King Arthur Baking Company Signs Retail Real Estate Lease at The Silverman Group's Old Town Alexandria Development

Vermont-based King Arthur Baking Company has signed a lease for 5,285 square feet of retail space at 615 King Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, according to building permits filed with the City of Alexandria. The location will serve as only the company's second permanent retail store and baking school in the country, and is slated to open later this year.

The space sits on the street level of The Mansly, a mixed-use real estate development by The Silverman Group that includes 24 residential units above the retail level at both 615 and 621 King Street. Winstanley Architects & Planners, based in Alexandria, designed the project, and general contracting firm Whiting-Turner is managing construction.

Retail Real Estate Deal Details

Building permits describe the scope of work as "interior alterations on the 1st floor for King Arthur Bakery School," adding that "classes will be taught to paying customers who would like to learn and obtain skills in the art of baking." Interior alterations are currently underway in the 5,285-square-foot space.

The space was previously occupied by a Walgreens, which had leased the property from the Silverman family, the building's longtime owner. The Silverman Group is the development entity behind The Mansly project. A Shake Shack is also set to open at the adjacent 621 King Street address within the same development.

A Building with Deep Roots in Alexandria's Commercial History

The 615 King Street property carries a notable history in Alexandria's commercial core. According to research conducted by the Alexandria Board of Architectural Review (BAR) when approving the project, the townhouse at 615 King Street was built in the early 19th century and was operated as a confectionary by David H. Appich as early as 1858. The bakery at that address closed in 1917, after which the space was used as a women's clothing store, among other retail uses.

The BAR noted the historical coincidence of a baking-related business returning to the address. The Mansly development takes its name from Edith Mansley, who inherited the building in 1970 and passed it on to her daughters.

Old Town Alexandria's Retail Real Estate Context

The King Arthur lease reflects broader trends in retail real estate, where experiential and destination-oriented tenants are increasingly replacing traditional pharmacy and convenience formats. The departure of Walgreens from 615 King Street, and its replacement with a baking school and specialty retail concept, mirrors a pattern playing out across urban commercial corridors nationally.

The Mansly development's mixed-use structure — combining street-level retail with 24 residential units above — integrates residential density with ground-floor retail in a walkable urban district.

No financial terms of the lease were disclosed.