A rendering of the Kline’s Dairy Bar shop planned to be built at Cosby Village Square in Chesterfield. (courtesy Kline’s Dairy Bar)
A Virginia ice cream company founded in the 1940s has sealed the deal on the site of its first Richmond-area shop.
An entity tied to Kline’s Dairy Bar, which has locations in the Shenandoah Valley and Lynchburg, recently bought an outparcel at Cosby Village Square, where it plans to open a new-construction store next summer.
Kim Arehart, who will co-own the new store with Kathleen Peterson, said they expect to break ground soon on the 1,800-square-foot building with a drive-thru and covered patio.
Arehart said in an interview Wednesday that in addition to Kline’s custard-style ice cream, the upcoming Chesterfield County location would offer Italian ice as well as a limited food menu of barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs.
The first Kline’s was opened by John Kline in downtown Harrisonburg in 1943. The Arehart family bought the company from the Klines in 1979, and most of the brand’s six stores are owned by either Kim Arehart or her brother.
Laura Harrell and her husband, Stephen. Harrell will be the general manager of the upcoming Kline’s Dairy Bar location in Chesterfield. (courtesy Kline’s Dairy Bar)
Arehart and Peterson also co-own the Kline’s in Lynchburg. Arehart is sole owner of the Kline’s in Waynesboro, while Peterson is the sole owner of the Staunton location. Arehart’s brother owns the remaining locations in Harrisonburg and McGaheysville.
Arehart said the Chesterfield shop plans to incorporate the best elements the brand has introduced over the years at existing locations, such as drive-thrus that are present at a couple locations and the food menu inspired by offerings at the Staunton spot.
“Over the decades my family has owned it, each time we open a new store we do something a little different,” Arehart said. “The Richmond store will be all the best aspects of each store.”
Kline’s has tapped Titan Construction to serve as the contractor on the project.
The local shop’s general manager will be Laura Harrell, who is Peterson’s daughter.
The 0.8-acre property at 15589 Cosby Road changed hands for $825,000 in a deal recorded with the county in mid-November, according to county land records.
The seller was an LLC tied to Main Street Homes, which is developing Cosby Village Square.
David Crawford of Thalhimer represented Kline’s in sale negotiations. Connie Jordan Nielsen and Alicia Brown, both also of Thalhimer, handled the deal on the seller’s side.
A site plan of Cosby Village Square. Other businesses expected to open at the center include Starbucks and Panera. (Courtesy Thalhimer)
Kline’s secures its spot at Cosby Village Square as construction is underway on the commercial development between Hull Street and Cosby roads, which is planned to be home to 122,500 square feet of retail, dining, office and medical office space across 14 buildings.
It’s part of the larger Cosby Village development, which spans 68 acres and is zoned for up to 775 multifamily residential units.
Businesses are expected to start to open at the new commercial section in the first quarter of 2024, according to a Thalhimer news release that announced the sale of the Kline’s site.
Other businesses slated to open at the center include Starbucks, Heartland Dental, Pet Paradise, Chipotle, Mezeh and Panera Bread, according to a leasing flyer.
The flyer also listed a restaurant, a nail spa and a vitamin store as expected to open at the center, although the flyer didn’t identify the companies by name.
A rendering of the Kline’s Dairy Bar shop planned to be built at Cosby Village Square in Chesterfield. (courtesy Kline’s Dairy Bar)
A Virginia ice cream company founded in the 1940s has sealed the deal on the site of its first Richmond-area shop.
An entity tied to Kline’s Dairy Bar, which has locations in the Shenandoah Valley and Lynchburg, recently bought an outparcel at Cosby Village Square, where it plans to open a new-construction store next summer.
Kim Arehart, who will co-own the new store with Kathleen Peterson, said they expect to break ground soon on the 1,800-square-foot building with a drive-thru and covered patio.
