RICHMOND, Va. — Two years after opening his second restaurant in Shockoe Slip, Carlos Londoño is coming back for thirds in Shockoe Bottom.
Londoño is preparing to launch La Bodega in the former Luncheonette spot at 104 E. 18th St.
The new restaurant sits across the street from Londoño’s first restaurant, Margarita’s Cantina at 103 N. 18th St., which he opened nearly eight years ago. That was followed by Mijas in February 2017 in the former La Grotta Ristorante space at 1218 E. Cary St. in the Slip.
“It just made sense for me to take over the space,” Londoño said of the shuttered Luncheonette building, which went dark along with its Brookland Park locations last winter.
La Bodega is targeting a late August or early September opening, Londoño said, with plans to invest about $50,000 to overhaul the 1,300-square-foot space. Robert Heim with Bandazian & Company handled the lease.
With La Bodega, Londoño, a Queens, N.Y. native, said he is taking a page out of the community grocers/hangouts found in neighborhoods across the New York City boroughs and adding his own flavor and style.
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