The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - Hilton Buys Graduate Hotels For $210 Million; UVA Corner Graduate Hotel Has New Owners

Episode Date: March 14, 2024

The I Love CVille Show headlines: Hilton Buys Graduate Hotels For $210 Million UVA Corner Graduate Hotel Has New Owners What Does This Mean For Charlottesville Area? Deal Talk: Local Deal Chatter For Cocktail Parties Local Restaurant Closing Surprised You The Most? 1112 Elliott Ave: $488K, 876sqf, 3br, 1ba, $557/sq ACC Tourney: BC vs UVA (-4.5), 930PM, ESPN Jerry Miller Off Tomorrow – Charleston, SC Trip Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible and iLoveCVille.com.

Good Thursday afternoon, guys. My name is Jerry Miller, and thank you kindly for joining us on the I Love Seville Show. It's great to be with you on a glorious and gorgeous March 14th. We're in the shadows of Thomas Jefferson's University, a hop, skip, and a jump from the Rotunda, Scott Stadium, and John Paul Jones Arena. In fact, we're less than two miles from all three. We are in spitting distance of the Charlottesville Police Department. Literally, we see Charlottesville's superheroes in blue by the dozens every day in front of our studio.

And we thank them for standing up for what's right here in the Charlottesville area. A block from the Albemarle County Courthouse, the Charlottesville Courthouse, right off the downtown mall, smack dab in the middle of a 300,000 person market that we're proud to live within. We call it Central Virginia. Take a look at the screen for headlines we're going to cover today. It's breaking news. TV stations and newspapers that are watching the program right now, you're going to want to report this tonight on the news. Hilton just purchased graduate hotels for $210 million. The UVA Corner Graduate Hotel has a new owner. And this story was put on my radar by Deep Throat,

number one in the family, if we can get Deep Throat's photo on screen. We love Deep Throat. He's fresh from his estate in Bozeman, Montana, where he went skiing with his scions and hiking and backpacking in Bozeman. Now he's back in his manor in City Limits. And he said this could be a good topic to conversate and to chitter-chatter about. Hilton is a behemoth,

a luxury brand that's noteworthy, a luxury brand that has worldwide appeal. It buys graduate hotels. I did not know this. The graduate hotels have only 33 locations, and one of those graduate hotels is on the UVA corner. It's a $210 million deal. We will unpack the deal flow today on the I Love Seville show, and we'll utilize that topic as a springboard to another topic, which is this, Deal Talk, local deal chatter for cocktail parties this weekend.

We're going to highlight some local deals, news that we've broken on this platform that is now being reported by Legacy Media. And we'll say, here's some fodder for your cocktail party this weekend. A little programming note, yours truly is off tomorrow, heading to Charleston and Folly Beach for the long weekend. Back in the saddle on Monday, a little R&R in Folly Beach that I'm looking forward to. On today's program, we'll talk about 1112 Elliott Avenue. The asking price is $488,000. 876 square feet, three bedrooms, one bathroom, a price per square,

a $557 per square foot. Judah and I will have a little friendly competitive banter, a little crossfire on this program. Judah finds the asking price, is it fair to say travesty? I wouldn't say travesty. I mean, you're right. If that's what they can sell it for, then that's what they can sell it for. But what that means for people living in the area is, I think, another story. We'll talk about that. A lot to unpack. That's one of the reasons the realtor that's watching this program,

I think in this particular case, she may not want me to use her name. She's a key member of the family. She sent me this listing, and I very much appreciate her sending it my way. We'll talk on today's show about local restaurant closings that have surprised you, present and in the past. This topic is influenced by number two in the family, John Blair, his photo on screen, who tagged me in a LinkedIn post, his love for Boston Market and Barracks Road and the fact that it closed so quickly inspired this talking point on today's program. Boston Market, I remember going to Boston Market as a UVA student. It did close extremely quickly. John, was the Boston Market and Barracks Road in the Bricks Pizza location? Is that correct? Or was it in the Ralph Sampson Taproom location? If you could let

me know on that, I would very much appreciate that, my friend. Number two in the family, JB. Viewers and listeners, we work hard for you. The only thing we ask in return is you spreading the gospel. Give the show a like. Give the show a share. Let people know what's going on. We very much appreciate that and your willingness to spread the gospel that is the I Love Seville Show. J-Dubs, here's the lead of the show. if you want to go on a two-shot, Hilton Hotels will spend $210 million, $210 million to acquire Graduate Hotels, a hotel brand that builds and runs 32 hotels near the United States, within the United States, and the United Kingdom in university towns. Is it 32? 33 hotels.

The brand caters to college alumni. The brand is focused on university towns and the folks that patronize those towns. Graduate Hotels has a location on the UVA corner. It's got a beautiful view, the bar at the top level. My wife and Joy Graduate Hotel, the restaurant that's had many different names up there. We've had friends stay at the Graduate because of its proximity, its location. Graduate Hotels was launched by AJ Capital Partners in 2014.

