Sometimes Change is Good

There is a small fire storm of controversy in Olde Towne right now and it centers around the expansion of a restaurant, Brutti's, located in the 400 block of Court Street.  The Mansion at Brutti's is planning to open close to the New Year...merely weeks away.  I have a love affair with this restaurant.  I have for some time now.  It is a food and wine paradise.

I think it's awesome when a eating establishment does well and expands.  It means that things are being done correctly and I am so happy and excited for the owners.   There are some others that are not so happy.

The owners of Brutti's have partnered with the former owner of The Entourage, a now closed nightclub in Norfolk, VA.  Unfortunately, The Entourage had a less than stellar reputation locally.  There were some issues which required it's closing.  The issues may have been warranted, stemming from the clientele, which was mostly fans of hip hop and followers of the urban music culture.  The reality is there  is always a few bad apples in every bunch, but we don't go chopping down the tree because a worm got in an apple, right?  Would you feel the same way if there was a bar brawl among older women over Josh Groban?  Give me a break!!!!

The main question I have for those opposing the opening The Mansion at Brutti's is "why"?  Why do you fuss over the influx of dollars that will ultimately be centered into the small business community of our town?  Old Towne, as small as it is, is home to more that 30 restaurants and small shops.  We need this business to thrive to increase the foot traffic into our stores.  Point Blank.  Period.  It is a no brainer.

Yes, this new business is a "night club"...entertainment venue and yes, there will be hip hop, but not all the time.  This venue will host other genres of music besides the type of music you ( the opposition) are fearful of.  Seriously, not all aficionado's of hip hop are gun toting, drug dealing, criminals.

Have you (the opposition) been into a biker bar, a country music bar, a grunge bar...there are potential problems associated with different tastes in music.  There always has been and there always will be, but my point is...if Norfolk can have their "night life" district and Virginia Beach can have Town Center...then why should Portsmouth remain the evil step child and not have a nice venue of it's own??  There are night clubs in The Fan, a historical district in Richmond, Virginia and they are surviving.  No harm, no foul.  

I understand that it is very easy to judge an idea by the colors of the past, but as a community, we should not judge the success of The Mansion based upon the history of The Entourage.  Do you not think that this former owner did not learn a lot of lessons into "what and what not to do"?  Do you think these business owners would be so stupid as to sink multi-millions of dollars into a space that would fail?

Hello?  Let's not judge with ignorance.  Give this club a chance and before we start condemning a potential successful business venture, let's see what positive things it can bring for Olde Towne.

Will this club bring in the wrong element to Olde Towne?  It might, but it can happen anywhere...at any business, that is just the simple reality, but to blatantly say that this is wrong based upon the history of a different venture is immature and ludicrous.

I am hopeful and I do believe that the lessons learned by The Entourage staff will be taken into account when operating The Mansion.  If not, the proper authorities will close this venture as well.

We are a magical community...we are very special and yes, Olde Towne needs to be protected.  There is no doubt about this fact, but in order to survive and to create a community where there is growth and prosperity, we need this club.

Hip hop might not be your cup of tea...go on another night, but please...stop the fighting, the name calling, the lies and instead, let's help our neighbors in the creation of bringing something fun and innovative to Olde Towne and that is...a night life.

More tax dollars means better schools, a bigger police department, more stores, and increasing the historical preservation funding for Olde Towne.  We need The Mansion...and there are some of us that want this business here.  So, I invite you to pull your head's out of your asses and extend a hand of welcoming to The Mansion.  Be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.  You may even learn something...expand your horizons.  Relate to the younger generation that is completely entrenched in hip hop.  Did you know that more caucausions listen to hip hop than African Americans anyway?  Just a little food for thought there for your ignorant minds...

I am in complete support of The Mansion and I trust that a business such as Brutti's knows what they are doing.

Hello?  Bagelnutz?

This is Home Girl and I will be there on opening night...getting jiggy wit it.


“He who does not feel me is not real to me, therefore he does not exist. So, poof... vamoose, son of a b.” ~ Jay Z