Norfolk, Va. (WAVY) – The ‘Made in Norfolk’ clothing brand has a new location.

The store is now on Briar Hill Road off of East Virginia Beach Boulevard.

Amir Driver, the owner, said the new location is a full-circle moment since he grew up nearby. At the end of January, he had to close his store location on North Military Highway at Military Circle Mall.

The mall is now closed to the public for the city of Norfolk’s Military Circle mall redevelopment project. Mall managers tell 10 On Your Side about 10 businesses have until Wednesday Feb. 15 to completely move out.    

Driver said the last two weeks were a little chaotic.

“We shut down one week,” Driver said. “I was anticipating to being open the following week, but it didn’t happen that way. It took two weeks for us to get here. It was hectic in that two-week time period.”

Over the weekend, he had a grand opening where the community surrounded him with encouragement and support.

“I appreciate everybody that has supported up prior to this point and going forth,” Driver said.

He calls the redevelopment project and move a “blessing in disguise” because it forced him to expand. Now he will allow up-and-coming designers to use the space.

“My ultimate goal for this is to bring in brands show them how to work in retail space the push them out of my door.”

For the rest of 2023, he plans to partner with VisitNorfolk to get his ‘Made in Norfolk’ clothing and items inside of Norfolk International Airport.

“We want to tap into the tourism in the aspect of the city,” Driver said. “So, this is like a hub and a ground zero location that people have to venture to when they home.”

Ribbon cutting for new location of ‘Made in Norfolk’ store. (Photo courtesy: Amir Driver)
Ribbon cutting for new location of ‘Made in Norfolk’ store. (Photo courtesy: Amir Driver)
Ribbon cutting for new location of ‘Made in Norfolk’ store. (Photo courtesy: Amir Driver)
Ribbon cutting for new location of ‘Made in Norfolk’ store. (Photo courtesy: Amir Driver)

The artist-turned-entrepreneur also wants to be part of the ‘Something in the Water’ festival set to return to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

“The community is the one who creates and shifts culture,,” Driver said, “so I’m just doing my part to help that flourish.”

Know more

If you’d like to check him out and support ‘Made in Norfolk,’ the new location is open Tuesday through Sunday on Briar Hill Road off of East Virginia Beach Boulevard.