Diamond District Partners announces another tenant at the Diamond District

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, September 16, 2026 – Thompson Restaurants is leasing approximately 4,000 square feet in the Gateway Retail Building at Richmond’s Diamond District, which is being developed by Diamond District Partners (DDP). Thompson plans to open Makers Union, its popular neighborhood concept.

Thompson joins EAT Restaurant Partners and Hirschler law firm as the third tenant to sign a lease in buildings DDP is developing at the Diamond District. In May, EAT signed a lease for over 5,200 square feet for a sports bar in DDP’s Gateway Retail building. In March, Hirschler signed a lease for approximately 50,000 square feet of space, anchoring DDP’s trophy office building.

Makers Union is known in the DC metro region for its welcoming atmosphere that makes it a go-to destination for drinks with colleagues, brunch with friends, family dinners, or a solo night. The Diamond District location will be the seventh Makers Union location and the first outside of the DC metro area.

Founded in 1992, Thompson Hospitality Corporation operates 15 restaurant brands in over seventy locations in Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Ohio as well as campus dining facilities for 18 colleges and universities.

Connie Jordan Nielsen and Reilly Marchant of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer handled the negotiations on behalf of the landlord. Simms Henschel, Andy Corno, and Thomas Jackman with JLL represented the tenant.

The addition of Makers Union continues the momentum at the Diamond District, introducing a well-established regional restaurant brand to Richmond’s sports and entertainment destination. “We are thrilled to welcome Thompson Hospitality to the Diamond District family,” said Jason Guillot, Principal at Thalhimer Realty Partners and General Manager of DDP. “The quality of the food and service at Thompson’s restaurants is top notch and the inclusive environment they create is exactly what we want to see at the Diamond District.”

“Richmond is a city on the move, and we believe the Diamond District will be at the center of that momentum,” said Alex Berentzen, COO of Thompson Restaurants. “We’re thrilled to bring Makers Union to this exciting project and see tremendous opportunity for continued growth in the Richmond market for years to come.”

Located within the Diamond District’s Gateway Retail building along Encore Avenue, the new restaurant is expected to serve as a gathering place year-round for residents, office workers, baseball fans and visitors to the Diamond District.

Contact:
Jason Guillot
Principal
(804) 697 3561
jason.guillot@thalhimer.com

Maritza Pechin
Director of Development
(804) 554 3830
maritza.pechin@thalhimer.com

About Makers Union
Makers Union is a modern neighborhood gastropub concept from Thompson Hospitality featuring elevated comfort food, craft cocktails and an inviting atmosphere designed to bring communities together. The brand currently operates locations throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Makers Union | Thompson Restaurants

About Thompson Restaurants 
Founded in 1992, Thompson Restaurants owns and operates restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, Ohio and South Florida. As part of Thompson Hospitality, a family-run organization, has catered to client, customer and community relationships for over three decades. Led by President and Founder Warren Thompson, Thompson Restaurants owns and operates 15 beloved brands across more than 70 locations including Makers Union, matchbox, Big Buns, Hen Quarter Prime, Milk & Honey, Wiseguy Pizza, Austin Grill, Ms. Peach’s and is rapidly expanding to different markets across the U.S. For more information, visit thompsonrestaurants.com.

About Diamond District Partners
Diamond District Partners (DDP) is the master developer behind the Diamond District, led by Thalhimer Realty Partners (TRP). Thalhimer Realty Partners is a Richmond-based real estate investment firm with a portfolio of more than $1.4 billion in commercial and multifamily assets, built on decades of experience acquiring, developing, and managing multifamily, retail, office, and industrial properties. DDP was formed to bring that experience directly to the Diamond District, carrying the project from land transfer through delivery. TRP is headquartered in Richmond, VA, with assets located throughout the Southeast Region. Thalhimer Realty Partners

About the Diamond District
The Diamond District is a new mixed-income neighborhood taking shape around a new series of public green spaces and Richmond’s minor league ballpark. The redevelopment of the site is a public-private partnership between the City of Richmond, the Richmond Economic Development Authority (EDA), and DDP. As the master developer, DDP oversees the development of the public infrastructure and the private development at the Diamond District. (Note that DDP did not develop the new minor league baseball stadium. The stadium was developed via a public-private partnership agreement between the EDA and the baseball team ownership group.)

Over the next 10-15 years, the 67-acre site will transform from a 1980s baseball stadium with surface parking lots into a new mixed-use community anchored by a new crescent park and a new stadium. DDP hosted the public infrastructure groundbreaking in April 2025. By 2028, seven new uses will be complete or nearly complete: 2.23 acres of new public green spaces, a 180-key hotel by Kalyan Hospitality, a 276-unit market-rate apartment building with 453-space parking garage by DDP, a 161-unit workforce housing development by Pennrose/Nix, a 115,000 square foot trophy office building by DDP, a 20,000 square foot retail building by DDP, and a new baseball stadium by the team. In 2028, you will be able to live, work, play, shop/dine, and stay at the Diamond District. DDP looks forward to welcoming you and hopes you will find your home base at the Diamond District. Learn more about the Diamond District at Diamond District

About Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer
Thalhimer was founded in 1913 and currently has offices in Richmond, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Fredericksburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg, Virginia. The company has nearly 100 broker professionals and employs approximately 545 associates. Thalhimer represents, on behalf of its clients, a property portfolio of 56 million leasable square feet, management of more than 21 million square feet of commercial property, and nearly 13,000 multifamily units. In 2025, Thalhimer completed over 1,880 transactions with a transactional volume of more than $2.04 billion. Thalhimer is the region’s leading provider of comprehensive commercial real estate services, including corporate services, investment sales, tenant representation, project management, asset management, and the sale and leasing of office, industrial and retail properties. To learn more, visitThalhimer  Independently Owned and Operated / A Member of the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance

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Written on September 16, 2026