Sale bringing beef to gourmet store
Walraven and Moore of Lyons Bridge Farm are buying Riverside Gourmet and plan to expand their product sales to Broad Street.
Lyons Bridge Farm beef is coming to Broad Street as Wes Walraven and Brian Moore have contracted to purchase the Riverside Gourmet, 250 Broad St., from Kevin Dillmon. Moore said Tuesday he had always wanted a downtown location to be able to market the beef which is raised on the Lyons Bridge Farm outside Cave Spring.
Moore said pop-up sales of the beef and other products under the Lyons Bridge Farm banner had done very well in the downtown Rome district in recent months. He has looked at a number of locations in recent weeks, including one of the six retail slots in the new Lofts at Third and Broad, then the Ransom Floral Co. building on Fourth Avenue which Moore said needed a little too much work.
After making it known on Instagram that he was looking for a downtown site, Dillmon reached out to Moore about the Riverside Gourmet shop.
“We talked about it and the deal is going through now,” Moore said. Walraven said the sale is expected to close Monday.
Moore explained that he and Walraven are only purchasing the business. The building is owned by Hal Ruland and Hans Van Eikeren.
The Rome News-Tribune was not able to reach Dillmon on Tuesday.
Moore said Dillmon will continue to operate the Honeymoon Bakery business in the same 200 block of Broad Street.
“I am so pleased Lyons Bridge Farm Beef will now have a storefront on Broad Street,” said Amanda Carter, the Downtown Development Authority director for downtown Rome. “LBF Beef is known for their highquality meats and I am thrilled they will fill this niche downtown. The owners take such pride in what they do and it shows. Everyone was so excited when they popped up in the Pop-Up Pop-In Shop at 401 Broad St., so I am happy to see they have secured a permanent location in the 200 block.”
“No changes are planned for the business other than we will also sell our beef (and now lamb and pork), salad dressings, meat sauces and grilling accessories,” Walraven said. Moore said all six of the part-time employees at Riverside Gourmet will stay on and Moore said he was excited to have some help marketing the beef.
Freezers are slated to be installed in the building Tuesday, however Moore said the small shop down on the farm will still be open on a very limited basis.
Moore and Walraven have applied for both wine-pouring and wine package sales licenses which will be considered by the Rome Alcohol Commission on Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. in the City Commission chambers at City Hall.