Local tortilla chip maker Capital Chips has relocated to a larger space on Brook Road in Henrico County, where it has opened a retail market. (Photos courtesy of Capital Chips)
It took a couple years, but a local tortilla chip maker has finally scooped up a bigger space where it has also opened a retail store.
Capital Chips’ owner Jennifer Davidson recently opened Capital Chips Fine Foods and Gifts at 5956 Brook Road in Lakeside.
While the company’s expansion into retail has taken top billing at the storefront, the 2,500-square-foot space is primarily devoted to the production of its tortilla chips, which will naturally be for sale in the market.
“You can’t get them any fresher than the ones we’re putting out in this store,” Davidson said.
In addition to bags of Capital Chips, the market offers Billy Pie frozen pizzas, Ashland Meat Co. products, cheeses, salsas and snacks, as well as gift items like soaps and candles.
Capital Chips Fine Foods and Gifts at 5956 Brook Road. (Photo courtesy of Capital Chips)
Davidson spent almost two years looking for a larger space to relocate her nearly six-year-old company from a space at Independence Golf Course in Powhatan.
She was in search of a commercial kitchen with a hood to provide enough ventilation for the large fryers used to make tortilla chips. But she said her needs proved to be a hard sell to landlords.
“When you’re looking for a new space and you find a commercial hood, in 100 percent of the cases it’s a location that used to be a restaurant,” Davidson said. “Every place I looked at was either too big, too expensive or I wasn’t given the opportunity to look at it because I said I wasn’t going to put in a restaurant.”
Davidson was able to seal the deal on her new space by agreeing to open a retail concept in addition to the production area.
She estimated the space is split about 70-30 between production and retail space.
“I’m a small business, but not so small that I’m in a home-based situation. But I’m not ready for the big industrial parks,” she said. “I’m in between and there are scant opportunities for businesses like mine and I think that’s why it took so long.”
Jennifer Davidson
Davidson is planning to hold a grand opening for the store in late June to coincide with the company’s sixth anniversary. The store began operating in a soft-opening phase earlier this year.
The space was previously occupied by The Lily Pad, a soul food restaurant not to be confused with the riverfront eatery of the same name at Kingsland Marina in Varina.
On the chip front, Davidson said the company is planning to introduce two new chip flavors next month: lime and southwest style. The new flavors mark the first time the company has expanded beyond the original sea salt it has offered since it launched. In doing so, Davidson hopes to capture the attention of new customers.
“I’ve had success with just the standard sea salt and haven’t felt like I had to do anything different, but I definitely feel like it’s time to add something,” she said.
A former schoolteacher, Davidson started Capital Chips out of her home in Chesterfield County. She moved into Independence Golf Club in late 2019, where her company operated in a 700-square-foot space on the course’s north campus.
The company’s tortilla chips can be found at more than 130 businesses, including local stores like Libbie Market and Stella’s, as well as breweries like Hardywood and Starr Hill, per its website.
Local tortilla chip maker Capital Chips has relocated to a larger space on Brook Road in Henrico County, where it has opened a retail market. (Photos courtesy of Capital Chips)
It took a couple years, but a local tortilla chip maker has finally scooped up a bigger space where it has also opened a retail store.
Capital Chips’ owner Jennifer Davidson recently opened Capital Chips Fine Foods and Gifts at 5956 Brook Road in Lakeside.
While the company’s expansion into retail has taken top billing at the storefront, the 2,500-square-foot space is primarily devoted to the production of its tortilla chips, which will naturally be for sale in the market.
“You can’t get them any fresher than the ones we’re putting out in this store,” Davidson said.
In addition to bags of Capital Chips, the market offers Billy Pie frozen pizzas, Ashland Meat Co. products, cheeses, salsas and snacks, as well as gift items like soaps and candles.
Capital Chips Fine Foods and Gifts at 5956 Brook Road. (Photo courtesy of Capital Chips)
Davidson spent almost two years looking for a larger space to relocate her nearly six-year-old company from a space at Independence Golf Course in Powhatan.
She was in search of a commercial kitchen with a hood to provide enough ventilation for the large fryers used to make tortilla chips. But she said her needs proved to be a hard sell to landlords.
“When you’re looking for a new space and you find a commercial hood, in 100 percent of the cases it’s a location that used to be a restaurant,” Davidson said. “Every place I looked at was either too big, too expensive or I wasn’t given the opportunity to look at it because I said I wasn’t going to put in a restaurant.”
Davidson was able to seal the deal on her new space by agreeing to open a retail concept in addition to the production area.
She estimated the space is split about 70-30 between production and retail space.
“I’m a small business, but not so small that I’m in a home-based situation. But I’m not ready for the big industrial parks,” she said. “I’m in between and there are scant opportunities for businesses like mine and I think that’s why it took so long.”
Jennifer Davidson
Davidson is planning to hold a grand opening for the store in late June to coincide with the company’s sixth anniversary. The store began operating in a soft-opening phase earlier this year.
The space was previously occupied by The Lily Pad, a soul food restaurant not to be confused with the riverfront eatery of the same name at Kingsland Marina in Varina.
On the chip front, Davidson said the company is planning to introduce two new chip flavors next month: lime and southwest style. The new flavors mark the first time the company has expanded beyond the original sea salt it has offered since it launched. In doing so, Davidson hopes to capture the attention of new customers.
“I’ve had success with just the standard sea salt and haven’t felt like I had to do anything different, but I definitely feel like it’s time to add something,” she said.
A former schoolteacher, Davidson started Capital Chips out of her home in Chesterfield County. She moved into Independence Golf Club in late 2019, where her company operated in a 700-square-foot space on the course’s north campus.
The company’s tortilla chips can be found at more than 130 businesses, including local stores like Libbie Market and Stella’s, as well as breweries like Hardywood and Starr Hill, per its website.
Great tasting chips, good luck Jennifer.
Thank you so much John! I appreciate your business and support very much.
Long time fan of Capital Chips! We stopped by a few weeks ago when she posted on her Instagram account they were opened for a few hours on a Saturday. Very cute little spot – got lots of goodies in addition to the chips!
Thank you Lauren for your business and support! We’re open this Saturday from 11-4 again. 5/20/23 Aiming for at least one Saturday/month, so thanks for the social media follow to stay in the loop. @CapitalChips