The Strand Welcomes German Grocer Lidl as Anchor Tenant
October 7, 2016
The Strand, which means beach in German, will be the future home for German grocer Lidl, Hardees and Christian Brothers Automotive. Lidl will occupy 35,000 square feet and will serve as the anchor tenant in the new retail center under development by Beach Development Group. The Strand is a 10.6-acre mixed-use retail center to be located at the intersection of Holland Road and Warwick Drive near Lynnhaven Parkway. The development will comprise the grocery store and three outparcel businesses to provide an array of personal and professional services, eating establishments and entertainment in a pedestrian-friendly environment. Architectural designs are ultra-modern with tall rooflines and numerous outdoor seating areas. The Strand will provide multiple points of access as well as a large parking area. This is one of the first locations in Virginia Beach for Lidl. Founded in 1940 in Germany, Lidl has grown to be a successful chain of grocery stores, expanding throughout Europe, America and beyond. Currently it has 10,000 stores in 27 countries, and plans for the U.S. could be as many as 150 new stores, the first to open by 2018. The company has announced additional locations in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond with a regional distribution center in Fredericksburg. The U.S. headquarters is located in Arlington. Some industry publications have said the company will create 700 jobs in Virginia. "Virginia Beach continues to appeal to global companies, and we welcome Lidl to our community," said Virginia Beach Economic Development Director Warren D. Harris. "The Strand and this new-to-market retailer will certainly create energy and fill the need for high quality, affordable options for Virginia Beach citizens."Lidl was named Grocer of the Year for the first time in 2015 at the Grocer Gold Awards.Beach Development Group is a small, woman-owned, certified business (SWAM) formed in 2006 to develop unique commercial properties in strategic areas. The company is based in Virginia Beach with a mission to design projects with quality, innovation and sustainability.The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international businesses to stimulate capital investment and create jobs. Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia with a population of 450,000, and it is the 37th largest in the United States. It is recognized as one of the Best Run Cities in America by 24/7 Wall St. The Department of Economic Development received re-accreditation through the International Economic Development Council in 2012 and is one of only 50 economic development organizations in the world to have this recognition. It is listed among the Top Five Overall Mid-sized American Cities of the Future, Top 10 for Economic Potential and Top Five for Infrastructure by fDi magazine. CNNMoney.com ranked Virginia Beach as the Easiest Place to Start a Business and the 2nd Most Business-Friendly City in the country. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.Press Release
