Virginia Barbeque

Well for me there is nothing better than opening a new location especially breaking into a new state with a great partner operating the location! I am just back from working with Roger, Nick and Amit to open their first location near Ft. Bragg and Fayettville , NC in the growing community of Raeford, NC.

Vince our trainer and franchise owner in Ladysmith took over the training and opening duties today! His skills in patience and details really are what's needed during the first week! I like to get to the new store first to teach skills in Virginia BBQ food preparation first hand from the founder and chef but Vince trumps me with his skills in working hands on with a new team to get them up to speed handling the initial rush of business. I do appreciate his desire to make the first week successful!

Our Michigan developers Sharon and Randy handled the Nascar Michigan race feeding the National Guard VIPS and not missing a beat. I understand this was the first Nascar experience for both of them! I always caution first timers to the National Guard VIP area that this is not a normal Nascar Sprint Cup experience. Seeing Dale JR and Gordon come into the rig for a quick talk up close and personal on your first trip to the track is not the experience most fans get.

Well I gotta go as after many weeks of non stop Virginia BBQ promotion I am taking today off! Can't you tell! This weekend is the Tappahannock Rivah Fest on Saturday! Sunday (Fathers Day) should be pretty cool also. Last weekend I got a call from DC 101 www.eitmonline.com/home.html They need some barbeque catered for Elliot and class along with the winners of the Fathers Day Aerosmith/ ZZ Top Nissan Pavilion concert tickets. http://www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/406791 I know it's a tough job but somebody has to go. Since it was Fathers Day I needed to take the family. I guess they really needed the barbeque because they came off of 4 tickets without blinking an eye. So no rest for the weekend but since I have not seen Aerosmith or ZZ Top live and getting to spend the day with the kids and Nina at a concert sounds like a pretty nice day!

Take care,

Rick

Wow! Time does fly when your having fun, or working hard and having fun! Its been  a journey the last 3 months going coast to coast twice in the Sprinter with trailer and golf cart in tow. For those that don't know we have been travelling with the Nascar circus since the first race in Daytona back in February. We are feeding the National Guard VIPs at each Nationwide and Sprint race throughout the season that ends in November. www.nascar.com to view a schedule of where we are next. I will have to say it has been an adventure like I have not had before. We will do two more west coast swings before it is over!

We are getting exposure throughout the country! As we travel in the wrapped sprinter we get many beeps and thumbs up. We are constantly thinking of new ways to introduce Virginia BBQ to others that we meet along the way. We always try to let them taste our food at the races but we are now handing out our logo drink huggies to stay first in mind with everyone we meet.

We do have a down week with Nascar this week and are using it to work with our newest location in Ocean Pines MD. The new location booked a large event sponsoring, catering and vending at the Ocean City Air Show www.ocairshow.com/ this weekend. Although we will be working we are certainly looking forward to spending the time on the beach. The Airshow is hosted at a beach front hotel and our vending booth is on the sand!

Next weekend is the Tappahannock Rivah Fest! We will be vending this apparently huge event in the Northern Neck of VA on Saturday. I am looking forward to my first bites of steamed Chesapeake Blue Crabs of the season. Yummy! www.rivahfest.com/rivah11.htm We hope to introduce Virginia BBQ to many locals from Northern Neck that have not heard of us yet as well as giviing them a gift of a logo drink huggie with a combo purchase. Staying busy one way or another and having fun doing it!!! That is my idea of the perfect life. Live the dream everyday! Don't let outside forces control your destiny and decide how you will live dont let life decide for you!

Rick

Hey Everyone,

Well here we go into 2008! This will be the year Virginia Barbeque will break out. Yes last year was the year of the pig (according to the Chinese anyway) and we did have huge success but, this will be our year. I probably say that every year at this time but I really feel it coming.

During the last 3 months we have partnered with four very competent area developers and signed many single location deals. We will open in Blackstone, VA next week (1-08-08) and in Hagerstown, MD and Buckeye, AZ within the next 90 days. Carrolton, VA, Temecula, CA and a Michigan location will follow as first stores for our area developers. These are just the confirmed openings. Our first area developer Dan Maher in Middletown, DE opened the week before Christmas to record crowds as our first location outside of VA was completed.

Mike has bonded into the team and is producing with many new additions to our system. Mike's goals will be to keep us on top of technology while continuously refining our simple operating systems while I focus on the quality of the customer experience at the store level.

Happy New Year to all! Always keep thoughts of continued prosperity in your mind and be greatful for life, family and freedom. There is nothing better than living the life you create for yourself!

Take care,

Rick

Just a quick note to let everyone know about Mike and DD Waltons Culpepper Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.
Stop by on Friday September 7th at their location in Culpepper to enjoy Virginia Barbeque and all the festivities!

Also on our schedules this week are a Wachovia Bank 450+ person event honoring/thanking the Fredericksburg regions emergency workers, the Chamber of Commerce "Chamber Challenge" Golf Tournament, (we are  donating lunch to the Chamber for the golfers). Mike and I just bought our clubs and hit some balls on Monday to get ready for this one. Saturday is a large catering for Odyssey Adventure Racing Triathalon at Lake Anna Park and to finish off the weekend we have our annual Bill Howell Picnic. Bill's the Virginia Speaker of the House and a regular at our Frederickburg store so no slacking just because we have been busy!

Take care all and let me know if you want to work this weekend!

Rick

Please join me in welcoming Mike Voss to our management team at Virginia Barbeque Corporate! Mike is a highly decorated veteran who recently retired from active duty to join Virginia Barbeque. We could not have found a more committed and dedicated team player.

Mike has been around from the beginning of Virginia Barbeque helping with the festivals, large events and anywhere needed. He has been our biggest believer and fan. I am truly blessed to finally have him at the next desk.

If you think growth was rapid over the past several years wait til you see what the future brings with Mike aboard. Look for major organizing of our system and continual improvements as we launch into other regions.

I look forward to sharing our success's and our stumbling points during the process of building the Virginia Barbeque brand. I believe you will see we are a continuous source of increase and growth. Sharing this will help others see how it was done and that constant and never ending improvement creates momentum that is unstoppable.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to share your Virginia Barbeque related stories with us.

Take care,

Rick