The new 6,000-square-foot store offers a unique shopping experience unlike any other ABC Store in the Richmond area.

On a quest to upgrade the shopping experience, the Virginia ABC has opened its most upscale location in the Richmond area to date. The new 6,000-square-foot store, located next to Martin’s in the Short Pump Crossing shopping center, is unlike any other in the metro region.

Upon entering, the ABC Store looks more like a boutique wine or beer shop than a state-run operation. Dramatic white, Ionic columns evocative of the Virginia State Capitol, exposed brick, a vintage sepia mural of Richmond’s skyline from the 1930s, and photographs depicting the Commonwealth’s alcohol-centric history give a nod to the past, while offering a modern, spacious interior and expanded selection of products. A chandelier made from liquor bottles hangs from the ceiling near the entrance, illuminating a custom-built tasting bar used by vendors for in-store sampling.

The store’s varying wood-grained inlay flooring patterns create a winding center aisle and encourage customers to discover products they might not have known about, without forsaking the ease of identifying favorite brands shoppers have come to expect in a Virginia ABC store.

Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran, Virginia ABC Chairman Jeffrey Painter, and Commissioners Judy Napier and Henry Marsh were in attendance Wednesday afternoon for a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new location.

“We are proud to honor our capital city’s rich history in our newest premier store,” Painter said. “Virginia ABC is also proud of its commitment to providing excellent customer service with the addition of this uniquely designed store to the Central Virginia market.”

Painter went on to explain that the ABC’s other upgraded stores, known as “premier” locations, have enjoyed significant profit increases, “furthering our efforts to build revenue for the Commonwealth.” Since March 2014, Virginia ABC has opened premier stores in Williamsburg, Leesburg and Virginia Beach.

The Short Pump store, now located at 3450 Pump Road, moved down one building from its former location in the same shopping center. It is one of the largest stores in the state.

Photos: Trevor Dickerson/RVANews

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