Interestingly, this was an interesting twist of this deal flow, Hilton is going to franchise these hotels. While it's going to own Graduate, it likes to keep its holdings asset light. So what Hilton's going to do is acquire all rights to Graduate brands worldwide, enter into franchise agreements for all existing and signed Pipeline Graduate hotels, and become responsible for the brand's future development and growth. Current graduate owner, AJ Capital, will remain the owner of the hotels, more than 35 of them that are operating and in the pipeline, so three are in the pipeline, each of which will

be operated under long-term Hilton franchise agreements. So that's news that directly applies to Charlottesville. A behemoth is purchasing a relatively small player in hotels. That relatively small player in hotels has one of the most visible locations on the University of Virginia corner. I want to unpack this storyline, how it pertains to Charlottesville. I'm going to lead with Deep Throat's commentary that I thought was absolutely excellent. He sends that to me earlier today.

If you want to get his photo back on screen, number one in the family, you can find the power rankings. And are they updated after yesterday's show, Judah? Yeah. Oh, you're a phenomenal human being. Thank you kindly, Judah. Deep Throat, number one in the polls. He says this.

Get ready for this. This is just another example of big boxification. It tells you more generally about the challenges of making a college town work for its residents. The fact that Hilton is so bullish on college towns and lodging illustrates the massive economic power bearing on the city from the outside. Alums can pay a ton of money to stay here for basketball and football games or whatever. It's so economically powerful, that pool of alumni. Who wants to use land near grounds for workforce housing if hotels can be worth this amount of money?

Fantastic commentary right there from Deep Throat. Derek Bond, the restaurateur, welcome to the program. Kate Sharts, welcome to the program, the Queen of Ivy. Ellie Tucker, welcome to the program. Holly Foster and Henrico. I see four states watching us on this program right now. I want Stephen Bernard, the winemaker, hello. Andre Xavier, this is right up your alley as a travel entrepreneur. Unpack this. I got some

commentary to offer. Do you want to go first? Yeah, I mean, he makes some great points. of local brands and the opening of a lot of bigger name box brands that don't really add any unique flavor to our area or to the corner specifically. Russ Kronberg watching the program, Director of Hospitality at the University of Virginia, a talented executive, hotelier, and food and beverage extraordinaire. He offers this. It's important to emphasize, which we did on the show, that Hilton has purchased the brand, not just the real estate, not the real estate assets, the brand.

The real estate assets are going to be owned by AJ Capital. We did highlight that. Hilton prefers asset light portfolios, so it's a franchise agreement. He says this undoubtedly will be good for their brand. Russ Kronberg, Mr. Kronberg, also says, and Russ is fantastic at his job. I love running into this man. He says, speaking of restaurant closings, we should get ready for more

with the continued tax increases on real estate and the meals, something that we've covered closely on this show. Those will undoubtedly impact affordability on top of already enormous food cost increases. March 18th, council will discuss these increases. We need not only restaurants to speak up, we need the community to speak up. Same for the TOT tax. We should be

focused on growing tourism to increase tax money volume, not rates. 1,000% agree. That's why we're using this platform to highlight over the last 30 days the rate increases. I 1,000% agree with him on that. I want to unpack this. Derek Bond is giving Russ Kronberg some love. Derek Bond owns two restaurants in town, The Melting Pot and Moe's Barbecue. Let's get his photo on screen. Derek Bond is, in fact, we need to add Russ Kronberg to the iloveceville.com viewer and listener power rankings. You can find it at iloveceville.com forward slash viewer rankings. Derek Bond's photo on screen, please. Number 30 in the family. Love Derek Bond. This is how I'm going to take a

look at this from a Charlottesville perspective. Hilton spending $210 million to acquire the rights to the graduate brand and then turning this arrangement into a franchise agreement is without question fantastic for the Graduate Hotel in the UVA corner it's got one of the most powerful and affluent and capital rich players in the world now backing it it's backing it with strategy's backing it with strategy, with money, with economies of scale, with vertical integration, with human capital. Hilton's got a fantastic digital application and digital infrastructure, fantastic rewards program, and it's literally one of the most noteworthy brands in the world. Everyone knows the Hilton brand. The graduate on the UVA corner is going to improve dramatically,

and it's already a primo hotel. My wife, again, loved going to this location for drinks, some light eats, and some appetizers, while overlooking what is the best maybe view in the city. The only view in city limits that can compete with the Graduate Hotel. There's only one that competes with the Graduate. Do only view in city limits that can compete with the graduate hotel, there's only one that competes with the graduate. Do you know which one that is? I do not. It's the Quark Hotel. The Quark Hotel's rooftop view on the same plane or level as the graduate,

and Quark has a larger rooftop deck, so I'll give the edge to the quirk. To highlight what Deep Throat is saying, look at what's happening to the UVA corner again. You went from a hotel that had 33 locations to now a big box brand hotel owning it. You have a University of Virginia corner. When I was in school at UVA from 2000 to 2004, you had nothing but locally owned businesses. Yeah. The CVS wasn't even there. It was Plan 9 Music. There was no Starbucks.

