Virginia Beach castle gets new owner after sitting vacant for years

VIRGINIA BEACH — It’s a castle that may not be fit for a king, but it’s certainly fit for a dog — lots of them.

The building known for its regal facade at 1136 Lynnhaven Parkway in Virginia Beach is under new proprietorship — again.

Nicole and Paul Sincavage, owners of Cosmo’s Corner, a doggy day care and kennel based in Virginia Beach, plan to expand their existing operation. On Dec. 12, the couple closed a $1.79 million deal for the 15,600-square-foot building that sat vacant for the past couple of years.

“We were looking to build something, but that didn’t work out with the cost of building supplies,” Nicole Sincavage said. “We have been searching for about a year now, and when the castle building went up for sale, we were really excited about it.”

Less than 2 miles from Lynnhaven Mall, the 38-year-old single-story building with a 12-foot ceiling had several occupants over the years, including a Toy Castle toy store, Paul’s Arts & Crafts and the Salvation Army family store.

The fortress-themed building’s royal exterior has remained the same through its ages, and the new owner plans to keep it intact aside from a few majestic upgrades, including resurfacing and painting. The interior will undergo a full renovation, including the installation of canine grass, an artificial turf for dogs. There will also be outside yards with water features.

The new location is slated for a summer opening and will have training, grooming, enrichment day care with mind games and agility courses. It will also have an expanded retail shop with pet supplies and natural and holistic dog foods and treats. The new spot will add another 10 employees to the business’s staff of 50.

Nicole and Paul Sincavage, owners of Cosmo's Corner, with their Boston terriers, Mindy and Mia. (Courtesy photo)

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Cosmo’s Corner, in operation at 505 Central Drive in the Oceana/London Bridge area, began 15 years ago under the leadership of Sincavage and her mother, Maryanne Grado. The business, named for Grado’s late Boston terrier, started with 2,000 square feet within one leased unit and grew to 13,000 square feet occupying nine leased units.

Paul Sincavage stepped in as co-owner of the business following his mother-in-law’s semi-retirement three years ago. Fueled by the family’s shared love of dogs, Nicole Sincavage said the business began just as dog day cares were starting, but they put a different twist on it.

“Most kennels were traditional kennels with indoor/outdoor runs,” she said. “We wanted it to be a place we’d take our own dogs to if we went away, so we did a more personalized experience with cage-free.”

With the growing popularity of dog owners throughout the pandemic and more people back at work and traveling, Sincavage said the business has continued to grow.

“We are very excited to be able to provide more pet services in the area,” she said. “It’s a huge growing industry.”

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com