Valet parking Tuesday, and down the road

Red Mountain Bank makes it official

Red Mountain Bank, which opened two months ago at the corner of Franklin Road and Maryland Way, is ready to make it official. A ribbon cutting is planned Tuesday at 4 p.m. and everyone's invited.
Worried about parking? No need. Market President Rick Archer told me today they'll have valet parking and everything for the special event.
"We've had a great first two months," he said. "We've been blessed, especially in this economy. We're very happy."
He's not the only one.
The Birmingham-based bank performed a miracle at that very visible corner that makes me happy every time I drove by. It, along with other redos in the city's commercial district are slowly but surely making the area look brighter even without a lot of new development, or redevelopment as the case may be.
In addition to the ribbon cutting, the open house will feature hors oeuvres, Red Mountain Bank's signature coffee and visitors from its home office.

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More valet on the way

Speaking of redos in Town Center, did you see Vicki Stout's feature on Judge Bean's Bar-B-Que in Sunday's Williamson A.M.? If not, here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/BWbean.

Speaking of valet parking, Aubrey Bean mentioned to me on Friday he hopes to offer valet parking soon to alleviate some of the parking and traffic flow headaches being experienced at the Brentwood Court shopping center off Church Street.

The addition of Beans to the mix of already successful established businesses (Sweet Pea's, Sugar Drop, Amy's Gifts) and new ones (Nashville Needleworks) is becoming an issue. The lot has not been improved in ages. Check back later for more on this topic.

The buzz on Beans

Good news and bad news.
The good: If you got into Judge Bean's Bar-B-Que's special Thursday night "soft opening" you enjoyed brisket wraps, Diablos (jalapenos stuffed with smoked shrimp or chicken and chicken, then wrapped in bacon), cowboy beans, barbecue beans, all the beer you could drink and music by Trent Wilmon and Wade Hayes.
The bad: If you didn't go or didn't get in, you'll have to wait until the official grand opening on Monday. There's no time for another "softie." There's an outdoor patio to be built and last minute renovation's to be finished.
All this came not from the man himself, but his longtime catering director Mary Louise Haley. I met Mary when I stopped by today to get the scoop.
I also picked up a menu. Looks good. But I don't think Corky's or Stroud's need to worry. Judge Bean's specializes in Texas-style beef barbecue. There's hardly any pork on the menu. And as Southerners, there is always room in our lives for all kinds of barbecue.
And I love this, the "Skinny Jenny": "We even added salad for the Brentwood people. Leaf lettuce, diced tomato, cucumber, bacon bis, sprinkle of cheese w/ blue cheese, balsamic or ranch on the side. $5. Add buzzard or armadillo and the price goes up to $8.50. You figure it out.
OK, enough free advertising. Check it out yourself starting Monday and let me know what you think.
Judge Bean's is located at 7022 Church St. E.

Bean's smokin' Thursday night; Jefferson's opening soon and fried fish too

That's right, Judge Bean's Barbecue, our newest Town Center restaurant had a soft opening Thursday night and it was hot. Real hot. In fact, so hot that it was too hot for me. But not because I didn't try.
Every parking spot in the Manor House parking lot and even some made up ones were taken during both of my attempts to check it out. I'm on the case, however, and promise to pop in today to get the scoop and let you know how it went. In the meantime, if you were one of the lucky ones to get in, please comment below or send me an email to let me know what you thought.
The official grand opening in Monday, July 20. Good luck finding a parking spot!

Around the world dining
Speaking of food, after being disappointed about not getting into Bean's, I decided to drive to Maryland Farms to see if Jefferson's had opened yet. Unfortunately no, but it looked like it as close.
So this morning I gave owner Jeff Webb a call to get the scoop. He tells me the family-friendly sports bar should open in about two weeks. They're just waiting on equipment.
This will be Webb's seventh restaurant in the small chain, but the first in his native Tennessee. Wings, burgers and oysters are specialties, along with plenty of appetizers.
Jefferson's is the latest restaurant to open in the little strip center off Ward Circle that may just offer Brentwood's most diverse dining. It joins Joey's House of Pizza, China Wok, The Mediterranean Cafe, Hanabi Japanese restaurant and Jersey Mike's subs.
Can't wait to check out the menu? Check out www.jeffersonsrestaurant.com

