Thompson Hospitality Announces New Restaurant Concept
Charlottesville, VA (RestaurantNews.com) The Ridley, a new restaurant concept in development from Thompson Hospitality, is slated to open on January 1, 2021, in The Draftsmen, an Autograph Collection hotel by Marriott in Charlottesville, Virginia. The concept is being developed to pay homage to Dr. Walter N. Ridley and the impact of his lifework.
The Ridley will add another dining option to Charlottesville’s Black-owned restaurant scene and the team looks forward to bringing this upscale-casual restaurant specializing in fresh seafood and a sophisticated take on southern-style food to the community. Notably, The Ridley is committing to giving back to students with an interest in diversity and inclusion through The Walter N. Ridley Scholarship Fund at The University of Virginia (UVA) in an effort to support academic journeys and career development.
The team responsible for Charlottsville’s new restaurant concept is headed up by Warren Thompson, UVA alumnus and CEO and founder of Thompson Hospitality, and his long time friend and business partner, Ron Jordan, CEO of Jordan Hospitality Group. The pair brings a unique combination of experience, creativity, and varied regional influences from the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest markets to the table to bring this fresh concept to life. The menu will include offerings like soft shell crab, fried lobster tails, branzino, red snapper, and cajun oysters, to name a few.
Thompson who holds a Master of Business Administration from The Darden School of Business credits much of his success to his father, forebearers, and Dr. Ridley. “As the first Black student to ever graduate from UVA, Dr. Ridley was a leader, educator, and an extraordinary influence for the generations that came after him,” shares Thompson. “Both my mother and father were educators who had the opportunity to study under Dr. Ridley at UVA so his influence is deeply personal to me. The Ridley is a way for me to publicly recognize his contributions and his commitment to action and equality in a town critically important to both his story and my own.”
Thompson is a Virginia native and a principal donor at The University of Virginia. In his lifetime, he has donated over $1 million dollars to support The Darden School of Business and power the generations that follow him. He has served for eight years on both the Board of Trustees of The Darden Foundation and the Board of Visitors for UVA. Additionally, Thompson supported the construction of the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers on UVA’s campus. “My vision is that people will be able to visit the memorial and then come to dine at The Ridley in the same way that they visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and then commune at Sweet Home Cafe.”
The Ridley will open on January 1, 2021, at 1106 West Main Street, Charlottesville, Virginia, serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. To help keep both The Ridley’s guests and their staff healthy, reservations are highly encouraged. Masks will be required in any common space of the restaurant and the restaurant will abide by all cleaning, social distancing, and capacity regulations as outlined by both state and federal agencies.
For more information on The Ridley, please visit www.theridleyva.com.
All media inquiries should be directed to Allison Bowers (allison@allisonmbowers.com).
About The Ridley
The Ridley is THE destination for upscale-casual dining and fresh seafood offerings in Charlottesville, Virginia. Located within The Draftsmen boutique hotel, The Ridley combines convenience and accessibility with an unparalleled dining experience. As one of Charlottesville’s only Black-owned restaurants, the concept pays homage to Dr. Walter N. Ridley, the first Black student to graduate from The University of Virginia and receive a graduate degree from any major, historically white public university in the South.
About Thompson Hospitality
Thompson Hospitality is the largest minority-owned food service, and one of the largest retail food and facilities management companies, in the country. Founded by Warren Thompson, restaurant and retail ownership has been a passion at Thompson Hospitality from the very beginning when Thompson purchased 31 Bob’s Big Boys in 1992. Thompson Hospitality is a family-run organization, built on values gained from more than 25 years of client, customer, and community relationships. www.thompsonhospitality.com.
About Jordan Hospitality Group
Jordan Hospitality Group is a family-owned and operated hospitality group based in Columbus, Ohio. Passionate, purposeful, and devoted to offering extraordinary experiences for each and every guest, Jordan Hospitality Group is a hospitality brand committed to community.
Jordan Hospitality Group is known for serving up world-class, highly-curated, and uniquely authentic experiences at restaurant concepts across the Midwest. www.jordanhospitalitygroup.com.
Media Contact:
Allison Bowers
614-420-5985
allison@allisonmbowers.com
www.theridleyva.com
