Longtime DMV friends and neighbors, Charles Wilson and Adam Evans, are opening up their first Caribbean-inspired soul food restaurant and whiskey and cigar lounge in Richmond, Virginia. Named Brun, the concept will have a whiskey and cigar indoor lounge for people to socialize and grub.
“This fusion of food, whiskey, cigars, live music, and a facility meant to serve as an incubator for ideas…is something that is in low supply. But, we believe it would be in high demand if it were offered,” Charles Wilson told Travel Noire.
“We are not in a city or region where our concept is saturated as is the case in larger market cities like Chicago, DC, New York, etc. Richmond has a Black population that makes up roughly 46% of the total residents. The potential patron base for our business will be as diverse as the city we’re in. We don’t believe there are enough Black-owned businesses operating at a high level that caters to this diverse population. We simply need more.”
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Wilson and Evans developed a close friendship after living next door to each other. They knew they had to build a community space for Black residents to celebrate their culture and food. With Brun, the co-owners are looking to transform the large space into a restaurant that will welcome hungry guests and adults who want to sip on whiskey and light a nice cigar.
“Modeling exceptional, honest, and transparent business practices and ethics,” Adam Evans and Charles Wilson believe in these crucial factors to push Brun forward. “Education and exposure to various experiences within the food and spirits industry is not typically ventured by Black people. Collaboration instead of competition; especially amongst Black-owned businesses and service providers.”
“I watched Adam make incredible strides in stepping out on faith when he quit his career in education to create a home educational pod in September 2020,” Wilson explained. “He followed up with an investment in real estate that has already yielded positive returns. This was during a pandemic! Seeing how thoughtful he was, from his due diligence process to his execution in an entrepreneurial lane he hadn’t journeyed in before, let me know that he was the right person to partner with.”
Both seating areas in the restaurant can hold up to roughly 60 people, except for the indoor whiskey and cigar lounge that can hold up to 70 patrons. The lounge can be experienced through an exclusive membership that will allow a lucky number of members to take advantage of Virginia’s newest swanky restaurant.
Brun will include affordable Caribbean dishes ranging from $10 to $20.
The entrepreneurial duo’s overall vision for their future consumers is them taking, “Pride in knowing two Black men created something that is so inclusive, comfortable and inviting. [We] want them to feel good as they sit on the plush seating, to look at the vast array of whiskeys along the wall, to enjoy the aroma of fine cigars, and listen to wonderful music either in the background or from a live performance on stage. All while observing an environment that promotes social engagement, fellowship, and collaboration. We want business deals to be made while patronizing us. We want relationships to be forged. We want memories to be created in our spaces and thought about with a smile when recalling where the memory was created.”
Brun is slated to open in early 2022.
Related: Inside Virginia’s Hampton Roads’ First Black-Owned Brewery: 1865 Brewing