[Cider Jim]

The word on the street (from an usher at the WBB game) is that the old Ryan's Restaurant is being remodeled to become a Wood Grill Buffet. http://www.woodgrillbuffet.com/profile.html

Can anyone in local business here in Lynchburg confirm or deny that rumor?

[LUconn]

Isn't that building owned by Bergland? I think they bought up everything in that area that went out of business. Wood Grill is good stuff. I think they'd do well here seeing Golden Corral's parking lot full everyday.

[Cider Jim]

No, that buiding you mentioned has been several different restaurants over the years (Western Sizzlin in the '80s, Ragazzi's in the '90s, and a sports bar after that) and is now used by Bergland's. Ryan's was farther up the road toward K-Mart.

[LUconn]

I think they own that building too though, along with Fazzoli's.

[Cider Jim]

I need to do a drive by to see if there is a "Wood Grill Coming Soon" sign in front of the old Ryan's.

[rueful]

Misread the Title as Humor and assumed this was like the 7 restaurant in wyndhurst

[flamehunter]

This needs to be moved to the Chapel as a prayer request!

Seriously, Wood Grill is by far the best buffet I've ever been to. This would be disaster for my diet though. Doctor says I need to lose 30, not gain 30.

[Hold My Own]

Just a rumor

[Cider Jim]

Interesting update...

I did my drive-by this morning, and there was one of those blaze orange building code permits on the front door, dated 11-9-09, for new construction.

The owner was listed as "Liberty Buffet Properties." I did a Google search for that business but found nothing. Any ideas about Liberty Buffet Properties?

[Rocketfan]

Interesting update...

I did my drive-by this morning, and there was one of those blaze orange building code permits on the front door, dated 11-9-09, for new construction.

The owner was listed as "Liberty Buffet Properties." I did a Google search for that business but found nothing. Any ideas about Liberty Buffet Properties?

Your internet search skills are weak....

Liberty Buffet Properties, 2623 Wards Road, renovation, $50,000

Thats all the info given about a building permit

http://www2.newsadvance.com/lna/news/pu ... 009/22300/

[Rocketfan]

If you got to the lynchburgvagov site which lists property details it says Liberty Buffet Properties INC owns the building as of 10/27/2009.

Purchase price 1,275,000

Assessed value 1,964,000

[Rocketfan]

Woodgrill has a some franchise fee breakdowns as well....

Site development is a minumum of 50K - exactly what the permit states.

http://www.woodgrillbuffet.com/franchise3.html

[Hold My Own]

This is interesting. I asked those that were supposed to be involved and they said it was just a rumor. Perhaps they were killing the rumor that if leaked could have been a deal breaker. I'll do some more checking.

[rogers3]

More likely, a Chinese Super Buffet.

[Cider Jim]

I'll do some more checking.

Come on, HMO, give us some breaking news!

[Hold My Own]

I jumped to the conclusion yesterday that my info was incorrect and they are coming in simply because the company name was American buffet...however after thinking about it the only practical business for there is a buffet so that's not really a good conclusion. I'm going back to thinking its just a rumors and my intel is correct

[LUconn]

I hope it's not a Great American Buffet. That place is terrible. Even for buffet food standards.

[Cider Jim]

Are the Great American Buffet and Wood Grill both owned by the same parent company, Western Sizzlin?

http://www.greatamericanbuffet.com/franchise.htm

[LUconn]

I don't think so. I checked Great American's website and they only have like 5 restaurants nationwide.

[flamehunter]

Are the Great American Buffet and Wood Grill both owned by the same parent company, Western Sizzlin?

http://www.greatamericanbuffet.com/franchise.htm

According to both websites, they are both owned by Western Sizzlin, headquartered in Roanoke. Wood Grill has 4 locations, C'ville, Harrisonburg and 2 in CA. GAB has 5 locations. From personal experience there is no comparison between the two. Wood Grill is far superior to GAB. It may be that the management of each franchise/location has something to do with the quality/service of the stores I've been to. Here's hoping we can get something comparable to the C'ville location.

[blwall1416]

Yes....just what Lynchburg needs....another buffet.

[flamehunter]

Yes....just what Lynchburg needs....a good buffet.

FIFY

[olldflame]

We've had this discussion before. Other than chinese, there really aren't that many buffets in the Burg. If Wood Grill is as good as you guys are saying I would certainly welcome it.

[El Scorcho]

Buffets kinda gross me out.

Also: People about 25-30 years older than me seem to really like them.

Can't really say that I get it. The few times I've been to buffets they've been really expensive.

[LUconn]

Wood Grill, if I recall is $9 a person. It's a pretty good deal since the food you're getting is like the quality of things you'd order at a decent restaurant. As opposed to other buffets where the food is gross most likely because it's made on a mass scale and starchy so that you'll get full faster. At least that's my theory.