Buz is back on track.
After more than a year on hold, the Richmond barbecue master is ready to start work on his second restaurant.
Buz Grossberg, owner of Buz & Ned’s Real Barbeque, said construction is set to begin any day now on the former Fuddrucker’s building at Broad and Parham, which he bought last spring for $1.2 million.
“We’re looking to open in the early fall,” Grossberg said. “Probably in October.”
Grossberg started out selling barbecue from a roadside stand in Hanover County and has operated from his location on the Boulevard for more than a decade.
Grossberg said he would be putting in another $1.4 million to get the new location up and running.
And that doesn’t include the hundreds of thousands of dollars he said he spent on the first attempt to develop the new location. Grossberg blamed the delay on a dispute with the previous architect. He had previously contracted with Baskervill to draw the plans and Capstone Construction to be the general contractor.
This time around, Grossberg chose architect Bruce Parretz of Parretz & Young Associates and Powers & White as the general contractor.
“What I did this time was check out everybody’s references,” Grossberg said. “Then, if they pass that muster, they got on the bid list.”
Grossberg said a bank loan is funding 50 percent of the project, an SBA lender is funding 40 percent and he is funding the other 10 percent.
“Because of the screw-ups and going back to lenders, I’ve had to cough up another $300,000 just to go on,” Grossberg said.
Despite the setbacks, Grossberg is sticking to his plan, which calls for a full bar, gift shop, decorative water tower and carnival-style target shooting.
“I already bought the shooting gallery, and I’m just waiting for it to be shipped,” Grossberg said.
Al Harris is a BizSense reporter. Please send news tips to Al@richmondbizsense.com.
I’ve been with child to hear when Buz would start turning Fuddruckers into a Palace of Pork – glad to hear it’s on its way, will be at the head of the line when it opens!
it is a shame Buz had to throw Baskerville and Capstone under the bus. They are both overly qualified to handle a barbeque stand and i am sure there are two sides to the story.
It’s been an eye sore for awhile, it’ll be nice to know a local business is up and running there!
I don’t care for Buzz and Ned’s BBQ. I think that Alamo in Church Hill is MUCH better and Q in Midloathian runs a close second IMHO.
It is a shame, though, that he had all these setback. I hope they do well at this location even if it’s not my favorite BBQ.
Really question that both the G.C. and the architect made such huge mistakes that it was worth a year delay and $300k. Capstone and Baskervill are really good at what they do to have messed up a simple restaurant renovation. I can’t imagine Capstone even had time to mess anything up all they did was demo. Sound more like financing issue otherwise why wait a year?
Lame. There are absolutely 2 sides to every story and here, Buz’s is less than honest to say the least.
Buz’s response to some of the comments on Al’s article:
1. “jason’ gave himself away by addressing more than what was in the article. No one said
anything about Capstone having anything to do with the delay of our project. Jason seems to
know just enough of what happened to sound ignorant or self serving. My Dad told me and
I tell my kids, “never open your mouth unless you know what you’re talking about. Who are
you really “Jason”?
2. Lame claims “Buz is being less than honest”. How does Lame know anything about what
happened between Buz and Ned’s and Baskervill. Maybe he is one of those
directly involved in the dispute and is attempting to deflect. Notice he didn’t use his real
name…or maybe he did.
3. To Gibson Wright, no one has thrown anyone “under the train” (meaning “to abandon or
deliver to destruction”). Use of the phrase usually applies to an innocent who was sacrificed
to protect something. Gibson Wright, if there is such an individual with the first person
knowledge of what transpired the last year or so, and if you believe an innocent was
sacrificed, do the “wRight” thing and identify yourself and come forward to help the innocent.
Patent phrases, quips and inuendos doesn’t get it. Facts will suffce.
4. And finally Scott…Oh Scott, did you really think it was good form to put in a cheap plug for my
competitors when the article is of a serious nature? Shame…
5. Add credibility to your comments…Use your real name and email address. Be sure you have
your facts straight first. I do.
I didn’t notice buz bashing anyone. I have always know him to be straight ahead hard worker who gits it dun. I am looking forward to the new place and what buz will bring us next. Good luck!!
Hank
I love their BBQ but I think that location and more specifically the costs planned for its renovation don’t make sense. Seems like throwing too much money at a dying site. Better play would have been a few well-placed boutique locations in higher value real estate. Or a franchising model.
// worked at that Fuddruckers in ’86. Hate to see it go.
// have had BN BBQ since my Caremark days and the Ashland roadside stand in the ’90s.
// Jim Taylor is my real name.
// Lighten up Buzz. Both BBQ and free speech are American icons.