RVA Bakehouse is slotting into a spot at Libbie Mill Midtown, pictured here. (Photos courtesy Kim Buehler)
Local baker Kim Buehler is taking her talents out of her home kitchen and into the retail scene this fall.
Buehler’s RVA Bakehouse, a business that’s been in operation for around two years, is opening its first commercial storefront.
Buehler has signed a lease on an approximately 2,000-square-foot space at 5001 Libbie Mill East Blvd. in Libbie Mill Midtown.
A Richmond native who grew up in the city’s West End, Buehler discovered her love for baking while at the University of Richmond’s culinary school in 2006.
Though she’s had other jobs over the years, she’s continued to return to the food scene, and previously served as the head baker and owner of the Great Harvest Bread Co. franchise in the Midlothian Station shopping center from 2017 to late 2021 before selling the business.
In 2023, she certified her home kitchen and opened RVA Bakehouse as a full-time gig and with her niece assisting in the business.
Buehler has since sold her sourdough, focaccia and other baked goods at farmers’ markets across the area for the past two years.
Even with six ovens going in her home kitchen, customer demand has led the business to outgrow the space, Buehler said. With a rising number of customers, she decided to take a look at opening an RVA Bakehouse storefront. As she began to look at retail spaces, the Libbie Mill Midtown complex with its neighboring apartments and townhomes was especially appealing to her.
“When we found Libbie Mill we thought it’d be a perfect fit, because it’s such a walkable community with everybody right there. And they don’t have a bakery or anything like that in that area,” Buehler said. “There’s a lot of bakeries downtown, but there’s not when you leave the city limits.”
Harrison Hall and Peter Vick of Colliers International represented Libbie Mill Midtown owner Gumenick Properties in RVA Bakehouse’s lease.
Buehler has already sold her breads, pictured here, at Richmond farmers markets.
The new storefront will serve many of the same offerings Buehler has been selling, with a variety of sourdoughs and foccacia, other specialty breads, pastries, breakfast food, light sandwiches and coffee.
RVA Bakehouse pricing will remain the same as it has been the past two years, with bread loaves starting at $8 and scones, cinnamon rolls, muffins and other pastries starting at around $3.50.
There will be a few sit-down tables inside and outside for customers, Buehler said.
With a new space in tow, Buehler said she plans to hire 10 to 15 employees to assist in baking and front-of-house work for the bakery. Buehler’s niece, who is also a master’s student at VCU, will be staying on with the business.
“It’s great now to just get out of bed and go start baking, but at the same time, it would be a lot easier with staff,” Buehler said.
As she prepares to move RVA Bakehouse to its new spot, Buehler said she’s excited to get her goods out to a larger audience that may not have caught her at local farmers markets. She’s open to suggestions on new menu items when the bakery opens its doors in Libbie Mill Midtown, which should be sometime this fall.
“I love it when customers say, ‘I want this bread.’ I’ll make that for you,” she said. “We are a custom bakery, so I’m totally excited to hear what people want in Richmond.”
With construction on the storefront set to commence in the next couple months, RVA Bakehouse is currently projecting an opening sometime in October. Anticipated hours are daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The business is slotting into one of the last available spots in the Libbie Mill Midtown complex, which houses other businesses like Yellow Umbrella Provisions and a Solidcore pilates workout studio location.
Construction on Libbie Mill Midtown began in 2013. RVA Bakehouse is the first business to go into the space in the community’s Suite 130.
RVA Bakehouse is slotting into a spot at Libbie Mill Midtown, pictured here. (Photos courtesy Kim Buehler)
Local baker Kim Buehler is taking her talents out of her home kitchen and into the retail scene this fall.
Buehler’s RVA Bakehouse, a business that’s been in operation for around two years, is opening its first commercial storefront.
Buehler has signed a lease on an approximately 2,000-square-foot space at 5001 Libbie Mill East Blvd. in Libbie Mill Midtown.
A Richmond native who grew up in the city’s West End, Buehler discovered her love for baking while at the University of Richmond’s culinary school in 2006.
Though she’s had other jobs over the years, she’s continued to return to the food scene, and previously served as the head baker and owner of the Great Harvest Bread Co. franchise in the Midlothian Station shopping center from 2017 to late 2021 before selling the business.
In 2023, she certified her home kitchen and opened RVA Bakehouse as a full-time gig and with her niece assisting in the business.
Buehler has since sold her sourdough, focaccia and other baked goods at farmers’ markets across the area for the past two years.
Even with six ovens going in her home kitchen, customer demand has led the business to outgrow the space, Buehler said. With a rising number of customers, she decided to take a look at opening an RVA Bakehouse storefront. As she began to look at retail spaces, the Libbie Mill Midtown complex with its neighboring apartments and townhomes was especially appealing to her.
“When we found Libbie Mill we thought it’d be a perfect fit, because it’s such a walkable community with everybody right there. And they don’t have a bakery or anything like that in that area,” Buehler said. “There’s a lot of bakeries downtown, but there’s not when you leave the city limits.”
Harrison Hall and Peter Vick of Colliers International represented Libbie Mill Midtown owner Gumenick Properties in RVA Bakehouse’s lease.
Buehler has already sold her breads, pictured here, at Richmond farmers markets.
The new storefront will serve many of the same offerings Buehler has been selling, with a variety of sourdoughs and foccacia, other specialty breads, pastries, breakfast food, light sandwiches and coffee.
RVA Bakehouse pricing will remain the same as it has been the past two years, with bread loaves starting at $8 and scones, cinnamon rolls, muffins and other pastries starting at around $3.50.
There will be a few sit-down tables inside and outside for customers, Buehler said.
With a new space in tow, Buehler said she plans to hire 10 to 15 employees to assist in baking and front-of-house work for the bakery. Buehler’s niece, who is also a master’s student at VCU, will be staying on with the business.
“It’s great now to just get out of bed and go start baking, but at the same time, it would be a lot easier with staff,” Buehler said.
As she prepares to move RVA Bakehouse to its new spot, Buehler said she’s excited to get her goods out to a larger audience that may not have caught her at local farmers markets. She’s open to suggestions on new menu items when the bakery opens its doors in Libbie Mill Midtown, which should be sometime this fall.
“I love it when customers say, ‘I want this bread.’ I’ll make that for you,” she said. “We are a custom bakery, so I’m totally excited to hear what people want in Richmond.”
With construction on the storefront set to commence in the next couple months, RVA Bakehouse is currently projecting an opening sometime in October. Anticipated hours are daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The business is slotting into one of the last available spots in the Libbie Mill Midtown complex, which houses other businesses like Yellow Umbrella Provisions and a Solidcore pilates workout studio location.
Construction on Libbie Mill Midtown began in 2013. RVA Bakehouse is the first business to go into the space in the community’s Suite 130.
Last commercial spots EXCEPT that giant retail former grocery store turned office space building just behind them. Not sure where Lumber Liquidators/LL is in bankruptcy with that space but I know it is clearly NOT in use. I hope Waverton does not convert it to a self storage facility.