Lindsey Food Group Planning Restaurant Revivals in Chesterfield
TL;DR: Lindsey Food Group is revamping multiple restaurant locations across the Richmond area, converting a cupcake shop into a sandwich spot in Short Pump and eyeing reopenings at Chesterfield Towne Center.
Quick facts
- Who: Lindsey Food Group (Mike Lindsey and Kimberly Love-Lindsey)
- What: Converting restaurant locations to new concepts, including Frostings Bake Shop to sandwich shop and reopening ML Steak and reimagining Kali Love as Coastal Southern Table
- When: Short Pump sandwich shop timeline uncertain; Chesterfield Towne Center reopenings contingent on landlord deal
- Where: Short Pump (4336 Pouncey Tract Road) and Chesterfield Towne Center
The story
Lindsey Food Group, the Black-owned restaurant company founded by Mike and Kimberly Love-Lindsey, is executing a strategic overhaul of several underperforming locations in the Richmond area. The company, which has grown to become one of the largest independent restaurant groups in the region with over a dozen concepts, is betting on repositioning these spaces with new brands and menu concepts tailored to market demands.
In Short Pump, the company closed Frostings Bake Shop after nearly two decades of operation (it had been under LFG's ownership since 2023) and is converting that location at 4336 Pouncey Tract Road into Lindsey's Sandwich Shop. The new venue will serve paninis, subs, hoagies and focaccia sandwiches for lunch and dinner service, with potential for breakfast offerings and biscuit sandwiches. The opening timeline remains uncertain as the team prioritizes other projects.
The more significant revival is unfolding at Chesterfield Towne Center, where Lindsey Food Group had temporarily shuttered two restaurant spaces due to a dispute over tenant improvement commitments from the mall's previous owner, Brookfield Properties. After Brookfield put the mall on the market in late 2024 and sold it to new ownership, Lindsey engaged with the incoming landlords and reports optimism about reaching a reopening agreement. ML Steak Modern Chophouse will return to its original form, while Kali Love, the space's former seafood concept, will be reimagined as Coastal Southern Table, described as a blend of LFG's Farm + Oak Southern restaurant and Bolo's Eatery concepts.
This expansion strategy reflects Lindsey Food Group's broader trajectory since its 2020 founding. The company debuted Lillie Pearl, a New American restaurant with Southern and African influences, downtown during the pandemic. It has since acquired or launched more than a dozen concepts, from Buttermilk + Honey bakery cafes to ML Steak chophouse to Jubilee in Manchester. In 2025, they partnered with Brainstorm Brewhouse to open Bolo's Eatery, a brewpub in the former Dogtown Brewing space featuring fried chicken and oysters. Most recently, they opened Love's Public Kitchen in Lillie Pearl's former downtown location, a neighborhood comfort food restaurant honoring Kim's family heritage.
Key players
- Michael Lindsey: Co-founder and executive of Lindsey Food Group
- Kimberly Love-Lindsey: Co-founder and executive of Lindsey Food Group
- Lindsey Food Group: Richmond-area restaurant company planning revivals across multiple locations
Key dates
- 2023: Lindsey Food Group acquired Frostings Bake Shop
- 2024-late: Chesterfield Towne Center ownership transferred to new investors
- 2026-06-24: Lindsey Food Group announces revival plans for three locations
The case for
Restaurant revivals like these can energize neighborhoods and shopping centers by filling vacant retail space, creating jobs for kitchen and service staff, and drawing customer traffic that benefits neighboring tenants. New concepts responsive to market preferences often perform better than retreads of failed restaurants. Lindsey Food Group's track record of successful launches suggests competent management and menu development.
The case against
Restaurant openings are capital-intensive and carry substantial failure risk, even for experienced operators. The timing of these reopenings remains uncertain and contingent on landlord negotiations, meaning Chesterfield Towne Center could face extended vacancy. Rapid portfolio expansion across many concepts can dilute operational focus and create supply chain complexity. Prior closures at these locations suggest either unfavorable market conditions or operational challenges that may not resolve simply by rebranding.
Why it matters: These reopenings will determine whether two long-vacant Chesterfield Towne Center spaces can be productively leased and generate tax revenue and employment. For diners, they expand the range of dining options in the Short Pump and Chesterfield areas, while signaling continued investment in the local restaurant market despite recent closures.
Places
Development timeline
- 2020Lillie Pearl opens in downtown Richmond: Mike and Kimberly Love-Lindsey launch their first restaurant, a New American concept with Southern and African influences. [[source]](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/12/15/lindsey-food-group-restaurant-owner-lillie-pearl)
- 2023Lindsey Food Group acquires Frostings Bake Shop: LFG takes over the Short Pump bakery that had operated for approximately 18 years. [[source]](https://richmondbizsense.com/2023/07/20/appetite-for-growth-short-pump-bake-shop-downtown-event-space-on-menu-for-lindsey-food-group/)
- 2024-03ML Steak Modern Chophouse opens at Chesterfield Towne Center: Lindsey Food Group debuts upscale steakhouse concept at the mall location. [[source]](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/03/22/ml-steak-opens-in-chesterfield-and-more-dining-news)
- 2024-lateChesterfield Towne Center sold to new ownership: Previous owner Brookfield Properties sells the mall, triggering uncertainty for LFG's leased spaces. [[source]](https://richmondbizsense.com/2026/06/24/lindsey-food-group-looking-to-revive-three-of-its-spots-with-new-restaurant-concepts/)
- 2025-10Bolo's Eatery opens in Manchester: LFG and Brainstorm Brewhouse partnership opens brewpub with fried chicken and oysters in former Dogtown Brewing space. [[source]](https://rvahub.com/2025/10/09/bolos-eatery-is-open/)
- 2026-01Love's Public Kitchen opens downtown: Lindsey Food Group opens neighborhood comfort food restaurant in the former Lillie Pearl location. [[source]](https://richmondbizsense.com/2026/06/24/lindsey-food-group-looking-to-revive-three-of-its-spots-with-new-restaurant-concepts/)
- 2026-06-24Lindsey Food Group announces restaurant revival plans: Company reveals plans to convert Frostings to sandwich shop, reopen ML Steak, and transform Kali Love into Coastal Southern Table. [[source]](https://richmondbizsense.com/2026/06/24/lindsey-food-group-looking-to-revive-three-of-its-spots-with-new-restaurant-concepts/)
Related links
Read the original at Richmond BizSense →
Sources
- Lindsey Food Group looking to revive three of its restaurant spots with new concepts - Richmond BizSense
- Amid closures, Lindsey Food Group looks to revive some Richmond-area restaurants - WTVR
- How the Lindsey Food Group became Richmond's largest restaurant owner - Axios Richmond
- ML Steak opens in Chesterfield and more dining news - Axios Richmond
- Shuttered Dogtown Brewing space in Manchester to be reborn as Bolo's Eatery - Richmond BizSense
- Bolo's Eatery is Open - RVAHub
- Appetite for growth: Short Pump bake shop, downtown event space on menu for Lindsey Food Group - Richmond BizSense