By Kathy Chouteau
A Macdonald Avenue parking lot will come alive with street food as The Lot, an outdoor downtown Richmond food court, celebrates a “Grand Reopening” Saturday June 7 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The location’s hours moving forward will be Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The City of Richmond is partnering with the Richmond Farmers Market Association on the venture. The Mobile Vendor Program, of which The Lot is one facet, had a smaller opening at that same spot in the fall of 2024. The Mobile Vendor Program was created in the wake of new regulations on sidewalk vendors and aims to provide a place for sidewalk vendors to conduct business in a regulated manner.
“The Lot is more than just a food court—it’s a city-supported initiative…to help local street vendors grow real businesses through safe, legal and supportive spaces,” according to Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez on Instagram.
Aside from serving as a business incubator for food trucks looking to become brick-and-mortars, The Lot also is “a new space for locals to gather in the heart of the city,” he said.
In addition to tasty street food, The Lot features new landscaping, shaded seating and an array of food that includes hibachi, pupusas, burgers, tacos, churros and more.
Find The Lot’s Grand Reopening at 1401 Macdonald Ave. in downtown Richmond.