Generations of investment advance Shoreline community

John Viacava and Kelly Davies in front of the new sign
Photo by Janelle Retka

By Janelle Retka

After 50 years of family ownership and four generations of management, The Shops at Richmond Beach underwent their first remodel in 20 years, allowing for unprecedented new additions. 

In 1963, Myron Davies built The Shops at Richmond Beach. Fifty-two years later, his granddaughter, Kelly Davies, is the property owner. She and her son, John Viacava, manage the property together, taking care of a total of 12 tenants, some of which have been tenants for over 30 years. 

The center is a hub for many neighborhood shoppers to fulfill their needs, from shoe repair and haircuts to grocery shopping and banking. In 2013, the Shops at Richmond Beach had gone 20 years without renovation. 

Davies and Viacava decided it was time for an update.

“Change makes a lot of people nervous,” Davies said, “but it’s really the only thing in life you can count on. The feedback we’ve gotten has been nothing but positive.”

Since the renovations began, the property has attracted The Greek Kitchen, which has already gained a 4-star Yelp review since its opening in mid 2014, and has added a mail room to the Beach House Greetings location.

As of this spring, Swedish Providence Medical is also confirmed as a future tenant, placing the center at 100 percent occupancy. 

Davies and Viacava are thrilled to welcome Swedish, and expect that they will be a big asset to the community and a long-time tenant. 

“For us to invest is a statement,” Davies said in regard to the renovations. She explained that Swedish mirrors this approach. “They want to invest in the community as well. That’s a win-win, and for us a lease and a tenant have got to be a win-win or it just doesn’t work.”

Davies and Viacava are glad that the renovation has led to so many great additions, and are happy that the community can meet so many of their needs in one stop.   

Architect's design has now been completed

Jenni Wilson has been a tenant at The Shops at Richmond Beach for nearly five years, since she bought Beach House Greetings from its previous owner in 2010. Her property was doubled in size during renovations at her request, and the additional postal unit was completed in September. 

Wilson said that overall, the changes have been positive not just in terms of practicality, but also aesthetically. She appreciates what the new shopping center sign and holiday lights do for the appeal of the center, and says the fresh look is more modernized and positive for business.

The overall renovations, which included updating the name and signage, the fascia, parking lot lighting and layout, sidewalks and more, took nearly two years to execute, ending in late 2014. The actual construction stretched across a period of about six months, according to Davies and Viacava. 

Jerry Patterson, the Richmond Beach Community Association Vice President, has lived in Richmond Beach for five years. Immediately upon moving to the area, Patterson noticed the unique pride and passion of the Richmond Beach community for caring for their town.

“Kelly’s passion for updating the look of the shopping center resonated with the pride of the community,” Patterson said. 

Both Davies and Viacava credit Patterson for suggesting the center’s transition from its name at the time, Richmond Beach Shopping Center, to its original and current name, The Shops at Richmond Beach. 

John Viacava manages The Shops with his mother
Kelly Davies, who owns the property

They said involvement and encouragement from community members like Patterson are what helped drive them. There were bumps in the road throughout the construction process, as Davies and Viacava faced unexpected challenges of construction while simultaneously balancing their management of tenants and their mother-son relationship. 

“We were out here seven days a week,” Viacava explained. 

At times, they were reluctant to answer one another’s phone calls, worried that something had gone wrong. But their dedication to the family property, their tenants and the community propelled them, and they wrapped up the construction with a pride in their property, perseverance and the strength of their relationship. 

In retrospect, Davies said all this hard work was owed to the community.

“It’s just the responsibility of owning a neighborhood center in this community both personally and professionally, but especially with it being started by my grandfather.”

The Shops at Richard Beach is located in the 4-Corners business district between 5th and 8th NW on Richmond Beach Road. Four neighborhoods intersect at this location: Hillwood, Richmond Highlands, Richmond Beach, and Innis Arden.