Grapevine, Lola’s Farmhouse Bistro family bringing new Greek-Mediterranean concept to Libbie Mill

Eric and Marianne Trak Hess are expanding. The couple behind Lola’s Farmhouse Bistro announced Thursday that they’ll open a second restaurant, OPA! Social, at Libbie Mill – Midtown later this year.

The new spot will take over roughly 6,000 square feet of second-generation space at 4900 Libbie Mill East Boulevard, Suite 150, inside the Tanner Row building. The menu will lean Greek and Mediterranean but stretch into Italian and American territory, with a selection of wines, cocktails, and customer favorites carrying over from Lola’s.

For Marianne, Greek hospitality runs deep. She spent more than 30 years at her family’s restaurant, The Grapevine Greek & Italian Restaurant, where she built her career and her approach to service. Eric came to the industry by a different route, picking up restaurant work while in graduate school at VCU. The two met at The Grapevine, and the partnership eventually turned into a shared push toward ownership.

“We have been looking for another location since June of last year and fell in love with the space at Libbie Mill as soon as we walked in,” the Hesses said in a statement. They described OPA! Social as a neighborhood gathering place designed around food, family, and what Marianne calls heartfelt service.

A growing roster of local operators

Libbie Mill has been filling in steadily. Recent additions include RVA Bakehouse and Extended Studio, and the community just opened Wrighthaven Square Apartments, its fourth apartment development. Once Wrighthaven Square is fully online, Libbie Mill will have more than 1,000 rental homes across the property.

Diane Tidwell, director of property management for Gumenick Properties, said the company has deliberately leaned toward independent operators when filling retail space. “We take pride in offering a unique collection of locally owned dining destinations,” she said, pointing to the variety already in place across coastal, southern, bakery, and specialty categories.

Only one retail space is still available at Libbie Mill, located in the Emmer Row building at 4901 Libbie Mill East Boulevard. Gumenick Properties broke ground on the 90-acre development in 2013, billing it as the largest revitalization project in Henrico County’s 400-year history. The site now includes townhomes, condos, apartments, shops, a public library, and a lake with a walking trail.

An opening date for OPA! Social hasn’t been announced. More information on leasing and apartment availability is at libbiemill.com.