The folks at Big Jim’s BBQ on Route 29 tell us that, after over 27 years, today is their last day. Big Jim’s has been a local institution for years, and a favorite hang out of former Senator George Allen, civil rights attorney John Whitehead, and scores of other BBQ fans. Big Jim’s declined to comment on the reason for the restaurant’s closure, but they did encourage everyone to swing on over before 7pm and say good-bye.
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Bailout passes House, Goode and Goodlatte vote no
The day after the U.S. Senate passed a revised version of the $700 billion bank bailout package, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve the same measure, 263-171, sending it to the White House for President Bush’s signature. Still, not everyone was impressed with the new deal. Two local Republicans— the Fifth District’s Virgil Goode (R-Rocky Mount, representing Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Nelson) and the Sixth District’s Bob Goodlatte (R-Harrisonburg, representing the Shenandoah Valley)— voted against the revised bailout. The Seventh District’s Eric Cantor (R-Henrico, representing Louisa and Orange) remained steadfast in his support of the deal, having already voted in favor of the original bill on Monday. (2)
Cory Alexander joins UVA basketball radio team
Fans of UVA men’s basketball will hear not just one, but two new voices on the radio in the upcoming season. In addition to new play-by-play man Dave Koehn, Virginia Sports Properties announced yesterday that former Cavalier standout and 10-year NBA veteran Cory Alexander will be providing the color commentary. Alexander was the starting point guard on the UVA team that made it all the way to the Elite Eight of the 1995 NCAA Tournament. That summer, the San Antonio Spurs selected the Waynesboro native 29th overall in the first round of the NBA Draft. Alexander replaces Jim Hobgood, who called UVA contests for 12 years alongside Mac McDonald. (2)
Wachovia snubs Citigroup, sells to Wells Fargo
Four days after the FDIC announced it had brokered a deal for Citigroup to buy ailing Wachovia, the Charlotte-based bank announced this morning that it had left the negotiating table with Citigroup and was instead selling itself to San Francisco’s Wells Fargo. The new deal makes for a much better deal for Wachovia shareholders than the one the feds had annouced. Citigroup was to buy Wachovia for $2.2 billion; Wells Fargo will pay $15.1 billion. The deal seems to have encouraged Wall Street. Wachovia stock closed at $3.91 per share yesterday, and opened at $6.94 this morning, an increase of 77 percent. (3)
Bailout protestors take to the street
Peter Kleeman, a well-known pedestrian activist (and former Hook writer), has already begun protesting yesterday’s U.S. Senate vote toward a $700 billion financial bail-out package, which both Senators from Virginia approved. Here, Talis Basham, Talis’ mom Oriah, and Kleeman, hold signs on West Main. (5)
Warner and Webb vote for Senate bailout deal
After a $700 billion bailout package for financial institutions split our local House delegation and failed to pass on Tuesday, yesterday’s attempt by the Senate to pass their own version of the deal won the support of Virginia’s John Warner (R) and Jim Webb (D) and 72 other senators to secure its passage. Unlike the House measure, the Senate bill allows the U.S. Treasury to buy so-called “toxic mortgage debts” from banks and raises the limit on bank deposit insurance from $100,000 to $250,000. (11)
I’m sure they are lovely people who own the joint, but that Barbecue will not be missed.
Flavorless tomato sauce drenched slop. Yick.
The BBQ used to be good. Back when the place was actually owned by “Big Jim” and his son (both of whom (I think) have passed away. Since ownership passed from their hands the quality steadily declined.
The BBQ wasn’t THAT bad, but the Big Jim’s Burger Platter was the best cheap meal in town. Especially if you needed a little more cholesterol in your diet. Talk about mountains of fries - Now is not the time to invest in potato futures, as without Big Jim’s there’s about to be a glut in the market.
I’de like to know what kind of “FANS” liked Big Jim’s tub of processed BBQ… Two scoops from the ol’ bucket of meat please.
This is not the time to criticize the BBQ. Show a little respect to those who operated and those who enjoyed this place of business. Thank you, Big Jim’s, for the good service and great memories that will last a lifetime.
i enjoyed the BBQ!
Yes, Thankyou! No time indeed! Remember all the students, professors, bikers, painters and lawyers, mechanics and engineers, doctors, cashiers and tellers, and scores of other fine folks who have happily passed along the universal sign of approval by cradling their own gut with both hands and expressing themselves with a big old BELCH!! That is the Big Jims I will remember!
It’s the end of an era! We oughta express our disappointment at the passing of the half-pound burger covered by the huge pile of fries and next to the cole slaw, all for a really cheap price. I gotta say, 5Guys is good, but dang, 25+ bucks for a coupla burgers?!
Big Jim catered weekend pig roasts, and when he served the leftovers on Monday, it was IMO the best BBQ Charlottesville ever tasted. Before that we had two excellent places, Wilburs on 29 just north of Barracks, and shortly before that, Bob Bencoach’s Li’l Pigs on 250 West. A pity Bob died a year or two into that venture, but that’s BBQ for ya.
Add me to the list of those who enjoyed the Big Jim Burger Platter with the Moutain O’Fries!
It was a place to eclectically mingle, see old friends make new friends and live a little “dangerously”. Getting down teh hall and around teh corner to the beer-soaked bathroom was a “gotta go” journey that was not for the weak of spirit or stomach.
We enjoyed singing “I Ordered Pizza…” loudly over the Patsy Cline lyric of “I Fall to Pieces…” and everyone joined in… except those few diehard Patsy Cline fans with no sense of Big Jim’s FUN!
Anybody remember La Vaca BBQ which used to be on Millmont? Now THAT was good Texas style BBQ! Big Jim’s was OK back in the day also but just so-so. Try out the new Belmont Pig. That’s pretty good stuff too.
no more cheeseburger platters?> Dammit@#$%@#!
Good riddance. What a sty…
We still have Riverside for the burgers and fries.