Fosters New Community Growth
Photos courtesy of Commonwealth PR
The addition of multiple new stores in Lynchburg’s River Ridge shopping center is bringing new life, more patrons, and a vibrant atmosphere to the property. With national stores like HomeGoods, ULTA, and Duck Donuts, and locally based companies like The Golden Honey joining the community, River Ridge is becoming a one-stop destination in town for socialization, shopping, and community events.
River Ridge saw a 10 percent increase in visits when ULTA opened last July compared to July of the previous year according to River Ridge’s marketing manager, LJ Nadal.
“Overall, for 2023, visits have been up 13 percent since January and we hope the addition of these retailers will continue to encourage other businesses to come join the River Ridge family, whether they’re a national, regional, or local brand,” Nadal said.
Over the past year, many changes have come to the property, bringing new options for guests. The community has access to one-stop outings that allow for a quick run out to pick up everything they need all in one location or an entire day of fun with friends and family. With a modernized food court, an abundance of seating and socialization options, and a space designed for people to make connections, River Ridge is quickly becoming a destination people opt to visit because of its accessibility and variety.
The community environment is what drew The Golden Honey to River Ridge. They recently opened their doors to patrons this past September, catering to men’s and women’s clothing, and home and gift items that bring unique style for the entire family.
“River Ridge has become the hub in the Lynchburg community for all things, from entertainment to food, to small business,” said Mehgan Pinigis, owner of The Golden Honey. “It feels more like a town center, which is why we were so drawn to when deciding to open at River Ridge!”
As the River Ridge property continues to grow, the internal culture shift has been noticed by many, including employees, store owners, and property managers. River Ridge continues to be community-focused and now provides guests access to a variety of retailers, both quick service and sit-down dining, entertainment, and even events like I Pink I Can and Liberty University’s Auto Show.
“The culture of River Ridge has become more diverse and lively with the influx of new retailers, and it truly offers something for everyone,” said Shannon Jeirles, the General Manager of SeaQuest Lynchburg, when discussing the shifting culture of the shopping center. “The new additions to the mall have definitely increased SeaQuest’s foot traffic, as well as giving our members more options when they come to visit.”
The inclusion of more choices within River Ridge has given patrons more reasons to visit, and also motivation to stay on the property longer. River Ridge is rapidly becoming more than just a shopping center, transforming into a lifestyle destination.
The difference in River Ridge is evident to locals, including Cindy Capps, the Community Liaison for SeaQuest Lynchburg. “As a lifelong Lynchburg resident who was here when River Ridge originally opened in the early ’80s, it is very exciting to see the mall coming back to life” she said. “Our visiting groups often comment on how beautiful the mall is and that they appreciate the broad variety they find here.
It is wonderful to see patrons of all ages and a diverse clientele enjoying all that River Ridge has to offer.”
Not only is the revitalization of the shopping center bringing in more patrons to existing stores, but it’s also allowing even more networking opportunities for the current tenants to cooperate in growth, marketing, and cross-promotional opportunities. By fostering the community mindset of the entire property, this has opened new possibilities to owners, employees, and patrons alike.
The ability to cross-market and promote internally in the shopping center has allowed many businesses to work together on events and programs, giving the community new opportunities to gather and get involved in activities that are meaningful to them.
Capps gave the example that SeaQuest is “partnering with other mall tenants, such as Rookies, Chick-fil-A, Regal, and Mission House Coffee on cross-promotions. We partner with these businesses in our educational programming like field trips, as well as holiday promotions like Coffee & Critters and Cookies & Critters.” She continued to say that a number of patrons visiting newer additions to the property also visit SeaQuest while there, bringing in visitors that might not have otherwise made the trip for the day.
When asked about her experience interacting with her new patrons in The Golden Honey, Pinigis stated that her encounters have been very welcoming and allow her to hear how much the community appreciates the new additions to River Ridge and Lynchburg as a whole. Guests of River Ridge are not shy in expressing their appreciation for the added variety of locations and events to the area.
Shopping has been a long-standing pastime in the Lynchburg community. River Ridge’s steps to modernize that tradition—and the entire property—is giving the neighborhood access to an engaging community and making it effortless to socialize. The transformation over the past year has been revolutionary to the property, continuing to entice more tenants to join the community. The recent additions to River Ridge have increased patronage of the stores, brought in new events, and helped to enhance the atmosphere of the shopping center.
As the property continues to grow and expand, we’re likely to find even more options for growth.
