We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Edward Reavis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Edward below.
Edward, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Has Covid resulted in any major changes to your business model?
I don’t think any industry took a hit during the pandemic like the restaurant and hospitality industry. There was a point in time early on, where we considered paying our debts and walking away. In that moment we shifted to adding BBQ to our menu and better yet adding a food truck that would allow us to come to our patrons in the neighborhoods, homes, and schools with the product. The truck gave us amazing flexibility and also exposure during a time where we needed every tool possible to make it through. We watched restaurant after restaurant shut the doors for good and these were concepts that had corporate backing. That move till this day has evolved us and we received acclaim and new clientele that has allowed us to flourish and grow.
Edward, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I originally went to school to study physical education with the thought I would get into coaching after school, but during college I worked and thrived in restaurants. I had worked in fast food as a youngster and so it turns out I had been in restaurants since the age of 15 and a workers permit. What happened during my junior year of college was that I yearned for change in my life more so on the personal side and so I up and left college for culinary school and it was the best decision I ever made as now almost 16 years after that decision, I’m a chef with multiple restaurants and doing something I have true passion for.
I’m proud of where I came from and how whenever I go to my hometown the people who grew up with me or the city folk that know me let me know it and for me that touches me very deeply. From a small town in southern VA, it’s not something I take lightly, and I try to let that be one of the things that fuels my fire.
Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?
I actually just went through this process for the first time at the end of 2022. There was a fried chicken/soft serve ice cream concept that I was introduced to originally as a partnership opportunity. Ended up not going that route and then the opportunity to purchase came along and jumped at that. I envisioned the location being perfect to bring my smokers and do BBQ along with revamping the current concept and so far, it’s been a good move. The acquisition process was not as complicated because it was between 3 individuals (my partner, myself and the other party). The hardest part was the money, energy, and efforts to revamp the current concept while fusing in my own food and style.
How’d you meet your business partner?
My partner Jennifer and I met opening The Capital Grille steakhouse together in 2009. I was the head broiler cook and she was one of the star servers and there was one occasion where she won a contest for selling dry-aged ribeye and her prize was winning a ribeye cooked by myself. The ribeye caused us to hit it off and start hanging out which allowed the conversation to come up about us having a shared dream of one day having our own place. We actually started dating and throughout the years even being in and out of a relationship we continued to work and grow in the industry and never lost full sight of the dream and after 8 years of this we found a place to sign a lease and launch our first concept
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