Updates on the empty store fronts in Eagle Village

By NATHANIEL DEVINE

Staff Writer

In recent months, two storefront properties located in Eagle Village have closed their doors. One used to house  Mexican restaurant, Pancho Villa and the other used to be a Blackstone Coffee café. Today, the two properties are being leased by Cushman and Wakefield Thalhimer Commercial Real Estate.

When contacted about the properties, Cushman and Wakefield Thalhimer Commercial Real Estate Senior Vice President Virgil G. Nelson was able to be reached for a response.

“We fully expect both of these spaces to be leased soon,” said Nelson. “The names of prospective tenants are obviously confidential, but we have several serious deals currently in the works. We are not in a hurry as we want to be sure we sign the right tenants for this space.”

Centered at a far edge of the shopping center, both properties are in advantageous locations in Eagle Village,close to the University of Mary Washington to receive student fair, and also extremely accessible to the locals in Fredericksburg.

“Lease rates depend upon the size, location, and the type of space. Each deal is negotiated separately and is always based on the market rates prevailing at any given time.” explained  Nelson.

The properties have been vacant since the end of summer, with the Blackstone cafe closing its doors sometime last June and the Mexican Pancho Villa following shortly after, closing in late August or September.

According to the employees at the Blackstone Coffee located on campus, the higher management at Blackstone simply decided to close the Blackstone in Eagle Village in order to focus on the café already on campus. According to Scott Friwall, a sophomore biology major at the University of Mary Washington and a manager at the Blackstone Coffee café on campus, the on campus café is open to all patrons whether they are students at the University of Mary Washington or Fredericksburg locals. Because of this, the owners of the Blackstone Company didn’t want to renew their lease on their Eagle Village property despite it’s business doing modestly well. Nelson confirmed this.

The employees at the Greens and Grains café currently located in Eagle Village, said that business and the influx of customers varies from day to day. The village does have some student patrons mixed in with some local area residents. However, Nelson contradicted this sentiment.

“Eagle Village is one of the busiest commercial centers in Fredericksburg and enjoys a very high retail lease rate…currently 94 percent leased up. The commercial office lease rate at EV is 100 percent leased up. There are so many individual tenants at EV, that it is quite natural to have a few come and go from time to time,” Nelson said.