RICHMOND, Va. — Having whetted locals’ appetites with their weekly popups, a pair of first-time restaurateurs is turning up the heat on the Scott’s Addition dining scene with their first brick-and-mortar location.
ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque opens this weekend at 3201 W. Moore St., at the corner of Highpoint Avenue in the heart of the eclectic neighborhood.
The Central Texas-style barbecue joint is the first restaurant venture for local architects and couple Chris Fultz and Alex Graf, who have operated ZZQ as a popup since 2015 at Ardent Craft Ales. The brewery is next door to the new brick-and-mortar location.
“We really wanted to bring craft Texas-style barbecue to Richmond,” said Fultz, who is taking a sabbatical from his firm Fultz & Singh Architects to run ZZQ.
“We’re first-time restaurateurs, so we want to make sure that we get this right,” he said.
Through its popups, ZZQ has built a growing customer base, announcing in October 2016plans to open a permanent location to sell smoked meats and side dishes. The project’s construction schedule was slowed down last year – a delay Fultz attributed to city permitting delays.
Fultz said he and Graf have pumped about $850,000 into the venture, with help from investors. They’ve hired 30 people to staff ZZQ and are looking to hire an additional 10 to 15 workers.
The 5,500-square-foot facility was designed by Fultz, Graf and Amrit Singh, Fultz’ business partner at Fultz & Singh. A Central Texas native, Fultz said his vision for the space puts a little bit of Austin in Richmond.
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