HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A popular Henrico restaurant is ending its barbecue service for the foreseeable future.
Redemption BBQ and Market announced it will only be open Wednesday through Saturday this week, with Saturday marking its final barbecue service.
Owner John Vest says significant debt, the rising cost of pasture-raised beef, and a drastic jump in gas prices forced him to pivot the business.
"This is a difficult time for restaurants because it’s a difficult time for consumers," Vest said.
Vest said his insistence on using humanely-raised pasture meat costs two to three times the price of conventional meat.
Just two years ago, the restaurant was named one of the best in the South by Southern Living magazine. Vest said he almost shut down at that time, but the publicity doubled sales and led him to pursue an expansion.
Preparing for a new space expected in May 2025, Vest expanded his staff and hours, working 60 to 80 unpaid hours a week. However, he recently learned the expansion project is delayed indefinitely.
Vest initially planned to reduce barbecue service to two days a week and increase pizza production, but realized the current location's volume could not sustain food and labor costs.
"I can’t in good conscience employ people I might not be able to compensate or order meat from local farmers I might not be able to pay," Vest said.
"I don’t know what’s at the end of the tunnel now, but I can’t take on any more debt or imperil my family’s finances worse than I have already. More importantly, I don’t want to miss any more of my sons’ childhoods," Vest said.
The restaurant has four days of meat on hand, including Autumn Olive Farms pork shoulders that will be served Friday and Saturday. After that, Vest says he will say goodbye to his staff.
Moving forward, Vest is focusing his attention on selling frozen Chicago-style deep dish pizzas. He is exploring options to expand direct-to-consumer sales to meet demand, pay down debt, and keep his commitment to serving pasture-raised meats.
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