The vacant building sits at the corner of Roseneath Road and Patterson Avenue. (Mike Platania photo)
A space that had once been eyed as the first Richmond location of a national coffee shop chain is now being planned as a spinoff of a longtime West End pizzeria.
Superstars Pizza and its owner Taylor Antonelli are looking to take over a former dry cleaners building at 3401 Patterson Ave. and convert it into a both a hub for Superstars’s catering operation as well as a public-facing concept.
Antonelli said he hasn’t finalized all the details on what the public-facing concept would be. City planning documents show it would be called Antonelli’s Deli and is described as a “neighborhood pizzeria/delicatessen.”
The 1,000-square-foot Museum District building had previously been planned as a location of PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans. PJ’s went as far as getting city approval for the project in 2021, but work never got underway and the chain eventually punted on those plans.
Superstars first opened a few miles west at 5700 Patterson Ave. in 1994 and in 2020 Antonelli converted a 1951 Ford truck into FiftyOne Mobile Kitchen, a pizza truck that’s used exclusively for catering and private events.
The 1951 Ford truck that Antonelli converted in 2020. (Courtesy Superstars Pizza)
Antonelli Superstars’ current space is to support the catering business, but that it’s been growing at a such a rate that they need more room. That led him to 3401 Patterson Ave., a space he said he’d been interested in for years.
The existing parking area at 3401 Patterson Ave. would be converted into an outdoor patio and a food truck loading area. Antonelli said the space wouldn’t be used as a food truck court, with other operators setting up shop, though they are considering doing events there with the FiftyOne truck.
The original Superstars Pizza at 5700 Patterson Ave., now in its 31st year in business, would remain operational.
Antonelli is looking to amend PJ’s previously-approved special-use permit to green-light the project. The proposal is scheduled to be heard by the city Planning Commission at its Jan. 7 meeting, where it’s on the commission’s consent agenda.
The Planning Commission is also set to make a recommendation on the proposed redevelopment of the Westhampton Pastry Shop building into a four-story retail and office building.
Superstars Pizza is just so darn good. We regularly drive there from Chesterfield to get their amazing pizza-by-the-slice. The Bird of Bangkok and Pesto Panache are always on our short list of gourmet slices. I wish them all the best in their new endeavor!
On the face of it, as a neighbor, I like it. I’m sure the MDA will want to review hours of operation and other neighborhood concerns but retail operations should co-exist with residences in urban areas. It’s good news that this is a seasoned operator, not a start up.
it is directly across from a school, and this spot used to be a busy dry cleaners, so i don’t see this new small business being an affront to the neighborhood. I am excited about it.
This would be great to see, it’s sad to see that building boarded up
Congrats to Taylor and the Superstars/FiftyOne Truck team. They know exactly how to run this type of business and it will be a perfect fit for that space. Taylor grew up a few blocks from there and neighbors should have no concerns; he will be an exceptional steward of that property and a conscientious neighbor. This is a win for everyone. Can’t wait to enjoy a sandwich or slice in the adjacent park.
Dang! I was hoping for another vape shop
Very appropriate use for this building that should benefit the neighborhood nicely.
Looking at this corner today makes it hard to believe back when I was a student at Albert H. Hill Jr. H.S.(across the street) this space was a full service gas station and mini convenience store. The kids from school used to pack this place to buy candy/gum, chips and soda. The drink machine out front was open 24hrs.