Virginia's first Cheba Hut opens Friday at 10 a.m. in Midlothian, bringing the Colorado chain's cannabis-themed toasted subs, a 12-tap bar and a drone light show to Chesterfield County. The shop at 1124 Steam Ave., near Chesterfield Towne Center, marks the sandwich chain's debut in the Richmond region after years of expansion elsewhere in the country.
According to Axios, the Midlothian location includes a bar, a patio and a Virginia-themed mural, and it will open daily for lunch and dinner. The interior mural was painted by Joshua Finley, who has created artwork for more than 30 Cheba Hut locations nationwide, according to RestaurantNews.com. Finley's design weaves in local folklore figures including the Bunny Man, the Dunlora Witch, the Richmond Vampire and the Woodbooger, alongside a state cardinal and a Love Shack theme, the outlet reports.
Ahead of the storefront opening, Cheba Hut made its Virginia public debut over the weekend by operating a Stash Lounge and hosting a Saturday evening drone light show at Richmond's Iron Blossom Music Festival, the same RestaurantNews.com report notes. Friday's grand opening will feature its own giveaways and a drone show at dusk, and the store plans to drop $420 in cash at 4:20 p.m. on opening day, per Axios.
Sandwiches Named for Strains, But No THC Involved
Cheba Hut's menu leans hard into stoner culture, with more than 30 toasted subs named after cannabis strains like White Widow and Kali Mist, per the same account. The subs come in three sizes — nug, pinner and blunt — running from around $6.99 for a nug up to $15 for a blunt, Axios reports. The menu also includes salads, pretzel nugs, garlic cheese bread, meatball bowls, cookies and brownies.
Despite the strain-inspired sandwich names, Cheba Hut's products do not contain marijuana, according to Oil City News. The brand leans on counterculture weed terminology purely for theme and humor rather than actual product content. The Midlothian location's 12-tap bar will serve local beer and cocktails with names like Gin n' Juice, Bong Water and Ms. Parker, Axios reports.
Draft Rules Address Recreational Cannabis Sales
The sub shop's weed-themed branding arrives as Virginia considers recreational marijuana sales. WHSV reported that Virginia unveiled its first draft rules for recreational marijuana sales.
A Colorado Chain Built on Franchise Growth
Cheba Hut was founded in 1998 by Scott Jennings in Tempe, Arizona, and had more than 75 locations nationwide in January 2026, with a franchisee estimating about 85. The Arizona-based chain's franchisee WAHi Brands Inc. signed a multi-unit development agreement in November 2024 to bring 10 Cheba Hut locations to Virginia, with the Midlothian shop representing the group's eighth store overall across New Mexico, Texas, Montana and Virginia, per Eat This, Not That! Cheba Hut plans to open a Colonial Heights location in early 2027, Axios reports.
Individual stores also get some local flavor through Secret Stash menu items, including limited and seasonal offerings.
