Wednesday, May 15, 2002 – Story by Paul Dellinger

Copyright (c) 2002, Roanoke Times

LANDMARK RESTAURANT IS SOLD ONLY COSMETIC CHANGES PLANNED

A 32-year-old Northern Virginia businessman has purchased The Farmhouse Restaurant in Christiansburg and is planning a few improvements in appearance. But Arthur Tsiamis said in Fairfax on Tuesday that no changes are planned to the staff, basic service or the type of food.

"The changes that were planned are more cosmetic," he said, such as sprucing up the outside of the 19th-century building at 285 Ridinger St. and installing a tile floor in the lounge. He said he hoped to complete the changes before the start of the Virginia Tech football season. The projects have not been started yet.

Tsiamis' wife and sister went to Virginia Tech, so he has been a frequent visitor to the area. "We really knew the restaurant," he said. "So, when I heard it was for sale, I jumped on it as quick as I could."

Tsiamis is a certified public accountant and business owner with experience in the restaurant business. His family owned restaurants in both North and South Carolina, he said, and he once worked for a man who owned 26 Burger Kings. "I think I'm bringing a lot of skill to the table," he said. "I live up here in Northern Virginia, but I'm going to be getting down regularly to oversee everything." He said he plans to keep all the current employees, including Barbara Wade, general manager, who has been with the restaurant almost since it opened; Eric Brewer, the chef, who started working in the Farmhouse kitchen in the 1980s at about age 16; and Cary Hoge, the sales manager, who said she is comparatively new with only 2 1 / 2 years.

The sale closed last month. Neither Tsiamis or former owner David Leinwand of Wilmington, N.C., would disclose the price but Tsiamis called it "a good deal," especially because it included about 4 acres of real estate. Leinwand had owned The Farmhouse for about 26 years but had hired other managers since 1996. He also has a restaurant in Wilmington, where he lives. He is expanding that restaurant and adding a nightclub. "It's a great business that will be in that community forever," Leinwand said of The Farmhouse. "Sometimes it's time to bring new blood in and take it to the next level."

When Leinwand bought the restaurant, it had 100 seats and 11 employees. In the past 26 years, it has expanded to 600 seats, added a lounge and has some 100 employees. Leinwand has a daughter who will graduate from Virginia Tech in December, and has already arranged with Tsiamis to reserve 25 seats for a graduation dinner. "I told the new owner he's going to get some of his money back," Leinwand said.

The Farmhouse is open from 5 to 9:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 8:45 p.m. Sunday.

Paul Dellinger can be reached at (276) 228-4752 or paulde@roanoke.com.

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