A typical Five Below store sign measures 180.5 square feet.
That’s the sign the company wants for its proposed Richmond store at 4615 National Road E., but it required a variance from building codes. It turns out the size is half a square foot larger than the 180 square feet allowed for the 90-foot-wide storefront.
Members of Richmond’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-0 to approve the special permit request during their Aug. 14 meeting, meaning the signature Five Below logo will replace the temporary sign that currently announces a fall opening.
The discount retailer targets tweens and teens and offers room decor, toys and games, tech, beauty products, candy, sports equipment, party supplies and more, according to its website, fivebelow.com. Most items sell for $1 to $5.
The new store will open on the former Party City site between Plato’s Closet and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. It is one of more than 150 new stores the franchise plans to open this year. In total, Five Below, which opened its first store in Wayne, Pennsylvania, in 2002, operates more than 1,300 stores in 42 states.
The closest Five Below to Richmond is now in Greenville, Ohio.
BZA members also voted 3-0 to approve a variance from zoning standards that will allow a garage expansion at 3130 Hodgin Road. The expansion will require a reduction in the side yard setback and create a two-car garage.
A version of this article appeared in the August 21, 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