All-you-can-eat catfish tonight!
If fried fish is more to your liking than brisket, consider heading due west to the 35th annual Bethlehem United Methodist Church Fish Fry today.
All-you-can-eat catfish and fixings will be served from 4:40-8 p.m. today at the church, 2419 Bethlehem Loop in Grassland (just off Hillsboro Road). For our purposes, we'll call it Brentwood West.
Not only will there be great food, you'll find a bluegrass band, kid's games, a bake sale and more.
Tickets are $12 ($5 for those age 9 and under). Need more info? Call the church at 794-6721 or visit the church website at http://www.bethlehemumc.com/

No big beefs with Town Center BBQ joint

Judge Bean's wins Planning Commission's approval ... along with a few paint suggestions

Brentwood Planning Commission meetings, much like City Commission ones, can be dry and dull. Unless, of course, you’re one of the parties involved in whatever agenda item is currently under discussion.
Several laugh-out-loud moments Monday night mostly courtesy of restaurateur Aubrey Bean made the other 60 minutes of humdrum-business-as-usual decision making much more palatable.
Anyone who frequented or is familiar with the old Church Street Pub or any of its successors over the past decade or so will probably affirm the following facts:
1. It’s not the most attractive building in Town Center
2. It’s not the easiest place to get in and out of, and
3. It’s one of those places a majority of Brentwoodians always secretly wanted to visit but never quite had the nerve.
Now Bean is bringing his popular Texas-style Judge Bean’s Bar-B-Que to town. And bless his heart he's trying to make the most of the framed building that sits adjacent to the busy but downtrodden Brentwood Court shopping center’s Church Street entrance.
Bean was seeking approval for non-conforming signs, new paint colors, an outdoor dining area, and permission to haul in his portable smoker every day. Dressed in khaki shorts, a Miller Lite-branded polo shirt and crocs, Bean made a statement before he even reached the podium, and it wasn’t a bad one. He looked like a barbecue man on a mission, which he is.
Bean's sign contractor, Jim Rowan of Sign Me Up!, described how they hoped to get permission to get rid of the tacky existing signage that while not conforming to current requirements could be grandfathered in. Instead of simply slapping on new plastic sheets with the restaurant's name, they want to design and install wooden signs that would be attached to the roof (a no-no for new construction under current C-4 Town Center guidelines) facing both the parking lot and Church Street.
Then came a discussion on paint colors. Sandi Wells switched hats from planning commissioner to designer to suggest to Bean he consider a color besides Navajo White for the building's aluminum shingles.

Bean seemed delighted with the help. He told her to pick a color and he’d use it.

“I don’t know much that can make this place look great,” he added, which lead to laughter all around.
Then the discussion turned to his smoker. “It’s so gorgeous,” Bean said, like a man smitten by his first love. He explained that he planned to cook the meats at his farm, and then pull the smoker to and from the restaurant each day.
Which brought up discussion about whether or not a permanent smoker wouldn’t be a better idea. And then there was the matter of the back concrete steps which don’t have a railing, the exposed dumpster, and, most importantly, how many parking spaces will be available. Parking is an issue not only by how many are required by zoning requirements but the state of the parking lot itself. Many of the spaces either are not marked, or are marked in the wrong directions.
“I wish I could change a lot of things,” Bean said about his new space, but later beamed with pride when he told the board they won’t believe the changes he's making when they visit.
“It’s fancy! We have three bathrooms!” he told them.
In the end, everything related to Judge Bean’s request was passed, unanimously.
“We look forward to having you,” said Commission Chair Randy Campbell.

New City Judge starts Tuesday, and more...

If I can get myself up and out of here Tuesday morning, I hope to be in the Municipal Building's board room, aka Traffic Court, in the morning. Nope, wasn't pulled over by one of our city's finest. Our new city judge will take her seat for the first time and I can't wait to see how she compares to our former one.

Last night's Planning Commission meeting was a doozie. Aubrey Bean -- aka Judge Bean's Bar-B-Q -- may be the best thing to ever happen to a city meeting. Check back later for a complete report.

