Poke, pasta and porterhouse are coming to western Bluffton’s New Riverside Village

At the southeast corner of New Riverside Road and S.C. 46, “coming soon” signs are popping up throughout the New Riverside Village, a 35-acre development of homes, shops restaurants and a park. In February 2020, Bluffton Town Council approved the initial master plan for the development , and now, the majority of storefronts have been secured by tenants.

The town-owned village pond, surrounded by a paved walking path, separates two sides of retail and restaurant development. On one side, Compass Commons at New Riverside, a development of The Richardson Group, a real estate development and management firm, will expand across four buildings and 16,000 square feet. The seven tenants, five of which have confirmed leases, are each businesses that have already established roots in the Lowcountry.

Lee Lucier, Chief Operating Officer of The Richardson Group, said that their goal was to help local businesses that “were part of the thread of the community already” to continue building their portfolio:

• The Frosty Frog Cafe: A casual spot known for its frozen daiquiris already has locations in Coligny Beach and Savannah.
• Cafe Al Dente: The scratch-made Italian restaurant has one sit down location in Coligny, along with a to-go kitchen on the island.
• Local Pie: The wood-fired pizza joint has already established roots in Bluffton and Hilton Head.
• Nom Nom Poke Shop: With one location in downtown Savannah, this will be the Hawaiian restaurants’ first location in this market. The owners, according to Lucier, are Bluffton residents.
• Burke’s Pharmacy: The family-owned pharmacy has locations on Hilton Head and in Beaufort.

According to Lucier, two additional tenants will join the confirmed five, but logistics are still being worked out. There is also one additional space available for lease that has yet to be filled, Lucier said.

Lucier predicted that the majority of the shops would open up after the new year in January. The Frosty Frog and Local Pie will come on board by March.

AVTEX Commercial Properties, led by Tex Small, is developing on the opposite side of the pond.

So far, according to Small, these tenants include:

• Eggs Up Grill
• Sakura Sushi & Ramen
• The Grind Coffee House
• New York Butcher Shoppe
• The Bluffs Spa
• Lettrs Gifts
• French Bakery
• Beauty Vault Luxury Hair Salon
• Front Light Building Company
• Parlour Nails & Spa

The Bluffs Spa is set to open by next week. Depending on permitting from the town, they are aiming for all of the stores and restaurants to be open by the first quarter of 2025, Small said.

Despite “coming soon” signage, Olive & Fig will not be opening up its second location in the New Riverside Village community according to Small. There has been great interest in the storefront from other potential tenants, but no official letter of intent has been signed, he said.