Arehart said in an interview Wednesday that in addition to Kline’s custard-style ice cream, the upcoming Chesterfield County location would offer Italian ice as well as a limited food menu of barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs.
The first Kline’s was opened by John Kline in downtown Harrisonburg in 1943. The Arehart family bought the company from the Klines in 1979, and most of the brand’s six stores are owned by either Kim Arehart or her brother.
Laura Harrell and her husband, Stephen. Harrell will be the general manager of the upcoming Kline’s Dairy Bar location in Chesterfield. (courtesy Kline’s Dairy Bar)
Arehart and Peterson also co-own the Kline’s in Lynchburg. Arehart is sole owner of the Kline’s in Waynesboro, while Peterson is the sole owner of the Staunton location. Arehart’s brother owns the remaining locations in Harrisonburg and McGaheysville.
Arehart said the Chesterfield shop plans to incorporate the best elements the brand has introduced over the years at existing locations, such as drive-thrus that are present at a couple locations and the food menu inspired by offerings at the Staunton spot.
“Over the decades my family has owned it, each time we open a new store we do something a little different,” Arehart said. “The Richmond store will be all the best aspects of each store.”
Kline’s has tapped Titan Construction to serve as the contractor on the project.
The local shop’s general manager will be Laura Harrell, who is Peterson’s daughter.
The 0.8-acre property at 15589 Cosby Road changed hands for $825,000 in a deal recorded with the county in mid-November, according to county land records.
The seller was an LLC tied to Main Street Homes, which is developing Cosby Village Square.
David Crawford of Thalhimer represented Kline’s in sale negotiations. Connie Jordan Nielsen and Alicia Brown, both also of Thalhimer, handled the deal on the seller’s side.
A site plan of Cosby Village Square. Other businesses expected to open at the center include Starbucks and Panera. (Courtesy Thalhimer)
Kline’s secures its spot at Cosby Village Square as construction is underway on the commercial development between Hull Street and Cosby roads, which is planned to be home to 122,500 square feet of retail, dining, office and medical office space across 14 buildings.
It’s part of the larger Cosby Village development, which spans 68 acres and is zoned for up to 775 multifamily residential units.
Businesses are expected to start to open at the new commercial section in the first quarter of 2024, according to a Thalhimer news release that announced the sale of the Kline’s site.
Other businesses slated to open at the center include Starbucks, Heartland Dental, Pet Paradise, Chipotle, Mezeh and Panera Bread, according to a leasing flyer.
The flyer also listed a restaurant, a nail spa and a vitamin store as expected to open at the center, although the flyer didn’t identify the companies by name.
I enjoy Kline’s when in the Valley. I look forward to enjoying it at the RVA location. The Harrell’s have done a good job expanding the business. They are nice people too. Kudos!
I’m a big fan of Kline’s but I don’t think it’s fair to call a location an hour’s drive from downtown an RVA location.
30 minutes per Google Maps from MCV to the new Kline’s fwiw. “RVA” or not, Western Chesterfield welcomes a new, non-national chain option (while still showing love to Jimer’s a little further down the road).
I live 60 seconds from the location. I can tell you it doesn’t take me an hour to get to the city, even during rush hour. We are a suburb of Richmond.
Stoked to have a smaller business coming this way. I can’t understand why we need another Starbucks when we have one two miles up the road at Hancock Village, or a Panera when we have one four or so miles up the road at the 288 interchange, but at least we’re getting a cool ice cream shop.
When it comes to ice cream shops, we tend to go from NIMBYs to PIMBYs
There can never be too many ice cream shops 😉 Now, if we could just get a dispensary with rec next door Kline’s wouldn’t be able to keep anything in stock.
Sounds like a great addition!
I don’t understand how there isn’t a similar independent ice cream/dessert place in Midlothian Village. Sycamore Square or the former Wendy’s would seem like great locations.
Didn’t all the Friendly’s Ice Creams go under? The only successful Ice cream places I can think of all skip the indoor seating.