Stella’s Grocery finds its first spot in Chesterfield at Winterfield Crossing

Stella’s Grocery currently has seven locations. (BizSense file photo)

Stella’s Grocery is headed to Chesterfield. 

The popular local chain of neighborhood markets has signed on to open a location at 14310 Winterview Parkway in Blackwood Development Co.’s Winterfield Crossing project. 

Known for its hot and prepared meals, gourmet grocery items and wine and beer selections, Stella’s Grocery is a spinoff of the Giavos family’s Stella’s restaurant on Lafayette Avenue. 

The concept has grown to seven locations throughout the region, most of which are in or near the city limits. The Winterfield Crossing store will be the first in a suburban setting.

Dean Giavos and Blackwood Vice President Marc Greenberg confirmed the deal, with both saying they’ve often heard from folks asking for a Stella’s in that part of town. 

“We always hear the type of tenants that people want us to try to get, and Stella’s was one that was asked for on a pretty regular basis,” Greenberg said. 

“We’ve had a lot of interest from customers to head out that way and this opportunity made the most sense for us,” Giavos added. “We really loved the feel of Winterfield Crossing with the water, the walkability and the overall setting of the development.”

Winterfield Crossing’s development dates to 2012 when Blackwood bought the property. In 2015 it began plotting the 25-acre project. In 2017 the county approved the project, which includes 250 age-restricted apartments and 100,000 square feet of commercial space. It’s anchored by an Aldi grocery store and also houses office users like coworking space Gather. 

Stella’s is leasing a 2,300-square-foot space next to running store Fleet Feet that was previously home to fitness studio CycleBar. Colliers International’s Peter Vick and Harrison Hall represented Blackwood in the deal, and Thalhimer’s Annie O’Connor represented the Giavos family. 

Stella’s future space was previously occupied by CycleBar. (Mike Platania photo)

Giavos said the family hopes to open the Chesterfield Stella’s sometime next year. 

Along with national chains like Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls and Cinnaholic, Winterfield Crossing has also landed plenty of local operators for its food-and-beverage spaces with tenants like Wong’s Tacos, Roots Natural Kitchen, Triple Crossing Beer and Four Seasons. 

Only one commercial space remains available for lease in the development: the 2,000-square-foot space that until last year was occupied by Carytown Bicycle Co. But more leaseable storefronts are on the way as Blackwood is planning an additional 13,500-square-foot retail strip just to the west of the Stella’s space. 

Greenberg said there are no definitive dates on when construction of that will begin but Blackwood is preparing to submit for building permits and put it out to bid. 

“The plan is to build that sooner rather than later,” he said. 

The move to Chesterfield continues a busy year for the Giavos family. They recently struck a deal to bring Stella’s products to the new Commonwealth Café within the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. They’re also opening a new restaurant, Lafayette Tavern, at 1011 Lafayette St., which Giavos said should open this fall. 

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