Electronic Express is coming to Brentwood, in a big way. The locally owned electronics and appliance retailer will soon be taking over the space vacated by Comp USA. Gotta love those new sales tax revenues we'll be getting instead of Franklin. Hope to touch base with the company owner today. Stay tuned.

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign. Signs -- and the city's various sign ordinances -- had a big presence at Monday night's Planning Commission meeting. I'll keep my eye on that one and let you know what's up.

If you want to keep guns out of city parks, the deadline looms for city action. Email or call your commissioners today and let them know what you think. You can find all of their email addresses and phone numbers at http://www.brentwood-tn.org/.

In the meantime, if you have news to share, please email me at brentword@comcast.net. And check back later for expanded versions of all of the posts above.

New budget reflects city's sound standing

Employees lauded for hard work, dedication

The agenda was a long one, but Brentwood's city commissioners made quick work of it Monday night, approving a realistic yet comprehensive 2009-10 fiscal year budget; approving a tax rate that will not increase despite the current economy, and adopting the 2010-2015 Capital Improvements Program.
And before the commission meeting, the city's beer board approved on-site sales for new Brentwood restaurant Judge Bean's BBQ, another sign that Brentwood's doing OK.
In addition to be "big three" items listed above, the board removed three items from its consent agenda following questions during the Comments from Citizens time. Each was later addressed and approved as new business.
One of those items concerned the proposed $12,000 expenditure for the annual employee recognition dinner to be held at Embassy Suites in Franklin later this year. Resident Chris Bosen questioned the $36 per person cost and suggested the party be held in a party tent, with local caterers at a reduced cost.
Commissioner Joe Reagan noted that "our employees are absolutely part of the reason ... we are not going through what many cities are going through." In a year that employees will only receive a 1.5% salary adjustment and are being asked to do more with less, they deserve the recognition more than ever.
It was a notion shared by other board members.
Rhea Little, who owns a service-oriented business himself, said city employee's outstanding service to citizens is almost in direct opposition to how most people view government.
"(Our employees) help us manage this city better than any other city around," Mayor Betsy Crossley said. Noting that because of its staff the city runs "like a finely tuned business ... I'm not about to take (the dinner) away from them."
Edmondson Pike improvements ahead
Good news for residents living near or who use Edmondson Pike between Smithson Lane and the Davidson County line. The city is improving that stretch with new 12-foot wide driving lanes, six-foot shoulders and a third turning lane where necessary. And the best news? The $1.6 million project is expected to come in under budget, assistant city manager Kirk Bednar said.
In other news of note, the city budget again includes money for local public schools. Brentwood and Ravenwood high schools will each receive $30,000; Brentwood, Crockett and Sunset middle schools will each receive $15,000 and our six elementary schools each will get $10,000.
To see the meeting via video, or to read meeting minutes, visit the city's website at www.brentwood-tn.org

Brentwood stories worth sharing

The Tennessean has published two Brentwood stories you may be interested in:

On Saturday, Jessica Hopp Bliss had a wonderful story about Brentwood mom, physician, hockey player and breast cancer patient Lori McDonald. Check it out at http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906060304

And today, Harriet Vaughan has a story about Judge Bean's BBQ coming to Town Center. If you missed my earlier post about it, check that out too.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009906080311
http://brentword.blogspot.com/2009/05/bean-bringing-texas-bbq-to-b-wood.html

Bean bringing Texas BBQ to Town Center

Here's a little scoop for all fans of Texas Barbecue:
Judge Bean's BBQ is coming to Brentwood. That's right, Aubrey Bean, who first won fans with his restaurant near the Tennessee State Fairgrounds before moving to the Gulch on 12th Avenue in downtown Nashville, has bought and is renovating the old Church Street Pub.
Popped in today to check out the work and it's coming right along.
The old pub, Brentwood Sports Grille and other incarnations that have occupied the gray-framed Town Center bar over the past few years are in the process of being ripped away. Let's hope the outside is repainted to give it a new vibe too.
More details as they become available. Everyone's so excited about Chuy's coming to Cool Springs but I think this could be big for Brentwood.