How River Ridge Is Growing into a Place to Shop, Play, Gather, and Connect
By: Brittney Kay Neal | Photos courtesy: Property One Photography
River Ridge has been a staple of the Lynchburg community since it first opened in September 1980. For decades, it has served as a reliable regional hub to shop, build family traditions, and make lasting memories. Today, however, the retail landscape is shifting, and the property’s leadership team is executing a forward-thinking vision to expand the space beyond the typical outlet mall. Their goal is to transition the property into a modern, experiential town square where shoppers can enjoy hands-on experiences, connect with the community, and explore a variety of quality restaurants and retailers.
August 15 saw the grand opening of The Park—a new, open-air venue meant to hold pop-up markets, community events, and a variety of entertainment options. The launch featured an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, lawn games, and special activities and crafts for children. Looking back on the impressive turnout, Stephanie Morgenegg, River Ridge’s event and marketing manager, shared how special it was to witness the space come to life.
“So much planning went into this, and getting to look out and see the community gathered in the space was really special,” she said.
Morgenegg recounted seeing children light up upon interacting with Hill City Aqua Zoo’s tortoise and giggle as they ran around with their crafts and played. She and Melissa Faria, River Ridge’s general manager, both noted what a singular moment it was to be part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony and witness people enjoying the space for the first time.
The opening of The Park marks a major milestone in a larger redevelopment project that first began in 2019. An outdoor space was always part of the master plan, and seeing it come to fruition signifies steady progress toward the overall vision. When asked about the inspiration behind The Park and how it fits into River Ridge’s greater redevelopment vision, Faria responded, “It’s a space for the community. Whether someone’s here to shop, grab lunch outside on a beautiful day, or spend time with family and friends at one of our events, we want River Ridge to be the place people think of first when they’re looking for something to do in Lynchburg.” The venue serves as an extension of other experience-oriented remodels across the property, including the Hill City Aqua Zoo and the indoor children’s play area.
When asked what sort of events we could expect to see at the park, Morgenegg emphasized the desire to use the space year-round. There are plans for a fall festival in the works, as well as a special Christmas market and various unique community events. Live performances, children’s entertainment, and dynamic pop-up vendors are all central parts of the vision for the future. Both women emphasized their desire to work closely with both retailers and the community to utilize the space for something really special.
Alongside the debut of The Park, three new restaurants are also set to expand the property’s culinary options in mid-September: Andy’s Burgers, Cristiano’s Pizza, and Colca’s Express. Colca’s Chicken opened its doors in 2024 and has been serving classic Peruvian dishes with warm service ever since. They are excited to expand, and River Ridge is equally thrilled to have these hardworking Lynchburg entrepreneurs on board.
The property has seen several other significant changes since the revitalization effort first began. Papa Gallo opened in 2022, offering high-quality Mexican cuisine in a beautiful atmosphere. Palmetto Moon opened its first Virginia location here, offering Southern living accessories, while the boutique Philanthropy became Seven & James in 2025—giving a creative stylistic nod to Lynchburg’s historic seven hills and the James River. Many other changes and developments have occurred throughout the property, all with the exact same goal in mind: providing something fresh and engaging to the modern customer.
In today’s digital world, almost everything is available for purchase from the comfort of your own home. Online shopping brings unique, ongoing challenges to physical storefronts as our world continues to progress and change. River Ridge recognized early on that in order to intrigue and retain today’s customer, they needed to provide something else entirely. They needed to give the customer a unique, memorable experience.
River Ridge is truly more than a mall; it is a place where people can gather over a shared meal, take their children to play at Bounce LYH, exercise at Planet Fitness, and visit unique local boutiques where they are treated with warmth and attention. Families can form traditions here, such as taking their children to trick-or-treat at the annual Boo Bash, admiring the holiday decorations and taking photos with Santa, and participating in the annual I Pink I Can event (held in partnership with the Centra Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center) to raise money for breast cancer awareness.
It is a comprehensive, one-stop location for people to shop, dine, and experience. No matter what your personal interests are, there is something for you at River Ridge—and the numbers show it. Since renovations began, there has been a 35 percent increase in visits to the location and nearly a
30 percent increase in overall sales.
Looking to the future, Morgenegg and Faria both have high hopes and excitement. “We’re committed to this community, and this is a long-term investment,” Faria said. “The Park is a milestone, not a finish line.” While we cannot be completely sure what the retail landscape holds for River Ridge, we can confidently expect them to keep growing, evolving, and offering opportunities to both local entrepreneurs and community members alike.
