Buffington’s applies for ABC off

Bob Buffington? That name rings a bell…

I spoke with 2 very nice guys at this address last weekend. It’s the recently rennovated retail down and apartments up space at the corner of E Marshall and N 28th. They are opening a “really good” pizza and beer store. They told me that when they open, it will be pick up only, which is the reason for the ABC off application. They may offer dining on site at some point in the future. I didn’t think to ask if they will deliver pizza and beer. They did tell me that one of the partners is the gentleman who owns Captain Buzzy’s. I asked them to please stock Legend beer! Oh, and they said that they will only sell 6 and 12 packs – no singles and no 40s!

If there is going to be a another off-premises beer joint opening within a block of Buffington’s…this is a receipe
for another Blue Wheeler hangout…cheap food and booze…the liquid lunch with the remnants (thrown on the street from the car window) left for the neighbors to clean up.

Sorry, if they are only selling 6 and 12 packs, this will not be a “good” beer shop. The “good” beer sold in 6 packs is pretty limited now a days. Most are coming in 22oz or 750ml containers. And Legends Beer is already sold at the market, so I am not sure why anyone would be excited about it coming to this place.

Aziza’s also has great pizza and is just a short walk away. I fail to see why we need another pizza place, unless they plan on making true wood fired Napoletano style pizza.

I didn’t know Sette delivered, laura, thanks again for the good information!

Well said, CRD! Let’s at least give these enterprising folks a chance and not bash them before they even open their doors. After all, I’m sure they’re investing a big sum of their money into this business. If you don’t want them there, fine, don’t patronize their business – maybe you’ll get your wish if they can’t make ends meet financially. To the rest of you, who see this neighborhood becoming an even more sustainable, walkable community full of mixed uses such as this one, I say cheers and I look forward to bumping into you all and other visitors who chose to go there. To immediately cry foul and say that it will become another Blue Wheeler is unfair. For crying out loud, with that mentality, we sound like a bunch of unwelcoming jerks who’d rather see the neighborhood rot than actually give entrepreneurs a chance!

CH needs more variety and this is business is a step in the right direction.

I hope they get an ABC license without too much trouble and offer a killer beer/wine selection:)

I agree we need variety but we already have a ton of pizza options near here- why not try something different? I really liked the idea of the Churchill Market so I guess I’m more bummed about that than I am anything else.

And the name sounds more tacky than anything else.

Magneto, once you try the Aziza’s pizza, you won’t worry about topography. I am all for variety and new businesses, but Pizza and Hotdogs is not really what I expected for that nice spot.

I agree with all of the positive comments that are being made. Let’s support entrepreneurs who want to turn vacant buildings into a business.

I completely agree James. I will also add that the first poster stated the place will be takeout only initially so it’s not really a geography argument because you aren’t eating there vs. walking down the hill to Sette or Aziza.

In either case, I’m not saying I won’t give this place a shot but I just think there were way better choices for that great space. A place like Comfort or Sprout or Impanema or even a wine bar would have been perfect.

I do not understand why people think that it is “Impanema.”
It is “Ipanema.”

Those folks did a great job on rescuing that building and I hope they do well. But, I think it will be difficult for them to sustain themselve since they will be mostly dependend on local residents. That’s a relatively small population. Selling a single type of item in a limited market will be a real test. Time will tell.

Oh Lordy the negativity. You crabs in a bucket stop pulling each other down. Just because it isn’t your vision doesn’t make it a bad vision. An investment in the community and its people is a welcomed investment. Pull up and zip up your pants. Stop pissing on people and ideas that are not your own. How about embracing a little diversity in thought and action, how about encouraging your neighbor instead of treading upon them and spitting vile words.
Lets build up not break down. Lets speak pleasantly over a cup of Buzzy’s coffee that is roasted in house. Lets smile at one another while we share some cooked on the premises Alamo BBQ. Let’s burn the roof of our mouths together with hot fresh pizza from Sette. Let’s grab a six pack of beer or soda from the Blue Wheeler and have a cook out. Let’s be neighbors.

Thanks for the sounding board John M.

@Tinsel and CapitalGal, you sound like volunteers of a political campaign (“We can do better!”) And in my opinion, renovating a vacant building and opening a business inside it is doing “better.” I strongly believe the type of establishments you desire will come to CH in time…in the meantime let’s enjoy some pizza:)

tinsel – I used to work at Buzzys and they do not use Folgers! In fact, they are the only place I know of that actually roast their own beans. And it makes all the difference – I really think they have the best coffee in our area. The food is simple, but it is a formula that works. My only complaint are the long lines.

I am really happy that this will NOT be a high-priced gourmet joint. Bob has a successful business with Buzzy’s and I think this one will succeed as well.

@Bill- Wow, that’s really interesting. We need more options up here so how can we as a community make our voices heard louder? How did this opposition cost him $100,000? Through a lawsuit? What were the grounds of such a lawsuit? One group can’t have a monopoly over an entire community (if we don’t let them).

I would like to hear if this is true, Bill. I love Hill Cafe and frequent the establishment. However, I may not be as loyal if I know that they are keeping other sit down restaurants from coming to the area.

Sounds like rumor-mongering to me.

It is absolutely no wonder that no one in their right mind would open up a business here. Second guessing, downright nasty comments and more of the same old, same old negativity. It’s amazing that with so many business geniuses in this forum that there is not a thriving wine bar or boutique opening on every corner.