There was no chains, no big box brands. Now you look at the University of Virginia corner, Starbucks, CVS. Is Qdoba still there? Qdoba. Qdoba. Raising Cane's. Chipotle.

It's become, because of either price point, because of cost of goods, because of the labor market, because of the interest rate environment, because of the escalation of leases, because three people basically own the UVA corner and they've cornered this market, pun intended, driving up lease prices to

levels that no other district in this market sees except maybe Federal Realty's Barracks Road or private equity-owned Stonefield, the shops at Stonefield. They've priced average Sally and average Joe out of the UVA corner.

And as Deep Throat highlights, he says They've priced average Sally and average Joe out of the UVA corner. Yeah. And as Deep Throat highlights, he says, why would any property owner, speculator, investor, or deep-pocketed individual take any of the dirt around UVA grounds and allocate it to workforce housing or housing affordability. Right. That would be the definition of piss-poor financial management. Because you could utilize the geography and the location, the proximity to UVA, to command top dollar. And because the University of Virginia is expanding,

we've called Ivy Road Grounds 2.0 or the Lawn 2.0 as it expands westward. It's expanding to Fontaine, Jefferson Park Avenue. Biotech, Paul Manning, 100 plus million invested over there. As it's expanding to Fontaine, as it's expanding down Ivy, as it's expanding down West Main Street, as it's expanding 29 north to North Point,

it's utilizing its influence or its influence is causing the areas around UVA to grow, which is causing land values to increase exponentially. Is this a good move for the graduate? Hells to the yeah. 210 million for AJ Capital. Is this a good move for Hilton? Hells to the yeah. Hilton's got 33, 34, 35, depending what's in the pipeline, new hotels that it can put under its umbrella. Is this good news for alumni and visitors of the UVA Corner? Hells to the yeah. This hotel is going to get even sweeter.

Is this a good news for average Sally and average Joe that lives in Charlottesville that wants to open a business on the UVA Corner? Nah, dog. No way, Jose. No way. This Hilton purchase is going to escalate rents even more on the UVA corner. Viewers and listeners, let us know your thoughts.

We'll relay them live on air. Very curious what Andre Xavier has to say about this. Very much in his, is it Ballywick? Ballywick. Ballywick. Andre Xavier, the travel entrepreneur who's watching the program. I see two city councilors and one board of supervisors watching the program right now. A TV station and a newspaper continues to watch this show. TV stations and newspaper, this should be in the news tomorrow. Hilton graduate should be in the news tomorrow.

Get it in there, please. Anything you want to add before I get to comments, J-Dubs? No. John Blair's comment. I hope you have a safe and relaxing trip. Thank you, John. Today, the U.S. Census released its population estimates for change between 2020 and 2023. Charlottesville had 46,469 residents per the 2020 Census. In 2020, the Census estimates Charlottesville population to be 44,983. So a drop, a drop of, if I'm doing some

quick math, can you bust out your calculator, Judah? He says about 1500 residents. I love an exact number. Tell me when your calculator is busted out. Let's see. Mr. Blair says, but here's something interesting. In that same period, the U.S. Census estimates that Waynesboro's population increased by 903 residents. You and I and your very astute audience all realize that Waynesboro is attracting so many people who can no longer afford to live in Charlottesville. Welding Cooper highlighted this. We talked about this a few weeks ago. All the municipalities, all the jurisdictions in central Virginia, population increase except for Charlottesville. Albemarle increased.

Louisa County very much increased. All the ones around the epicenter of employment have increased in population. Judah, this number, 46,469, 46,469 minus 44,983. Minus 514? 514, thank you very much. 514. Make sure lower thirds are on screen, please, sir. Multiple requests from viewers and listeners

to keep those updated. Philip Dow watching the program let's get his photo on screen he's watching in Scottsville right now Mr. Dow, 14 in the family he says Hilton has a very big private resort in Buckingham County is that true?

I have no reason to doubt you I did not know that if that is the case tell me about this private resort that Hilton has in Buckingham County. Is that actually true, Philip Dow? I would love more information. You're educating me live on air. Marlene Jones is watching the program. Is she in the family, Marlene? Is she in the viewer and listener power ranking? We've got to add Russ Kronberg in the power rankings. Marlene, 37 in the family. UVA should provide local business priority in food spaces

JPJ Scott Stadium Food Services have an office that helps local food entrepreneurs get started like an incubator make up for no paying fair share of property taxes interesting Ms. Jones says UVA should prioritize its entertainment epicenters

to springboard or spotlight local F&B businesses. That's not an easy task running a food and beverage stall during University of Virginia events. You get absolutely bombarded. So you've got to have your outfit buttoned up. Mr. DL, welcome to the program it was nice to meet you the other day on market street mr mr dl you're uh is it is it scottish or irish mr dl your scottish accent i believe it's scottish if memory serves correct your scottish accent was compelling running a food and beverage business in 2024 is

no easy task. In fact, I can make a legitimate argument that running a food and beverage business in 2024 has more headwinds now than any time in the last 25 years. You could probably go a lot further than that.

