A sign on the door of a Short Pump Menchie’s says the shop closed last week. Photos by Burl Rolett.
A frozen yogurt operator has shut down two of its area stores.
The Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt franchises in Short Pump and Mechanicsville closed this month.
The Short Pump store was at 11761 W. Broad St. in the Shoppes at Westgate. The Mechanicsville store operated at 9369 Atlee Road in Rutland Commons.
A sign on the door at the Westgate location said the business closed on Aug. 18.
“Thank you for the support the past two years,” the sign read.
The Mechanicsville location closed Aug. 7.
Both franchises were owned by Jay Ashcraft, who could not be reached for comment. A message left for Menchie’s corporate was not returned by press time.
The closings leave just one Menchie’s in the Richmond market on Laburnum Avenue in White Oak Village.
The Shoppes at Westgate is owned by Thalhimer Realty Partners. Jim Ashby, a vice president at Thalhimer, said the Westgate Menchie’s had been open since 2012. The space is about 1,300 square feet.
“I’m actively trying to find a replacement tenant,” Ashby said.
Rutland Commons is owned by local developer Rebkee Co. Pam Strieffler of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handles leasing for the shopping center. She said no tenant has been lined up yet for that Menchie’s space.
Menchie’s is one of the nation’s largest frozen yogurt chains. It was founded in 2007 and began franchising in 2008, according to the company’s website.
Menchie’s competes nationally with Richmond-based fro-yo giant Sweet Frog. Both brands have more than 300 stores worldwide. There are 16 Sweet Frog locations in Richmond.
A sign on the door of a Short Pump Menchie’s says the shop closed last week. Photos by Burl Rolett.
A frozen yogurt operator has shut down two of its area stores.
The Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt franchises in Short Pump and Mechanicsville closed this month.
The Short Pump store was at 11761 W. Broad St. in the Shoppes at Westgate. The Mechanicsville store operated at 9369 Atlee Road in Rutland Commons.
A sign on the door at the Westgate location said the business closed on Aug. 18.
“Thank you for the support the past two years,” the sign read.
The Mechanicsville location closed Aug. 7.
Both franchises were owned by Jay Ashcraft, who could not be reached for comment. A message left for Menchie’s corporate was not returned by press time.
The closings leave just one Menchie’s in the Richmond market on Laburnum Avenue in White Oak Village.
The Shoppes at Westgate is owned by Thalhimer Realty Partners. Jim Ashby, a vice president at Thalhimer, said the Westgate Menchie’s had been open since 2012. The space is about 1,300 square feet.
“I’m actively trying to find a replacement tenant,” Ashby said.
Rutland Commons is owned by local developer Rebkee Co. Pam Strieffler of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handles leasing for the shopping center. She said no tenant has been lined up yet for that Menchie’s space.
Menchie’s is one of the nation’s largest frozen yogurt chains. It was founded in 2007 and began franchising in 2008, according to the company’s website.
Menchie’s competes nationally with Richmond-based fro-yo giant Sweet Frog. Both brands have more than 300 stores worldwide. There are 16 Sweet Frog locations in Richmond.
Never like to see a local business owner have to shut down, but anytime a local market becomes oversaturated, this is inevitably what happens. A few years from now, we likely will be reading similar tales about one or more of the new donut concepts popping up around town. We witnessed the same phenomenon in Short Pump about 10 years ago with meal prep concepts that appeared and disappeared within a few years (remember My Girlfriend’s Kitchen, Super Suppers, and others?)
This was my yogurt shop. Every time I walk in I said it won’t be long. While I feel horrible for the owners who I am sure are burdened with lease obligations and perhaps secured debt. When they say location, location, location, it’s so true. The location of this shop was not good. Corner at the dead-end of the center (Short-Pump) with neighboring stores which are specialty shops which limits foot traffic.Short Pump is a tough retail climate and your location and offerings with regards to competitor business types must be one that trumps the other- Respectfully.