General Discussion

LynneSin

(95,337 posts) Fri Nov 2, 2012, 07:21 AM Nov 2012

Romney Campaign Blames Obama For Closed BBQ Restaurant With Repeated Health Violations

Really?

I kid you not!

http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/11/01/1122211/romney-campaign-blames-obama-for-closed-bbq-restaurant-with-repeated-health-violations/?mobile=nc

Romney Campaign Blames Obama For Closed BBQ Restaurant With Repeated Health Violations

A new ad by the Romney campaign, titled “Bill’s BBQ,” highlights a small chain of barbecue restaurants in Richmond, Virginia, which closed in September. The ad argues that the 82-year-old company went out of business because President Obama has not improved the economy. But a ThinkProgress review of news reports and public health records suggest the company may have had other problems — and that other similar restaurants in the same area are doing quite well.

<<<<snip>>>>

At the time of the closing, Bill’s released a statement explaining “changing marketing realities and significant costs of upgrading operations,” make it no longer feasible for the company to operate in an economy that has struggled for five years. That timeline suggests that the company had been in trouble even before the economic meltdown of 2008 and had struggled to adjust to compete with other restaurants.

Meanwhile, The Richmond Times Dispatch noted that other barbecue companies are expanding in the Virginia capital area. “Virginia’s Finest Barbecue,” a Richmond-based barbecue blog wrote at the time of the closing that “Bill’s needed a face lift. It seemed they were still stuck somewhere between the 70?s and the 30?s, the good ol days for them,” and observed that ” the success of a few other Richmond bbq restaurants around town that have slowly eaten Bill’s business away.”

Additionally, it appears that Bill’s struggled to adhere to public health codes. Public health inspectors cited Bill’s locations repeatedly for critical and non-critical violations. In 2006, one location was cited for “sewage is not being properly disposed of in an approved sewage disposal system.” In 2009, another location was dinged for employees “handling ready-to-eat (RTE) food with their bare hands.”

I don't know about you but if a restaurant has numerous food violations I know I would hardly want to go there and dine. BTW some of these violations started back during the BUSH administration.