Follow-Up: Max & Erma’s Short Pump Location Now Closed

Yesterday, we ran a story from one of our contributing reporters, Aaron Kremer, about the Max & Erma’s chain filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. One of our readers, Aaron Lee, emailed us yesterday and indicated that the Short Pump Location in the John Rolfe Commons shopping center is now closed. A sign on the door […]

October 28, 2009; 11:05 AM • by Trevor Dickerson

A sign on the door claims that the location could possibly reopen once John Rolfe Parkway is cut through. The delayed road project has hurt businesses in the shopping center, many of whom came in with the understanding that the major thoroughfare would be completed soon thereafter.

One local business, Cavanna Pasta, was profiled last year in Richmond BizSense. At the time, owner Jonny Cavanna claimed the store would have to close by year’s end. Cavanna is still hanging on, partly due to a boost in sales from their bi-weekly booth at the nearby West End Farmers Market at Gayton and Ridgefield.

The first portion of John Rolfe Parkway, from Gayton Road to Ridgefield Parkway, where the shopping center is located, has been open to traffic for several years. The connection from Ridgefield to West Broad Street is yet to be completed, with the very last segment to be constructed right in front of Max & Erma’s.

Both of the Richmond locations of the restaurant chain are franchises and not company-owned, but other businesses who posted signs claiming to reopen, such as popular smoothie joint Squeeze, never opened their doors again.

We’ll follow this story and have more information as it becomes available.