A catering company in Shockoe Slip is closing after 27 years.
A Moveable Feast will close its doors at the end of July.
Owner Linda Marcuse said increased competition and a tough economy drove her to close up shop.
“When I started in 1986, there were maybe three other catering businesses in Richmond,” she said. “Now there are maybe 50. I feel like the supply has increased but the demand has diminished.”
Marcuse said the past four years have been hard. Some big lunch customers, including government offices, have stopped ordering because of budget cuts, she said.
“The past four years have felt like starting over,” she said. “When you’ve been in business for 27 years, starting over is exhausting,”
Marcuse said she also needs to spend more time with her family. Despite the rough patch during the last four years, Marcuse said she’s sad to see company close.
“I’m going to miss Shockoe Slip,” she said, “and I’m going to miss all my customers tremendously.”
Developer Tom Papa, who owns the building at 1318 E. Cary St., is also sad to see A Movable Feast move on.
Marcuse “has been a tremendous part of the community for 27 years,” said Papa. “We will miss her, and we wish her the best in the future.”
Papa said that he would look for another tenant for the roughly 1,500-square-foot storefront, but that the next step is a renovation.
“She’s been in there for 27 years,” he said. “The space needs some attention, so we’re looking to do a total rehabilitation.”
The building is next to the proposed location of the new First Freedom Center hotel project. BizSense reported in May that Apple REIT was in the final stages of getting a special-use permit for the project.
City records show that the hotel project will go to the planning commission July 2 and go up for final approval from city council July 9.
I am so sad to see this happen. We have been clients of A Moveable Feast for years. Linda has always taken such good care of our catering needs. They will certainly be missed!
I am deeply saddened to see Moveable go. It has been a beloved lunch spot for me for the past 5 years. There are very few places where you can get truly wholesome homemade food inexpensively and Moveable is by far one of the best. Linda, Nicky and all the Moveable staff will be greatly missed.
It is a sad day here in Shockoe Slip and I will miss Linda, Nicky and the whole Moveable staff very, very much. I can’t tell you how many times lunch at Moveable made a bad day at work so much better. Thank you guys for all of the amazing soups, sandwiches and salads!
We are slowly adjusting to the idea that our favorite part of the day will undergo serious change. We are thrilled for Linda though. Somehow, we know that we’ll meet again! Food lovers seem to gravitate to each other!
Oh, no! My son will never have Grandma’s Mac Salad again or those yummy Lemon Bars! I can’t bear to tell him that you are closing. And, Regina here at the office, is dismayed over where to order lunch for all her meetings. Best of luck to all of you as you move forward with your life. You will be sorely missed!
No way!! It’s a sad day for the slip.
We’ll miss our neighbors! I’ve been a big fan since my first day working downtown about 10 years ago. Sorry to see you go!
Linda has worked very hard and I know she will be missed,but its time,
The Slip will never be the same without Linda, Nickie, Shirley, Leigh and the whole Moveable family. I hope they know how much sunshine they have added to our downtown working careers over the years….
One of the only places worth eating in Richmond is closed? Due to “competition”? I’m moving.
I just started working back downtown after a 3 year stint in the West End and am so very disheartened to learn that A Moveable Feast closed its doors last year. I was so looking forward to a yummy sandwich and big cookie. Thanks to them for their many years of excellent service and for providing a bright and happy place to refuel during the work day.