Business in brief: Aug. 17, 2026
The Henrico Economic Development Authority has partnered with the Metropolitan Business League to help local entrepreneurs gain access to loans through the nonprofit crowdfunding platform Kiva. As part of the partnership, the EDA has become an official Kiva Trustee, allowing it to help Henrico entrepreneurs navigate the Kiva loan application process and endorse qualifying borrowers. Kiva offers fee-free loans ranging from $1,000 to $15,000, with repayment terms of 12 to 36 months. Unlike traditional bank financing, the program uses community-backed crowdfunding campaigns rather than relying solely on conventional underwriting requirements or collateral. As a trustee, the Henrico EDA will not provide or guarantee the loans. Instead, EDA officials will help entrepreneurs prepare their campaigns and can provide an official endorsement of qualifying businesses on the Kiva platform. Click here to read more.
New Italian restaurant Civita Italia opened earlier this month in the GreenGate shopping center in Short Pump, Axios Richmond recently reported. The menu includes hand-crafted pastas like lasagna, bolognese and carbonara, as well as eggplant and chicken parm, lobster risotto, a pork chop and prime steak cuts. Civita Italia is the latest offering by EAT Restaurant Partners.
The area’s first Pvolve, a gym chain offering low-impact workouts, is planning to open in Short Pump’s Colonnades West Shopping Center next month, Richmond BizSense recently reported. The franchise will be owned by Vikas Kapila who, along with his wife, are behind the Creative World School franchise in Twin Hickory that is set to open next year. The 1,800-square-foot space will have two studios. A team of three “wellness advisors” are helping Kapila to create the curriculum and five trainers have been hired. Founding memberships are expected to be $139 to $179 per month.
Triple M Associates, LP recently purchased a 85,820-square-foot industrial building at 10780 Old Washington Highway in Glen Allen (adjacent to The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen) from OPS Sales Company for $5.25 million with plans to occupy the property. Danny Holly of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handled the sale negotiations on behalf of the seller.
Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer recently announced the following commercial lease transactions in Henrico County: Virginia Baptist Homes, Inc. – leased 12,295 SF of office space at North Shore Commons II, 4991 Lake Brook Road (Kristie Inge represented the landlord); Lumos Networks 2, LLC – renewed its lease of 4,168 SF of office space at Colonnade Building, 4050 Innslake Drive (Kristie Inge represented the landlord); X T Biomed Virginia, Inc. – renewed its lease of 2,731 SF of industrial space at Northgate Center, 8002-8030 Staples Mill Road (Gregg Beck represented the landlord); The UPS Store – leased 1,600 SF of retail space at 10286 Staples Mill Road (Richard L. Thalhimer represented the tenant); and Orange Repair LLC – leased 1,351 SF of retail space at 2711 Enterprise Parkway (James Ashby IV represented the landlord).
Commonwealth Commercial Partners, LLC recently announced the following commercial lease transactions in Henrico County: Federated Mutual Insurance Company – renewed its lease of 1,072 SF at 3957 Westerre Parkway, Suite 206 (Eric Hammond, Eliza Izard and Russell Wyatt represented the landlord); and Sugar Paint Nail Spa – renewed its lease of 1,100 SF at 8921 Three Chopt Road (Sam Edwards and Eric Hammond represented the landlord).
