Physical therapy office coming to the Beacon; Bonchon remains stalled

Little progress can be detected at Bonchon’s future location at 6852 Richmond Highway.

A physical therapy office is coming soon to the retail space at the Beacon of Groveton, but it’s still unclear when Bonchon will be opening a restaurant there.

Bonchon still has not gotten approval for its primary building permit, which its contractor initially applied for in June 2016. County inspection records show that three different building reviews have resulted in failure, and that the owner waited months before resubmitting plans after the first two rejections. The county’s latest review was earlier this month, with rejection notes stating that the address for the plans was incorrect, as was the type of construction. 

An interior demolition permit was approved by the county in July. It’s unclear if any work has been done inside; both the doors and windows of the location remain covered. 

Multiple attempts to reach Bonchon’s corporate office for comment were unsuccessful; it’s unclear who the local franchise owner is.

Patrick O’Meara, a brokerage representative for Rappaport, the company that handles leasing for the Beacon, said Bonchon is still committed to the site. 

“My understanding is that they are still planning to open in this location, but they have struggled to get their building permits,” O’Meara said. “I think they are close to receiving them, and should start construction soon.”

Meanwhile, a Pivot Physical Therapy is moving into the space next between Bonchon and Mattress Firm. Pivot, a multi-state chain that provides physical and occupational therapy services, will be the second retailer to open up shop in the Beacon.

The Beacon, the Richmond Highway corridor’s first mixed-use development, has struggled to fill its ground-level retail spaces since opening in 2012. Mattress Firm (originally a Mattress Discounters) is the only business to have opened in the nearly five years since the Beacon opened.