Labor is extremely expensive. And can you even find it? Can you even find the labor? And if the labor you can find is extremely expensive. Cost of goods... What do you mean if you can even find the labor? Can you find the labor?

What do you mean? Which part's difficult? What's difficult there? I mean, you're saying that there's nobody out there looking for jobs? Yeah. Really? Yeah. You're saying there's nobody out there looking for jobs. Talk to anyone that staffs manages or own a food and beverage business, and they will all say, we can't find anyone to work. That's why you're seeing quick serve, fast casual, and people positioning kiosks and apps and third-party delivery as opposed to labor-based models. Ask anyone, can't find staff

to work. And the staff they can find are commanding top dollar. Cost of goods through the roof, leases through the roof, consumer tighter with their dollar. Russ highlights the escalating nature of taxes. We're about to be in an environment where you go out to dinner in the city of Charlottesville, your tax bill, your bill is going to be 12.8% taxes. If that meals tax jumps to 7.5%. It's at 6.5% now.

If they jump it to 7.5%, your total bill is going to have 12.8% in effing taxes. That is a travesty. A travesty. It's the gentrification of dining. It keeps average families from taking their kids out for socialized experiences and helping them mature amongst strangers

they're turning dining into an experience for the wealthy and that is a catastrophe that is a travesty that is something that will set families back as they try to socialize their kids that burns me That burns me up. Burns me up. Deep Throat's got some commentary. Love what Deep Throat's back in town doing. Makes the program better.

He says, check out, this is for John from Deep Throat. Check out the breakdown of population changes, almost all due to net out-migration, net international in-migration of 500-ish people overwhelmed by over 2,000 domestic out-migration. People leaving Seville and heading to the surrounding counties. They're leaving the taxes, the crime, and the political dysfunction. And the $488,000. Put it on screen.

That's a perfect segue. Judah Wickower with a beautiful segue. Make sure that lower third's on screen. Philip Dow, speaking of the Hilton estate in Buckingham County, the Hilton private resort, he says, I know contractors that are working there. It's totally private with three large lakes. It's not complete yet. It's around four miles from the James River Bridge on the right. You can't see the buildings completely

hidden. There are very large rocks at the entrance. That is, I had no idea that's the case. If that's the case, that is effing news right there. Crowdsourced news on the I Love Seville show exactly what we want from a Scottsville resident saying, Buckingham, four miles from the James River Bridge, Hilton's got a private resort. You can't see the buildings and it's completely hidden. Let's talk about the Elliott Avenue listing. I see some folks from KWA watching the program.

The listing is held by someone at KWA, Keller Williams Alliance. The address is 1112 Elliott Avenue, 1112 Elliott Avenue, three bedroom, one bath, 876 square feet, asking price of $488,000. A whopping $557 per square foot. Judah, rotate some photos

on screen as you get the lower third. Let us know when the photos are up so I can let the viewers and listeners know. Look at the screen. Look at the screen. Look at the screen. Look at the screen now. We're giving tremendous publicity to this listing, which is held by Sandra Morris. Let us know your thoughts on this, viewers and listeners. I think Judah and I are going to disagree on this, which is going to make for great talk show fodder. Built in 1963, this home. Elliott Avenue,

a fantastic location, Judah. I mean, this is Belmont as Belmont gets. I mean, you are right smack dab in the middle of everything. Where do you want to begin, my friend, Judah B. Wittkower, the jack of all trades, the jack of all wits, the great boobini, a gentleman that makes this program better, someone that is family to the Millers, Judah, Benjamin, Wittkower. Get us on a two so they can hear your fantastic commentary. I mean, I think you're mischaracterizing how we started here. I still think it's crazy, but you're right. If somebody can sell it for half a million dollars, then more power to them.

I wanted some combative commentary from you. I mean, I can go in that direction. You can go in any direction you want. I'm not trying to deny someone. I want a combative commentary from you. I mean, I can go in that direction. You can go in any direction you want. I'm not trying to deny someone, you know. I want a combative commentary from you. Talk to me, Papa Bear. Talk to me. Really, Papa Bear? It's, you're not worried that this is going to price a lot of... You were just talking minutes ago about the outflow of Charlottesville citizenry, and you don't think...

And local businesses on the UVA corner. Population decline and local businesses declining on the UVA corner. All could be utilized as ammunition for your argument against me. Okay. You can use comps, tax assessment increases, what that's going to do for gentrification of the street,

changing neighborhood character. You can talk about greed. There's so many ways you can go, utilize all that ammunition against me. Please, please do. I mean, I was going to, but you seem to be on a roll now. I forget where I was.

Do you want to continue? Keep going, keep going. Okay. You're not worried that this is going to affect the character of Charlottesville? Gentrification? As people get gentrified, as people get pushed out? Priced out? Yeah.

Fixed income individuals not being able to afford increased taxes due to comps right down the road from them? Yeah, exactly. I think that is a very fair worry. I think it's an extremely fair worry. But I want to commend, as multiple KWA agents are watching this program now, I want to commend the seller first who purchased this home in 1977. Wow. What do you think the seller paid for this house in 1977? Oh man.

