Carter Snipes was looking for a place to unwind when he bought a 22-acre rural parcel in Goochland, Va., in the thick of the pandemic in 2020, according to Richmond BizSense.
He didn’t realize at the time that it would eventually become a business opportunity.
Snipes, whose development credits in the city include the Hofheimer Building, winery Brambly Park and the Meridian townhomes, recently opened Rigsby Pond Retreat, a campsite and cabin getaway on his land at 3270 Rigsby Hollow Road.
The rentable plot of land offers access to camping staples like woodland trails, a fishing pond, fire pits and an outdoor shower. The site is highlighted by a two-story hunting cabin Snipes renovated with an upgraded HVAC system, kitchen, laundry machines and more.
Snipes bought the land in July 2020 for $270,000 and spent an additional $50,000 renovating the cabin, initially using it as a getaway for his friends and family.
“As I’d go out there with my kids and friends, the comment I kept hearing from people was, ‘This is so pretty, so close to the city, it’s too bad you don’t have a camping-type concept here,’” Snipes said. “I did some research on it and saw there’s a trend on glamping experiences and there’s not a lot in Richmond per se.”