This is exactly why I’m moving out of this fucking piece of shit “community”. And good riddance to me, right?

Good luck Church Hill. You folks just can’t get out of your own way.

Zekeus, thanks for your maturity.
No one asked for a boutique. I know it is hard for you to read, but many people here would love to see any number of businesses. Most of us were really happy to hear about the market that was a possibility.
As for the community, the fact that you are leaving means you probably weren’t an active part. I am sure no one will miss you. I have only been here a short time, but seen many improvements. I also see a lot of people pushing for this area to become a nice thriving community like Carytown. I just think people were expecting more than just another pizza shop for this location. Another problem is that the business owners themselves have not been very vocal about their plans for this site. The people that were going to open a market came on here any let everyone know their plans, then asked for suggestions. The pizza place owner did none of that. People like to be in the loop about new businesses in the community. Of course there will be speculation. We have no info!

Yea!!! A pizza place within walking distance! Best wishes to the owners!

No rumor mongering. FACT. Zoning issues can cost $100,000, easily, when you run into well heeled commercial opposition. When someone applies for a zoning variance objections happen. Regular Church Hill people come to the meeting to object. They don’t bring/send a lawyer like RRG does. When the objections are taken to the Nth degree your $200/hr lawyer can wind up doing 500 hours (roughly 63 days of work). That’s $100,000 right there. Don’t tell me you’d do it all yourself either, sans lawyer, because you’d have a fool for a client and the RRG lawshark would eat you. RRG is acting like any other business that wants to protect it’s income, and they’ll use every law in the book to do it. Their goal is to cost you money and discourage you from opening your business. RRG is not some benign, goodwill-to-their-fellow-man, live-and-let-live organization. They’re as cutthroat as any other business owners trying to protect their piece of the pie, regardless of what it does to you and your choices. If the location you’re trying to open was never a restaurant then you’ll have to get a zoning variance on Church Hill. $$$. Period.

Captain Buzzy’s ran into opposition and had to agree to not be open past either 11pm or midnight, and also had to agree to no alcohol sales on premises ever, or it would have cost $100,000+ to fight that, too. I’m betting that RRG will oppose the off-premises license for Captain Buzzy’s because they have one, also. Having a monopoly as a restaurant on The Hill is lucrative and will fund the plan to stay a monopoly. The more money you give RRG, the more they’ll fight to keep their Church Hill pot o’ gold.
It appears most of you questioning these facts only draw paychecks from others and have never owned a business. This is basic stuff.

Bill:
So, you are saying the RRG comes to EVERY zoning meeting for a new business in the area with a lawyer to oppose it? Why would they spend all that money on a lawyer – it seems like it impact their income. Did they oppose Que Pasa with a lawyer? Alamo BBQ? That ice cream shop at 25th and Broad? Something like a Deli? Your accusations are very broad and sound very personal.

edg, Alamo BBQ is in a previous location of a restaurant, RibsUSA. Alamo doesn’t stay open late nor serve ALCOHOL. Que Pasa never applied for work permits or anything from the city until after they did the work, which is illegal, of course. They then repainted, illegally, the Bromo-Seltzer sign. Que Pasa imploded on their own STUPIDITY, alot like buddycorbett, but I’ll get to that loser moron shortly. The ice cream place, again, neither stays open late nor serves ALCOHOL. No reason for them to object but there was also no zoning variance needed for that commercial space to have an ice cream shop there, same with Alamo. The 25th St Grill needed no variance, either. Former restaurant space. Grandfather Law, it’s called. The ABC license for both Que Pasa and 25th St Grill was objected to by RRG and the usual suspects from Church Hill who come and object to every alcohol related license but the ABC board doesn’t have it’s hands tied by ZONING LAWS. RRG did object to the ZONING CHANGE to make it a restaurant. Again, I only know this because I personally know the previous owner of the building who wanted to open Church Hill Market with seating for a small restaurant and on-off premises alcohol sales. RRG wasn’t alone in objecting to the change, the usual suspects from Church Hill did their usual act, also. RRG held fast with no negotiation, at all, to change the zoning for a sit down restaurant. These aren’t “accusations”, they’re sheer facts.
Tell us why NO other restaurant owner in Richmond has come to the lucrative market that is now Church Hill? Answer: No properties Grandfathered In, nor zoned properly for, a sit down restaurant and it costs big $$$$$$$ to rezone. Period.
For the record, I have nothing against RRG. These are just hard, cold facts of business life that they don’t tell you about on the menu. I like Staples (except for his unbelievably good luck at backgammon/dice rolling), dude.

Oh, and don’t quit your day job. Your online Internet Psychic course was an abject failure.

SEW, thank you. I did go into specifics in posts #34, #47, #51, and what should be post #55 (loaded with specifics) after I cleaned up the word “moron” (5 times, see post #50 for reference) from my description of buddycorbett (john_m asked).

These are just hard, cold business facts that some people can’t swallow nor understand, apparently. When it comes to money, all bets are off and even the nicest guy in business will do whatever is necessary to protect his business and income interests. (Hill Cafe rings roughly $2 million a year, which is a huge cash cow, and is worth fighting to keep a monopoly with.)

Side note, I tried Aziza’s pizza after your post #14. You’re right, it’s very good!