in 2021.
Beecroft & Bull sells men’s clothing. (Photo courtesy of Beecroft & Bull)
Beecroft said a combination of factors including the pandemic led to the closure, though he would be open to making a return to the Charlottesville market.
“The pandemic definitely had an effect. Our lease was up and, no offense to Charlottesville, but that town was a lot more closed down than Virginia Beach or Richmond,” he said. “I was sad to see it close but it was going to allow us to focus on our two strongest markets.”
Beecroft plans to renovate the Grove space and has tapped Charlottesville-based Formwork to be the project architect and Conquest, Moncure and Dunn as the general contractor. Formwork designed the now-closed Charlottesville outpost, and Conquest Moncure and Dunn was the contractor on the Huguenot space buildout. He didn’t share a budget for the project.
The shop will be one of several menswear competitors in the Libbie-Grove area, joining Alton Lane and Peter-Blair Accessories.
Men’s clothing store Beecroft & Bull plans to open in the spring at 5712 Grove Ave., where it is relocating from its current spot at River Road Shopping Center. (Jack Jacobs photo)
After nearly two decades in the River Road area, a men’s clothing store is picking up where a longtime women’s apparel shop left off in the Libbie-Grove retail corridor.
In the spring, Beecroft & Bull plans to relocate to 5712 Grove Ave. from its current location at River Road Shopping Center II at 5029 Huguenot Road.
Craig Beecroft
At about 2,400 square feet, the Grove Avenue spot, which was formerly home to La Grande Dame, is slightly smaller than Beecroft & Bull’s current location. But owner Craig Beecroft said that after about 20 years on Huguenot, it was time for a change.
“When the space became available, we gave it serious consideration and pulled the trigger,” he said of the Grove Avenue storefront. “We’re looking to expand our customer base and introduce ourselves to different people.”
The move to an area with high foot traffic is an attempt to replicate success the company found when it shook things up with the relocation of its Virginia Beach outpost from the Oceanfront to the Hilltop North Shopping Center.
Craig’s father Moss Beecroft and Charles Bull opened the company’s first store in Newport News in 1958, according to a Virginian-Pilot report. The company is headquartered in that city today, though the store has since closed.
The company previously had stores in Norfolk and Williamsburg as well, according to an online obituary for Moss Beecroft, who died in 2020.
Beecroft & Bull opened its first Richmond store in Shockoe Slip in the 1980s. It moved that outpost to Huguenot Road in 2003.
It also had a Charlottesville location for 25 years, before closing that store in 2021.
Beecroft & Bull sells men’s clothing. (Photo courtesy of Beecroft & Bull)
Beecroft said a combination of factors including the pandemic led to the closure, though he would be open to making a return to the Charlottesville market.
“The pandemic definitely had an effect. Our lease was up and, no offense to Charlottesville, but that town was a lot more closed down than Virginia Beach or Richmond,” he said. “I was sad to see it close but it was going to allow us to focus on our two strongest markets.”
Beecroft plans to renovate the Grove space and has tapped Charlottesville-based Formwork to be the project architect and Conquest, Moncure and Dunn as the general contractor. Formwork designed the now-closed Charlottesville outpost, and Conquest Moncure and Dunn was the contractor on the Huguenot space buildout. He didn’t share a budget for the project.
The shop will be one of several menswear competitors in the Libbie-Grove area, joining Alton Lane and Peter-Blair Accessories.
I think this is great news. I remember talking about creating a space where something like B&B could take advantage of the growing residential population and in such a nice commercial district.