‘Gut-wrenching’: Owner of Boulevard Burger & Brew speaks to 8News exclusively after car crashes into business

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The owner of Boulevard Burger & Brew spoke to 8News in an exclusive interview days after a car barreled into the restaurant, leaving significant damage to the front of the building.

“It was gut-wrenching,” said Chris Tsui, the restaurant’s owner and president of Eat Restaurant Partners, when asked how he felt after seeing the damage.

The Richmond Police Department confirmed to 8News that, on Friday, Oct. 11, its officers were called to the intersection of North Arthur Ashe Boulevard and Leigh Street for a report of a vehicle crashing into a structure.

Authorities said three people — a man and two women — stopped at the intersection and got into an altercation.

According to police, the man got out and tried to remove one of the women from the car, but she got into the driver’s seat and began driving. She is said to have quickly lost control, ultimately crashing into the restaurant.

The woman who drove the car into the restaurant has been charged with driving while impaired and reckless driving.

“[I] really felt bad for all the staff that works there,” Tsui said. “We are — or have been — trying to place most of all, if not most of them, into our other restaurants.”

Tsui’s company, Eat Restaurant Partners, is comprised of 12 local restaurants across the region. He said it has placed most hourly employees who worked at Boulevard Burger & Brew in some of those locations for work.

He added that those who receive salaried pay are continuing to be paid at the moment.

“We’re confident the insurance company will cover most, if not all, of the damages,” Tsui said. “We have a project manager on this already and it looks like we’re estimating somewhere between 2 to 3 months.”

Boulevard Burger & Brew will reach ten years since its opening on Jan. 7, 2025 — and Tsui is hoping the building’s repairs will be completed by that date.

“[If that happens,] we’ll do a nice little reopening and have a little big block party if we can,” Tsui said.

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