The rumor was bouncing around and yesterday it became official with an Instagram post. Citizen Burger is no more.

What an amazing run! After 7 years in this location, it is time for someone new to give it a go. Things have changed so much since we opened, including buying this historic building, opening new concepts in Cville, partnering on more projects here, getting married, having a kid, going through a pandemic…just about everything that can change has.

The staff here was actually some of the best I have ever seen, and anyone would be lucky to partner with them. I thank you all. Sincerely.

It’s no secret that after Covid we went through a challenging period. It was so so hard. There’s no right answer in these transition situations, nothing is real until it is already done, but I know for sure that this decision had nothing to do with this staff.

While I am proud of everyone, it would be inappropriate not to single out Ernesto Gonzalez. When you’ve been doing this a long time, you know when someone is special and is going to go far, and this is one of those people. There were so many stand outs, but Kyle, Travis, Tony, Alex, Sam, and Ruthie helped make the place. I know people were drinking during our sendoff, but they gushed about all of you and I was so proud.

A number of the staff recently announced that they have an exciting new concept in the works, an idea that will be new to Richmond and I can’t wait to see it. As I told many of you, if I had a new place right now I would pitch this entire team to move to it. I apologize for not being able to.

We also want to thank our amazingly supportive guests. Carytown has been a special place for us. Thank you so much for the support over the years.

Most of you know what we try to do here with local and responsible products, and thanking hard working local suppliers is always warranted. Our 100% grass finished Timbercreek beef is second to none. The completely natural buns from ABC are the perfect compliment to the pasture raised beef. The Mountainview farm cheese always makes me smile. And what hasn’t been said about Sugar and Salt. Lastly, the local beer support was super strong with this one. There are many more, I thank you all, we thank you all.
We thank everyone.

Opponent:  Chattanooga (2-5-2)
Date/Time: Saturday, June 3rd, 7:00 PM
Last Result: Kickers 1 – Tormenta 1

Weather Forecast From WeatherBug.com

Three Things to Kick About

1. Vinyals Returns – Nil Vinyals came off the bench last Saturday so barring a training setback he should be in the starting lineup. With the midfielder back in action expect the midfield to look better and hopefully more in control of the ball. In theory that control should lead to more transition into attack and more goals.
2. Everyone Scores – So far this year seven different Kickers have scored, with midfielder João Silva leading the pack with 3. The latest goal was a beautiful Olympico but Sukow that must be seen to be believed. Don’t whine at me that it was a cross. It goes into the books as a goal and will be celebrated as such. So far 8 goals have been produced by the midfielders and defenders. Meanwhile our forwards, you know the guys paid to put the ball in the net have racked up 4 goals.
3. Hot Ticket – It does my jaded heart good to see the amount of support in the stands the team is getting this year. Every game so far has had over 5,000 in attendance. This is well over the 3,500 or so we averaged last year. I’m not sure what switch flipped in the community but I’m glad to see it happen. The drawback is longer lines for food and drink but the Kickers are addressing that with more trucks. If you’re looking for a drink don’t forget there are multiple beer stations you don’t have to go straight for the building in the center of the concourse.

Prediction

The Kickers had a tremendous season last year until their first playoff game. In that game, despite being a man up for the majority of the game they ended up losing to Chattanooga by a goal. The fans, coaches and certainly the players remember the night a little too well. A win would have meant hosting the Championship Game in City Stadium, instead, it ended with a crushing defeat. Revenge will be on everyone’s mind and Chattanooga is not having a great season. The Red Wolves sit in second to last place and have a -8 goal differential. If ever there was a time for the Kickers to rack up some goals and get their scoring mojo flowing this is it. I predict it will happen.

Kickers 3 – Chattanooga 0

Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral (30 Malvern Avenue) will be, as always, the site for the Richmond Greek Festival. This will be the 45th festival after a multi-year hiatus and expect the full line-up of food, drink, vendors, and events.

Photo: Richmond Greek Festival

Trevor put together these great tips on enjoying the festival.

Parking

If you’re in the general vicinity of the event (intersection of Malvern & Grove), walk or bike, as parking is very limited in the church lot, and sparse in the surrounding neighborhood. If you do drive, be prepared to hunt for a spot and walk at least a few blocks at peak times.

Timing

Speaking of peak times, avoid them if you can! Swing in for a late lunch, early dinner, etc. if possible to avoid long lines and hordes of hungry people. If you can’t avoid the lines, your best bet is to grab a wristband and snag a bottle of Greek wine to enjoy while you queue into the tents.

Queuing

The festival’s main food tent is buffet style, where you can select what you want to eat and pay as you exit. Cash and cards are accepted. If you plan on eating a big meal, this is the way to go, but be prepared to wait at least 20-30 minutes to get through the line at mealtimes. If you just want a few things to snack on, there are separate tents for things like calamari, lamb gyros, and beer and wine.

Eating

As Greek physician, Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” If that’s true, you’re in for an overdose this weekend. You can view the full menu on the festival website. A few of the festival’s most popular items you should try include:

• Calamari – Individual pieces of lightly fried squid with lemon
• Dolmades – Tender grape leaves stuffed with seasoned rice
• Souvlaki – A sizzling skewer of tender chicken breast or pork marinated with herbs of Mediterranean origin and cooked over an open flame
• Pastichio – Layers of imported Greek Pasta, grated cheese, and sautéed ground beef topped with a cream sauce (Béchamel) and baked
• Moussaka – Layers of eggplant and sautéed ground beef topped with a rich cream sauce (Béchamel) and baked

If you’ve saved enough room for dessert, try:

• Baklava – Chopped walnuts and cinnamon-sugar between layers of filo pastry dough, baked to a golden brown and drenched with a honey syrup
• Loukoumades – Fluffy and light puffs, served warm with a honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon

Culture-ing

The festival is more than just food! You can take in the culture and spirit of Greece with live music and traditional dancing on the outdoor stage, as well as browse and buy works by local artisans and craftspeople at the church’s indoor market. It’s worth a visit, trust me.

Festival details

• Thursday, June 1st, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM; Friday, June 2nd, 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Saturday, June 3rd, 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Sunday, June 4th,  12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Sts. Helen and Constantine Orthodox Cathedral, 30 Malvern Avenue in the Near West End
• For more information call 804.355.3687
• Drive-thru open from each day’s respective start time until dusk
• Cash and cards accepted at all booths and drive-thru
• Rain or shine event