The Broadberry has been open for about a year on West Broad Street. Photos by Michael Thompson.
A local concert venue’s ownership team has undergone a remix.
The Broadberry at 2729 W. Broad St. is now jointly owned by Lucas Fritz and Matt McDonald, after previous owner Rand Burgess sold his share of the business last month.
Fritz had been the general manager at The Broadberry since it opened last year. McDonald already owned a stake in the venue with Burgess. The deal closed May 29 for an undisclosed sum and gives Fritz and McDonald each a 50 percent stake.
Burgess continues to own and operate The Camel, a restaurant and bar nearby at 1621 W. Broad St. Reached by phone, Burgess confirmed the sale of his portion of The Broadberry, but he did not want to comment further.
Matt McDonald (left) and Rand Burgess
Fritz, a VCU graduate, said owning a venue has always been a goal of his.
“It was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” Fritz said. “It’s really the best thing that ever could have happened to me.”
Fritz said The Broadberry can hold about 350 people and will continue booking a range of shows for mid-sized acts. The venue has hosted more than 150 shows since opening April 2014. Highlights, Fritz said, included metal band Carcass, and shows by Richmond’s No BS Brass Band and Matthew E. White.
A full year of booking talent will help the business going forward, Fritz said.
“That knowledge going into the second year will give us a better bargaining chip pulling in the bigger acts,” he said.
Fritz said he wants to continue using The Broadberry’s food operations to bring in revenue. He said the business did catering for the Brown’s Island New Year’s Eve party, the food festival Broad Appetit, as well as weddings.
“Going into year number two we’re going to try to grow and expand our catering business,” Fritz said.
The new ownership at The Broadberry is just the latest shake-up among local music venues.
Last year, a large West Coast company with a global reach bought The National at 708 E. Broad St. downtown for more than $6 million. And The Tin Pan opened earlier this year to drive more live music to the West End.
The Broadberry has been open for about a year on West Broad Street. Photos by Michael Thompson.
A local concert venue’s ownership team has undergone a remix.
The Broadberry at 2729 W. Broad St. is now jointly owned by Lucas Fritz and Matt McDonald, after previous owner Rand Burgess sold his share of the business last month.
Fritz had been the general manager at The Broadberry since it opened last year. McDonald already owned a stake in the venue with Burgess. The deal closed May 29 for an undisclosed sum and gives Fritz and McDonald each a 50 percent stake.
Burgess continues to own and operate The Camel, a restaurant and bar nearby at 1621 W. Broad St. Reached by phone, Burgess confirmed the sale of his portion of The Broadberry, but he did not want to comment further.
Matt McDonald (left) and Rand Burgess
Fritz, a VCU graduate, said owning a venue has always been a goal of his.
“It was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” Fritz said. “It’s really the best thing that ever could have happened to me.”
Fritz said The Broadberry can hold about 350 people and will continue booking a range of shows for mid-sized acts. The venue has hosted more than 150 shows since opening April 2014. Highlights, Fritz said, included metal band Carcass, and shows by Richmond’s No BS Brass Band and Matthew E. White.
A full year of booking talent will help the business going forward, Fritz said.
“That knowledge going into the second year will give us a better bargaining chip pulling in the bigger acts,” he said.
Fritz said he wants to continue using The Broadberry’s food operations to bring in revenue. He said the business did catering for the Brown’s Island New Year’s Eve party, the food festival Broad Appetit, as well as weddings.
“Going into year number two we’re going to try to grow and expand our catering business,” Fritz said.
The new ownership at The Broadberry is just the latest shake-up among local music venues.
Last year, a large West Coast company with a global reach bought The National at 708 E. Broad St. downtown for more than $6 million. And The Tin Pan opened earlier this year to drive more live music to the West End.