The team behind a new mixed-use development planned near Wake Forest University unveiled the first five retailers that will occupy a 42,000-square-foot Retail & Dining Village at The Grounds in Winston-Salem.
Initial tenants and concept
Developers said Wednesday the initial lineup will combine restaurants, fitness and community space designed to serve game-day crowds as well as daily neighborhood needs. The first announced retailers are:
- The Jimmy — a Mediterranean- and Italian-inspired restaurant and bar from Charlotte restauranteur Jim Noble.
- The Fieldhouse Tavern — a food-focused sports bar from local operators Thomas and Brandon Brock.
- Bagels & Co. — a franchise breakfast and lunch concept popular with college students.
- Tremble — a Pilates franchise opening its second Winston-Salem location.
- Allegacy Financial — the Winston-Salem-founded federal credit union, which will open a multipurpose space for events, meetings and programming.
Front Street Capital's Coleman Team, president and managing partner, said the area already has potential tied to sporting events and that this first wave of tenants reflects the project’s intent to be active on game days and throughout the year.
"For a long time, people have understood the potential of this area on a game day," Coleman Team said. "This first group of retailers shows what The Grounds will do for those event days and beyond, on every other day of the year."
Location, timing and scale
The Grounds will sit along Deacon Boulevard near Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum and David F. Couch Ballpark, placing it close to the city’s major collegiate and local sporting venues as well as the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. The development team said the Retail & Dining Village is scheduled to open in Fall 2027.
Officials described the announced shops as the opening phase of a larger Phase I for a project with a reported overall value of roughly $250 million. The Grounds team said additional tenant announcements were expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Local implications and amenities
Developers have pitched the district as both an entertainment hub for Wake Forest game days and a neighborhood resource that would add dining, wellness and event programming to the Deacon Boulevard corridor. Allegacy Financial’s planned multipurpose space signals an intention to include community-facing programming alongside commercial offerings.
In addition to the initial five tenants, renderings released by developers indicate a mix of housing and entertainment uses across the wider site, though the release provided details only on the Retail & Dining Village and the first wave of operators.
| Retailer | Type |
|---|---|
| The Jimmy | Mediterranean/Italian restaurant and bar |
| The Fieldhouse Tavern | Food-forward sports bar |
| Bagels & Co. | Breakfast and lunch franchise |
| Tremble | Pilates studio |
| Allegacy Financial | Multipurpose community and event space |
City residents and Wake Forest students can expect more firm announcements about who will occupy additional spaces in the months ahead. Developers and local leaders have positioned The Grounds as a project that seeks to capture activity tied to athletic events while also providing regular dining and wellness options for the surrounding neighborhoods.
As the project moves toward its 2027 target, questions that will shape its impact on the city include transportation and parking plans for event days, the amount and type of housing included in later phases, and how the development will coordinate with university and city event schedules. Project leaders have indicated further news about Phase I would be forthcoming by early next year.
Construction timelines, tenant build-outs and final design details were not disclosed in the release announcing the first five tenants.