I mean, it's probably something probably like $17,000, $9,000, $9,000, nine G 1977. The seller purchased this house, according to public record. Now asking $488,000. A 5,322% increase.

Playing the long game. Props to the seller. Yeah. Are we sure it's the same person that bought it? I mean, I know... I'm looking at the long game. Props to the seller. Yeah. Are we sure it's the same person that bought it? I mean, I know... I'm looking at the transaction history. But are we sure that the person that bought it hasn't passed away? Oh, very well could.

Passed away. But whoever inherited it didn't divest. In fact, why don't I get a little inquisitive and go to one of my favorite websites, the GIS. Love the GIS. I'm on the GIS, I think, pretty much every day. I'm on the MLS every day. I'm on the GIS, I think, pretty much every day. Call me a geek if you want to.

We're going to go to full address. We're all geeks in our own way. My geekiness is MLS GIS and sports stats. Let's go to ownership history. No. I want to correct something. Correction. Correction. Correction.

The RSS nature of Zillow is incorrect. The home was purchased in 1963 by Edward and Gladys Zachary for $2,500. Wow. In 2013, it was sold. And it was sold to Michael Murphy and Maria Murphy.

Maria Murphy. That could not be former city manager Mike Murphy, interim city manager, is it? There's no way that's him, is there? Was Mike Murphy's middle initial F? He's now the interim chief executive officer at John. I'm literally doing this on the fly. Obviously, Mike Murphy is a very common name.

I can't confirm that is him, the former interim city manager, who's now with John. If you can find out if Mike Murphy's middle initial is F, that would be amazing for me. According to the GIS, in 2013, the home was purchased by Michael F. Murphy and Marie F. Murphy for $186,000. $186,000.

They're now asking $488,000 props to these folks for holding real estate and selling at a time when demand is extremely high. Props to the agent for listing the house. It only takes one person to buy a piece of property. And I hope for all parties involved, it sells. The location is unbelievable. Will it cause, if it sells at this price,

gentrification? Yes. Will it cause neighborhood character change? Yes. Will it cause tax increases? Yes. But you know what? That is the nature of living in a town like Charlottesville are coming in with Scrooge McDuck bags of money looking to spend. And if you're able to navigate this landscape

and open up businesses and staff these businesses and cater to the locals that are coming here and keep them happy, you can make a great living for yourself. Could you find out

if that's his middle initial? I'm not finding anything on him having a middle name. Okay. This is from Deep Throat. He says, it seems a little high,

that price, that asking price, but not crazy. I think an empty, buildable, quarter acre lot in a cool part of Belmont would be worth at least $350,000. No? I'd say at least $350,000. And this house is habitable.

Yeah. Let's see what happens. We should follow it closely. Can you make notes somewhere in your fantastic record keeping that we follow the transaction and the deal flow with this property? That would be very amazing if you could. Thank you kindly. Katie Pearl, welcome to the program. Sarah Hilbuchenski, welcome to the program.

Ray Caddell, welcome to the program. Sarah Hilbuchenski, welcome to the program. Ray Caddell, welcome to the program. Agents from Ness, Logan Foster, KWA, Real Estate 3, welcome to the program. Holly Foster says this. Holly's photo on screen, please, sir. The Queen of Henrico, Virginia. She's watching the program. Holly Foster. Number 17 in the family. She says, Jerry and Judah, the city of Richmond has the highest meals tax in our area, so I do not go into town to eat often. Henrico and Hanover have a lower rate, and Chesterfield has no meals tax. Wow. The gentrification of the dining experience because political bureaucrats choose to raise taxes because they need to fund budgets that continue to escalate every year.

Mismanagement of finances causing small businesses to face headwinds, causing consumers to get priced out of experiences. That right there is utter... Hornswoggle? Hornswaddle! Thank you. Thank you, Judah. Holly Foster, I mentioned your comment live on air. I love when you watch the show.

Anything you want to add to this? Judah B. Wickauer. We'll keep our eyes on it. We'll keep our eyes on it. We will keep our eyes on it, indeed. Logan Wells Clayloaf, you're 100% right. The current owner purchased in 2013 for $186K. Have to dig into the GIS. It just shows you, you have to dig into the GIS

as opposed to relying on what's on Zillow. The GIS is where you want to go. The GIS is a very clunky website. Interestingly, this home has an assessed value of $364,000. Hmm. You think that's a teardown? Or is it a maintain and build up and improve upon?

And Bill McChesney says Papa Bear is better than Bubini. That is true. They're both fantastic. Oh, yeah, yeah. They are both fantastic. Oh, yeah, yeah. They are both fantastic. I forgot. What was your brand? What's that?

What was the brand you wanted to call yourself? I'd have to look it up. What was it? It was something mental spoon. Okay. Judah's brand moving forward is Something Mental Spoon. On Wednesdays, it'll be The Great Giardini and Something Mental Spoon. Osric.

