Henrico restaurant, venue operators receive funding through federal relief programs

At least 54 restaurant companies and three live venue operations based in Henrico received funding from one of two U.S. Small Business Administration programs designed to assist such facilities in the aftermath of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The restaurant companies received a total of just more than $9.2 million as part of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program, while the live venues received a total of $3.52 million through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants program.

Among those receiving RRF funds, the company that operates Hutch Bar and Eatery at 1308 Gaskins Road (HGreeley LLC) received the most money (nearly $1.2 million), while Intermission Beer Co. in Glen Allen received the smallest amount (just more than $13,000).

View a full list of the 54 Henrico restaurant operators that received RRF funds here.

Companies that operate other Henrico restaurants also received funding through the program, but their ownership groups are based outside of the county and are not reflected in the data in this article.

Other companies that received larger amounts included:
• Tarrant's West LLC (about $850,000);
• Absolute Catering LLC (about $552,000);
• New Teppanyaki Grill and Buffet LLC (about $531,000);
• Urban Farmhouse Holdings LLC (about $513,000).

Money came through the American Rescue Plan, and the program was available only to businesses that serve food or drink.

Intermission Beer Co. experienced about a 15% to 20% reduction in sales any given month during the pandemic, according to owner Courtney White. The restaurant utilized the funds to pay back rent deferment, expand the outdoor area by purchasing additional picnic tables and assist with day-to-day expenses.

“Just to be able to cover those costs without sinking into savings has helped tremendously,” she said.

The restaurant, which has now expanded its menu to serve pizza and pretzels, operated to-go only from March to June 2020, and then opened up to outdoor seating with limited indoor capacity. They are cautiously optimistic moving forward, she said.

Richmond Belly Ventures lost about $2.2 million in top line revenue due to the pandemic, according to owner David Duke. His downtown Richmond Potbelly location was the only one in his restaurant portfolio to receive the federal Restaurant Revitalization grant.

The funding, which was received in May 2021, has allowed him to pay staff, rent and utilities as well as reinvest in the restaurant with new equipment, he said. Despite being 20% off of the target, Duke is hopeful that he can continue to keep the doors of his restaurants open.

“I've liquidated all my personal assets and certainly hoping that things will turn around,” he said. “Deep down in my soul I believe that it is happening, I'm already seeing some increased revenue in some of the more commercial markets like my downtown store and Short Pump/Innsbrook, which has a lot of office buildings around it.”

The three live-venue operators in Henrico that earned grants from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants program were:

• EventMakers USA, which received $2.57 million; the company formerly produced the Innsbrook After Hours series but is no longer affiliated with it, instead now operating “After Hours” concert series at the State Fair of Virginia site in Caroline County and in Fredericksburg;

• SSH, LLC, which received $888,916; the company operates The Tin Pan, a music venue and restaurant at 8982 Quioccasin Road in Henrico;

• Yes Balloon, LLC, which received $67,010; the company operates ComedySportz Richmond, an improv comedy group, at 8906-H West Broad Street in Henrico.

– Ryan Hudgins contributed to this article