A Morning in Church Hill

On the city's east end, a charming, historic neighborhood in Richmond known as Church Hill rests on its lofty perch overlooking the city. Church Hill, the first and oldest neighborhood in Richmond, currently undergoes a revitalization as new restaurants and shops emerge. My boyfriend, Leo, lived in Church Hill in 2019 and 2020. Since then, he has noticed the area's evolution, he said. New coffee shops and restaurants now sit on previously abandoned street corners. Hopefully, this revitalization is channeled into creating a healthy, inclusive city for all and doesn’t support gentrification through a sharp increase in living expenses. I hope Richmond can strengthen Church Hill as a vibrant neighborhood suited and available for all.

I don’t find myself in Church Hill too often, besides the occasional visit to Libby Hill Park – which provides a breathtaking view overlooking the city of Richmond and the James River – but Saturday, I spent a morning there with my mom. When we arrived in Church Hill at 9 a.m., an incredible, bustling energy spread throughout the streets. A long line came out of the door of Sub Rosa, the acclaimed local bakery; people gathered at a mini farmer’s market buying fruits and vegetables; and a local radio DJ was playing music. I was not expecting such a lively energy and crowd of people at 9 a.m. in Church Hill.

My mom and I parked the car and headed to a 9:30 a.m. yoga class at 3S Yoga. The yoga studio had a bright and airy space with big windows taking up the wall. After we checked in, we set up our yoga mats and began class. The morning sun shone upon us as we flowed through vinyasa sequences and all breathed in unison. When the class ended after a restorative Shavasana, we gathered our things and headed over to that acclaimed local bakery, Sub Rosa. The line still extended out the door onto the street, but we didn’t care. We were eager to try the Richmond-famous bakery. As we waited in anticipation, the smell of warm, buttery croissants drifted onto the sidewalk, making our mouths water and our tummies grumble.

The line trickled down, and we made it to the door and stepped inside the cozy, bright, warm, and crowded bakery. People nestled together at tables sipping coffee out of colorful mugs and breaking apart flaky croissants. Now, it was time to decide on what we wanted. We peered into the glass display case at the large variety of delicious-looking baked goods. After stroking our chins and conversing about what we wanted, we decided on a chocolate croissant, ham and cheese croissant, butter croissant, and seeded bread twist. Yes, four croissants for the two of us!

As we were about to order, a woman grabbed my attention. She looked at me and said, “Hey, we’re about to leave. Grab these seats,” she pointed at two seats at a high table in front of the big windows. My mom looked at me and said, “I’ll order. Go grab those seats!” I thanked the woman and excitedly claimed the seats thinking, “How lucky are we!”

My mom joined me at the table, and we caught up on life as we waited for our order. They called our name, and I maneuvered through the crowd and grabbed her hot tea in a big, bright blue mug and our four croissants. We pulled apart flaky, buttery, and warm croissants – crumbs falling all over our lap – as we talked and watched people walk by. The croissants were perfect; when I bit into its crunchy outside, I found a soft, warm middle that melted in my mouth. After – somehow – quickly devouring all four croissants, we enjoyed our sunny spot in the charming bakery for a bit longer, continuing to talk and people-watch as the bakery emptied.

Before and After

Feeling ready to head out, we cleaned up our area, covered in flaky croissant crumbs, and left the bakery. On our way back to the car, we passed by some new stores and peered into the windows of a quaint clothing store and a chic smoothie shop. "There are so many cute things over here!" I exclaimed to my mom. I have so much more to explore in Church Hill. After brief window shopping, we made it to the car and drove down the hill and toward the city's west end.

Every time I further explore a Richmond neighborhood, especially one I don't spend much time in, it emphasizes Richmond's vibrancy. Richmond's various, interconnected unique areas make it a small city with a big energy.