On the program. Osric. Yes. Osric Mental Spoon is a better brand than Bubini. His microphone fell down. Yeah, it's okay, folks. It's okay. I'm all right.

He's okay, folks. It's okay. I'm all right. He's okay. We've been talking deal talk on the program. One of my favorite things is doing deals. Love doing deals. The adrenaline rush of deals when it's real estate, the adrenaline rush of deals when it's business brokerage, the adrenaline rush of buying and selling my own real estate, sold a piece of property that I owned. What was it, sweetheart? About a month ago. Personally did the transaction. Doing a residential, trying to do a residential deal now. Love doing deals.

Trey Barham, welcome to the program. Let's talk deal flow and deal chitter-chatter. Fodder for cocktail parties this weekend. We broke the news for you on this talk show that the Mickey Tavern... Are you on a two-shot still? No. Okay. The Mickey Tavern deal fell through.

Remember when we broke that news, Judah, last week? Yep. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the nonprofit that owns Monticello and Jefferson Vineyards, they look to purchase Mickey Tavern to help the owner of Mickey Tavern head to retirement. Well, that deal fell through. We reported it last week on Thursday. It is now in the legacy media cycle with one of the TV stations making the announcement late last night.

We follow the deal flow. We keep our fingers on the pulse of the deal flow as closely as anyone in this community. It's what we do professionally. This podcast, an enjoyment, but not the primary business, as I've highlighted previously. Here are some of the deals that have tickled my fancy that could make for great cocktail fodder this weekend. A, the Mickey Hamlet Thomas Jefferson Foundation deal that fell apart late last week.

Mickey Hamlet's going to retain ownership. Thomas Jefferson Foundation is not going to take over Mickey Hamlet. They are not going to outsource the food and beverage operations and the labor to a hospitality company in Pennsylvania. Probably for the best. It's going to remain as is. For the best for those that are employed there, no doubt. Also, the people buying them seemed like they were kind of a...

What was... They were kind of a you-know-what show going on. What was that? Thomas Jefferson Foundation? The non-profit? Why do you got beef with them? I don't have a beef with them. You're alluding to the fact that they've had significant turnover and attrition of late.

Yeah. And where there's smoke, there's fire. Something's going on there. Something's going on there. I've got to think that Mickey Tavern is better off keeping that kind of drama out of its business. You got the lower third on screen for deal talk? Yeah. Oh, fantastic, Judah.

Second piece of deal flow that we broke last week on the show. Spring Creek Golf Club has been purchased by Heritage Golf Group. Heritage Golf Group out of Herndon, Virginia, now owns 35 private country club, high-end daily fee, and resort courses in eastern, central and Rocky Mountain regions. Spring Creek Golf Club, Zion's Crossroads, Louisa, gated community built around the golf course and the club. a par 72 18 hole championship course, 7,348 yards from the tips, as they say, designed by Ed Carton,

the 15,000 square foot clubhouse with large multi-level outdoor areas offers a spectacular view of the 18 hole course. I've been to this course many, many times. You have an out of market owner who has purchased a neighborhood club. We highlighted on Real Talk yesterday, we hope the Spring Creek

Homeowners Association has a right of first refusal if Heritage Golf Club goes belly up. Because the neighborhood is built around the club. If the club and the course face headwinds because its ownership struggles,

that impacts the neighborhood. I hope the HOA was savvy enough to negotiate a right of first refusal. An out-of-market owner that is now managing the je ne sais quoi, or the allure to the gated community, should give everyone pause.

And what is one of the largest neighborhoods in central Virginia? What's the largest neighborhood in central Virginia, Judah? Let's see, I'm not sure. Yes, you do. You know this. The largest neighborhood? By rooftops in central Virginia. What is the largest neighborhood in central Virginia? Roughly 4,300 rooftops. You got this.

Are we talking about a gated neighborhood? Largest neighborhood in central Virginia, 4,300 rooftops. Are we talking about Belmont? Belmont? Belmont? I don't know. I honestly don't know. Lake Bonicello. Okay.

Yeah, that makes sense. Lake Bonicello. I was thinking in Charlottesville. Central Virginia. Okay. Second largest neighborhood in Central Virginia? I'll answer this for you, unless you want to go. Glenmore?

Forest Lakes. Forest Lakes? Forest Lakes. Forest Lakes. Okay. And the last piece of deal flow for the cocktail party today is Hilton purchasing graduate hotels for $210 million. They buy the brand. They turn it into a franchising arrangement.

AJ Capital, the founder of Graduate in 2014, will maintain ownership of the structures. As Hilton goes, asset light with this purchase. A couple of other items out of the notebook before we get to this topic. Local restaurant closings that have surprised you the most. Basketball game tonight, UVA Boston College. The Who's a four and a half point favorite. 930 tip ESPN. I love it.

