Redemption BBQ closure reflects Richmond dining strain
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Redemption BBQ opened in 2022 in Short Pump, the brick-and-mortar restaurant of the food truck that launched in 2002. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios
Redemption BBQ, named one of the South's best new barbecue restaurants, will serve its last tray of barbecue and pile of minced pork on Saturday after four years in business.
Why it matters: The challenges forcing the Short Pump restaurant to close are ones independent restaurant owners everywhere are grappling with.
- The economics of running the restaurant just no longer work, owner John Vest tells Axios.
State of play: The cost of everything has gone up, Vest says. But tariffs and now gas prices are pushing them even higher.
- The family farm in Amelia, where Redemption gets its chickens, is raising prices to cover its increased gas costs. The pork he gets from a Missouri farm started adding a 5% freight fee this year. His beef prices are up 10%.
Between the lines: The restaurant tried to source its food locally as often as possible, only serving pasture-raised meats.
- They smoke it using a time-intensive Virginia technique, completed with a house-made, custom sauce.
Meanwhile, Vest is seeing a pullback from diners.
- Business in March was down 25%-30% compared to last March, even though he didn't raise prices.
Zoom out: Independent restaurant owners across the country say diners have hit a price ceiling and are scaling back to keep their bills in check, Axios' Kelly Tyko reported off an industry survey.
- And locally, more than three dozen restaurants have closed since the beginning of last year, including notable spots like Heritage, Smoke & Barrel, Brickwood Barbecue, Padow's Hams & Deli and And Dim Sum.
Zoom in: Vest nearly closed Redemption two years ago, but a recognition from Southern Living convinced him to push on.
- Business tripled after the press, eventually leveling out at double typical sales. He staffed up and expanded hours to meet demand and jumped on an opportunity for an expanded space. Then the new space got delayed (and delayed and delayed).
- He held off on closing for as long as he could, and long-since stopped paying himself while borrowing against his retirement and racking up debt to stay afloat.
- But last week, when it was clear he soon wouldn't be able to pay his staff or vendors, he made the call to close.
What's next: Redemption is open through Saturday, 11am-6pm, at 3420 Lauderdale Drive in Short Pump.
- Check their social before you go. They've sold out a few days this week and closed early.
- After that, Vest will pivot to making and distributing frozen Chicago-style deep dish pizzas, his long-running specialty item.
- Keep an eye on the restaurant's social to score one.