Fredericksburg Parent

22 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • February 2022 & Rethinking Business WRITTEN BY AMY TAYLOR As the region shifts away from strict COVID restrictions and people resume eating out, shopping in person and looking for entertainment outside their homes, new businesses are popping up all over town. Fredericksburg's resilient businesses are not only surviving, but many are also flourishing. Bill Freehling, director of econom- ic development and tourism for the City of Fredericksburg, is optimistic about how things are going with business and tourism in and around the city. "We are open for business and are working hard to let people know that," Freehling says. Freehling shares the state of business and tourism in the area. He attributes busi- ness and tourism success in part to telecommute policies. "With the trend of working from home continuing, people who live in Fredericksburg and commute up to D.C./NoVA are able to spend many of their workdays here. That daytime population helps support our existing local businesses and encourages new ones to open," Freehling says. Freehling also shares that COVID's continued impact on vacation and travel trends is beneficial to the local economy. "Fewer people want to fly, so we are seeing people taking more day/weekend trips to destinations within a few hours of their home. A huge population center lives within that radius of FXBG, so we are benefitting from that trend," states Freehling. "I am confident our best days lie ahead. We have a lot of momentum heading into 2022." There are many new additions to the Fredericksburg area that opened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these new features are, "a new Chatham Bridge with a 10-foot pedestrian path, Riverfront Park, a baseball stadium, a Mellow Mushroom res- taurant, a new bridge over Interstate 95 and numerous new businesses and residences," Freehling says. Other new businesses that have opened in the area since 2019 are: · Chuck E. Cheese Located in Central Park, this location reopened after a year-and-a- half long closure and full remodel. · From, Mondays Located at 709 Caroline Street, this unique plant shop also offers limited edition t-shirts, apparel and other merchandise. What's New in Fredericksburg Since 2019? Bill Freehling, director of economic development and tourism for the City of Fredericksburg,

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