Virginia just really signs, seals, and delivers its invitation to the tournament by beating the Eagles tonight on national TV. Just get the win and get off the bubble and make sure you're dancing in March. Beat the Eagles. Beat Boston College. Four and a half point favorites, the Hoos. I'm off tomorrow in Charleston, South Carolina for a three day weekend

for a little R&R. Last topic, lower third on screen, local restaurant closings that have surprised you the most. My friend will close on this. I think for me it's Fellini, Fellini's and the Tin Whistle. Tin Whistle? Mostly because I was personally involved with brand management.

And the fact that Fellini's was just a very unique place, and I think a loss to Charlottesville that it's no longer open. Our team here at VMV Brands, right behind us, VMV Brands, came up with the name the Tin Whistle Irish Pub. We designed the logo, we built the website, we did photography, and helped launch the business. Our associate Maggie, in fact, came up with the name. Very interestingly,

one of the names that was seriously considered for the Tin Whistle was, do you remember? Was it the F-in Pub? The F-in Pub. The F'n Pub was a very close second. We were pushing for the F'n Pub. In fact, I may have a folder on the external hard drive. The 50 names that were being considered. No, no, no. An actual folder because I think for a while we thought that was going to be the name. The F'n Pub was going to be the name until a silent investor overruled. Let's go to the F-in

Pub. Yep. Sweetheart, I'm at the F-in Pub. Get your tail to the F-in Pub. I got arrested last night at the F-in Pub. Got arrested last night at the F-in Pub. You're closing the F-in Pub? Yeah. I can't wait to go to the F and pub. It could have been a decent name. Judah says, tin whistle and Fellini's. John Blair put this on my radar with a comment on LinkedIn. He was surprised by the closing of Boston Market. John Blair's a good man. Boston Market was in the Bricks location.

He does confirm that. In his tag, in a comment of me on LinkedIn, he says, one of the biggest mysteries in my life about business in the Charlottesville area was the closing of Boston Market in the Barracks Road Shopping Center. It was nearly always packed with students. Then it just abruptly closed. I heard it wasn't due to lack of business, but some issues with the franchise. I've seen any business restaurant or not have that kind of traffic and just close on a dime to never reopen maybe jerry miller or chris engel or someone else in charlesville knows what exactly happened with that location as for boston market i guess i was in the minority but i always enjoyed their meals boston market was damn good there's a there's an article heading from three days ago

that says Boston Market is down to 27 restaurants. 27? It may have been something internal. Deep Throat says this on the Boston Market topic. Boston Market, the parent company, went bankrupt in 2023, I think. And then he shares a link. The Boston market owner files

for bankruptcy. Deep Throat, you're a well-read individual. No doubt. Restaurant closings that surprised me the most. Are you ready? Yep. Wild Wing Cafe was one, although that was a COVID closing. Massive square feet. Yeah. So much overhead. Basically the government telling people that they cannot patronize businesses. Right. That happened when downtown grill closed,

same thing, massive overhead, massive square feet, government telling folks they couldn't go places. Government tells me you can't go places. I'm going to be like, dude, where's my horse and my raccoon hat and my old school shotgun?

Let me get my lantern. I'm ready to get on a horse and let everybody know what's going on. Matias was just talking about homesteading on Today in Manana this morning. Carol Thorpe, her photo on screen, the Queen of Jack Jewett. The Krispy Kreme closing on Route 29 might rival the Boston market closing. Krispy Kreme had tons of business and closed because it had too much business. She also says on the topic of Charleston. Long before being coronated.

The queen of Jack Jewett. Having moved to Charleston in 1995. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina for three years. I worked for the Post and Courier newspaper. Performed in local theater. And lost 120 pounds. In anticipation of starting our family. While Charleston is a historic beautiful city.

And I love living there. I did not feel it was a great place for raising children. My husband found a job in Charleston. At Northrop Grumman. Nice. Nice. Philip Dow says, We need Wow Wing Pack, a perfect place for the downtown mall. The closing of Little John's surprised me. Yeah. Although Little John's is reopening again. Janice Boyce Trevelyan, her photo on screen please. One of the key members of our family. Janice Boyce Trevelyan, 20 in the polls. Panera

closing on Target north of town surprised her. What other closing surprised you viewers Okay. What other closings surprised you, viewers and listeners? Put them in the feed. I'll relay it live on air. Why are we in Cafe and Little John's for me? Downtown closings, what surprised you? I highlighted the downtown grow. Commonwealth Sky Bar. Commonwealth Sky Bar.

Some ownership issues with Commonwealth Sky Bar. One of the fantastic front men, Alex George, pushed out of Commonwealth Sky Bar. Yeah. Fantastic F&B man. And then opened Just Curry. He had Just Curry open across the way while running Commonwealth Sky Bar.

Now works in hospitality and food and beverage. Mr. George does. Hmm. Today's a pretty good show. George Gilmer, her photo on screen. I agree with Wild Wing and Downtown Grill. Ooh, she says Fry Spring Station closing. P.K. Camiff, the proprietor of Fry Spring Station.

Terry Hinnerman, the owner of the real estate front of the program. Played squash with him often. Great guy. Fry Spring Station closed because P.K. Camiff said the landscape of the program. Played squash with him often. Great guy. Fry Spring Station closed because P.K. Kamath said the landscape of restaurants changed. No doubt. P.K. Kamath owned at one time four restaurants.

