It’s not all bad news for the Hampton Roads business world.
Even though the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll, a local movie theater chain in Chesapeake is expanding, a unique custom clothing store is opening in Norfolk and several other retailers in the region are stepping up to the plate.
Entrepreneur Mike Kindle is opening what could be considered three businesses in one. He’s completing the build-out of the new Bonaire in what used to be a Subway restaurant on Granby Street in downtown Norfolk.
The main attraction will be a custom clothing experience in which 3D technology is used to scan customers and determine their body dimensions so that new clothing can be designed and tailored precisely for them.
“You can make selections on your style and customize it however you want as far as colors, fabrics, patterns, the style of collars and sleeves and buttons,” Kindle said.
Once a piece is designed, it will be shipped to the customer in three to four weeks.
The other side of Kindle’s business is a little more conventional; Bonaire will have an espresso bar and coffee counter.
Customers can order a latte even if they don’t order a bespoke suit. But Kindle hopes the coffee shop will attract patrons to the clothing side of the business.
Finally, he plans to open a custom blue jeans sewing operation, in which jeans can be designed and made on the premises. He plans to add that once the store has been open for a few months.
The idea for his business dates back about a decade, when he was leading engineers and designers creating Ohio-class nuclear submarines. The team used 3D modeling to map out the design of the submarine in real time. Kindle said he realized the technology also could be used to design clothing.
“The idea was you would get rid of the (store) inventory and it would all be customized,” he said.
The pandemic delayed Bonaire’s opening for a few months but work is progressing, and Kindle said he hopes to have the coffee shop open in February and the custom clothing operation running a few weeks later. He plans to open the jeans-making operation this summer.
Movie chain expands
Way down the James River just south of Richmond, a Hampton Roads company has planted its flag.
Cinema Café — the dinner-and-a-movie theater chain with locations in Chesapeake, Hampton and Virginia Beach — opened its Chester location on Dec. 18. The 45,000-square-foot theater includes nine screens with reclining lounge chairs, dining tables and a full-service restaurant menu.
The Chester location is the first Cinema Café with an ImmersiveX screen — the chain’s take on a big-picture and surround-sound experience. Though she declined to mention comparisons to Imax, Cinema Café Marketing Director Caitlin Walker said the theater featured a 75-foot-wide screen and a Dolby Atmos sound system.
The Chesapeake-based company broke ground on the new theater in 2019, Walker said. Company leaders wanted to open in early 2020, but the pandemic delayed those plans.
As part of coronavirus restrictions imposed by Gov. Ralph Northam, Walker said the theaters are operating with limited capacity, social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing when patrons are not eating or drinking.
Investment continues
Other retailers have recently expanded or opened during the pandemic, including:
* A new pet store called Pawsnickety Pets just opened in Ghent near the Fresh Market on 21st Street. The store offers natural food, treats, collars, dog beds, leashes and more.
* Edgewood Outfitters, a local lifestyle clothing store featuring outerwear, jeans, hoodies and more, opened in November in Williamsburg Premium Outlets.
* Hemp Haven, a CBD store, was opened by Chesapeake nurse Denise Foster in August on Kempsville Road.
* The Lilac Lane DIY craft studio and consignment shop moved into a bigger 1,600-square-foot space in York County in September.
* Pixelated Boutique, a new Virginia Beach clothing store with beach-inspired looks, opened in the ViBe Creative District in December.
Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@insidebiz.com
