In a move that should really have surprised nobody, citing expenses, too much red tape, and a host of other reasons, Fatty’s Taphouse announced that they were officially pulling out of the project to open their next location in the space that was previously occupied by the famous Tim’s Rivershore. While its easy to understand why they would do this, what is most remarkable is the way the restaurant chain decided to burn all their bridges on the way out.
For those that don’t remember, Fatty’s Taphouse was the restaurant tapped by Biddle Real Estate Ventures to come take over the business after Tim’s was forced to close, following a bitter legal battle with the developer. Since the closure, the remains of the beloved restaurant had been left unoccupied for years and, as a result had fallen into serious disrepair.
Since the announcement was made earlier this week, there has been a steady stream of slings and arrows exchanged at high velocity between the residents of the nearby housing development Potomac Shores and the management of Fatty’s Taphouse. In one Facebook post, Fatty’s seemed to be blaming the residents of Potomac Shores of vandalizing the building – an accusation that didn’t seem to sit very well with the Potomac Shores residents who struck back at Fatty’s on their own Facebook page, as well as others. Screenshots reveal some very heated arguments and a general loathing from each of the participants.
Included in Fatty’s announcement was also a dig at the old Tim’s Rivershore:
The well water was deemed unsafe by the county, however they allowed Tim’s Rivershore to operate under these same conditions & bad well water for years…
However, in one of the Tim’s Rivershore facebook groups, a past manager claimed otherwise:
We built a new well a year or so before COVID. We treated our well daily, and on a monthly (or sometimes twice a month) basis, we had the water professionally tested. The results were done, reviewed, and then passed by the Virginia Dept of Health.
Considering that the building and surrounding infrastructure had been abandoned for years, its’ easy to see how a well, which requires regular treatment, might later be deemed unhealthy.
In any event, boating folks who were hoping to someday see a new restaurant open in that location are certainly feeling less than optimistic after this week’s developments.