Ivy Provisions, Shadwell's, Augusta Kitchen, and Fry Spring Station. And now has one Ivy IV provisions. Interestingly, also owned by the real estate, Terry Hinderman, the mayor of Fry Springs, Mr. Hinderman. Randy O'Neill, welcome to the program. If you liked today's show, let us know. Put it in the feed. We like the show. Spread the gospel, like the show, retweet the show, share the show. We work hard for you, and the only thing we ask

is a kind gesture in return of saying thank you. Albert Graves retweets the show. His photo on screen. Warrior AG. You know when I was hosting a syndicated radio show, I used to host a syndicated radio show called the Jerry Miller Show. It aired on a

boatload of ESPN affiliates Monday through Friday and I did two shows on Saturday morning into North Carolina, across Virginia, into Tennessee, and into the district. The Jerry Miller show aired. Albert Graves, Warrior AG, used to call into that show. That was 15 plus years ago when I was hosting that talk show. Albert Graves says, I can't wait for the reopening of Little John's. Just hope it is good as it used to be. And don't forget the tavern where students and townies come together.

That's a fantastic one. The tavern across from Barracks Road Shopping Center. That place was always busy. Yeah, no doubt. What was the saying on the roof of the tavern? Do you remember, Judah? Oh, I do not remember. Welcome home?

I don't remember what it was. The tavern? Wasn't it where students, townspeople, and locals get together? That was right in front of Anderson's Carriage House. Anderson's had an amazing soup bar. Did you find it, the roof? Oh, let's see.

What did it say on that roof? Horrible picture. Talk to me, Papa Bear. Can I call you Papa Bear? I'd prefer you didn't, but yeah, you can. Something, Spoonacower? Let's see. Where students...

I can't get the whole thing. Where students, townspeople? Students, something, and townspeople meet. Locals? I guess locals or the whole thing. Where students, townspeople? Students something and townspeople meet. Locals? I guess locals or townspeople. Let me see if I can get this in a... Anna's Pizza, Bill McChesney says, surprised him. They closed because of retirement.

I almost brokered that business transaction and then they decided to just close. Fantastic family that watches the show. One of the best Italian subs at Anna's. Where students, tourists, and town people meet. Oh, chest bump for that. Chest bump.

Where students, tourists, and town people meet. Town people. That's like locals. Yeah, I know. I was on the roof of the tavern. That place was bonafide. I used to go over there so many mornings hungover as hell for some grease to get some hair of the dog.

Is that what made it bonafide? No, the food was good. Yeah, it was. Philip Dow says he loves you guys. He loves us. Great show. Thank you, Mr. Dow. Thank you. We loves you guys. He loves us. Great show. Thank you, Mr. Dow. Thank you.

We appreciate you, too. All right. I feel great about today's show. Not every show do I leave feeling great about. I know. And Judah often hears when I'm not happy with the show. I feel great about the execution of today's show. You were on point.

Commentary was on point. We had fodder for the show. I feel very good about the execution of today's show. You were on point. Commentary was on point. We had fodder for the show. I feel very good about the Execution Today show. Yeah. I just want to be the best version every single day. And life doesn't necessarily allow that.

True. It's frustrating. Alright, I'm out of here. I'm off tomorrow. I'll come back Monday with a little bit of sunshine. Judah Wickower, are you going to be hosting the show tomorrow by yourself? I might. Depends on whether or not you order me to.

I don't order you to do anything. Oh, sure. Would you like to host the show tomorrow by yourself or would you prefer not to? I mean, I'm... The viewers and listeners, we've got to let them know if there's going to be a program tomorrow or not. Would you like to host the show tomorrow, or would you like to?

Or would you not like to do it? I can do it, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. I mean, you know I work better on a conversational format than I would expounding on my own for however long, but I can give it a try. John Blair says, Miss Thorpe is absolutely correct. They claim

that Krispy Kreme closed because of a lack of parking. So are we telling them there's going to be a show tomorrow? Sure. You're going to do a show? Sure. You're going to do a show? Sure. Okay.

It's completely your choice. Okay. How is it not? All right. Have a good weekend. Ollie says go for it. Sarah Hill Buchenski says, Epi's on the downtown ball.

Great kid-friendly place with good food I was devastated when it closed I have no doubt in my mind that Judah can do it I'm encouraging him to do it I would love for you to do it I want you to blossom and push yourself into areas of life

that are not comfortable to see how you respond because I think you will be surprised how admirably you respond. Oh, I have no doubt that I can do a good job at it. I just, I need more than, you know, 15-minute prep for... Do whatever you want.

I know. Hey. Juan says, Juan, you're welcome to come in. All right. That's the Thursday edition of the I Love Seville show. For Judah B. Wittkower, who very well could be hosting the show tomorrow. My name is Jerry Miller. And this is the I Love Seville show on a glorious and gorgeous Thursday

in downtown Charlottesville Virginia so long everybody Thank you.