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Whitener looks to reopen grill in fall of 2012
Kevin Whitener stands in front of the Fauquier Livestock Exchange in Marshall Wednesday, where he hopes to rebuild the Livestock Exchange Grill. Photo by Alisa Booze Troetschel.
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It will cost about $400,000 to rebuild the restaurant at the Fauquier Livestock Exchange near Marshall, according to cook Kevin Whitener.
The popular restaurant had been damaged in a September 2010 fire that ravaged the livestock sales arena and a barn, both largely replaced with insurance money and some donations.
The construction budget didn’t include the cost of replacing the restaurant.
The original restaurant occupied part of a big white cinder-block building that housed the exchange’s office and the arena. But Whitener’s plan for the new place calls for a freestanding, 1,800-square-foot structure that, like the old space, would include 25 stools. Whitener would spearhead the fundraising effort and lease the new building from the exchange.
“As soon as we raise enough money, the building will take about six months to do,” he said.
Whitener hopes to reopen the restaurant in September 2012.
The exchange would do “a long-term lease at a very good rate for his effort in getting the building up and running,” said exchange board president Mark Seitz, a Broad Run cattle farmer. “The livestock exchange considers Kevin a big asset to our company.”
People often ask him about the reconstruction effort and the conversation often turns to Whitener and the restaurant, he said.
“That’s usually the question they ask,” Seitz said with a laugh. “A lot of people know Kevin. They ask when are you going to get the restaurant back.”
Whitener, who owned The Railstop Restaurant in The Plains, opened the livestock grill about 11 years ago.
After the September fire, he opened the grill and operated it through last January. He closed it that month so that demolition of the damaged building could begin.
The blaze killed 19 of 233 animals penned at the exchange at U.S. 55 and Route 709, which opened in April 1963.
About one-third of the barn’s capacity, room for about 600 animals, survived the fire. New construction will allow the exchange again to handle up to 1,800 animals.
The destroyed sales arena held 300 people. The new one will seat about 150. With the standing room area, it can accommodate about 300.
Nationwide Agribusiness insured the site and 10 buildings for $1.3 million.
The popular restaurant had been damaged in a September 2010 fire that ravaged the livestock sales arena and a barn, both largely replaced with insurance money and some donations.
The construction budget didn’t include the cost of replacing the restaurant.
The original restaurant occupied part of a big white cinder-block building that housed the exchange’s office and the arena. But Whitener’s plan for the new place calls for a freestanding, 1,800-square-foot structure that, like the old space, would include 25 stools. Whitener would spearhead the fundraising effort and lease the new building from the exchange.
“As soon as we raise enough money, the building will take about six months to do,” he said.
Whitener hopes to reopen the restaurant in September 2012.
The exchange would do “a long-term lease at a very good rate for his effort in getting the building up and running,” said exchange board president Mark Seitz, a Broad Run cattle farmer. “The livestock exchange considers Kevin a big asset to our company.”
People often ask him about the reconstruction effort and the conversation often turns to Whitener and the restaurant, he said.
“That’s usually the question they ask,” Seitz said with a laugh. “A lot of people know Kevin. They ask when are you going to get the restaurant back.”
Whitener, who owned The Railstop Restaurant in The Plains, opened the livestock grill about 11 years ago.
After the September fire, he opened the grill and operated it through last January. He closed it that month so that demolition of the damaged building could begin.
The blaze killed 19 of 233 animals penned at the exchange at U.S. 55 and Route 709, which opened in April 1963.
About one-third of the barn’s capacity, room for about 600 animals, survived the fire. New construction will allow the exchange again to handle up to 1,800 animals.
The destroyed sales arena held 300 people. The new one will seat about 150. With the standing room area, it can accommodate about 300.
Nationwide Agribusiness insured the site and 10 buildings for $1.3 million.
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