Anti-Guns in Bars Restaurateur's Flagship Joint Shutters Doors

[TGO David]

How many of you remember Randy Rayburn, the local restaurateur that championed hard to keep "guns out of bars" in Tennessee back in 2009 when the State was trying to decide whether or not to allow Handgun Carry Permit holders to go armed where alcohol is served for on-site consumption?  He pretty much was the media darling of the anti movement and penned at least one editorial in the Tennessean.

 

Well, the Tennessean has a nice article today about the closing of his flagship restaurant, Sunset Grill after 27 years of business.  According to the article, business began to fall into a slump for Randy in 2007 and Sunset Grill just never quite recovered from it.  I guess that explains why he had so much extra time on his hands two-years later to be a pain in the ass to legally armed Tennesseans.

 

While the closing of his oldest Nashville property likely has nothing to do with his decision to be an anti-gun prick, karma does seem to be getting a running start in 2015...

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/life/food/2015/01/01/sunset-grill-closes-year-run-nashville/21148391/

 

 

[mikegideon]

:clap:  I ate there quite a bit over the years. Never after the anti-gun prickery, though.

[daddyo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of1bVlo_5Y4

[Greg_Mid_TN]

I hate that another business I knew is closed and that the people who worked there are now having to look elsewhere (not to mention the clientele), but Mr. Rayburn knew he was working against the feelings and beliefs of the average Tennessean.

 

He let the anti-gun elites lead him to believe he didn't need the average client here in TN.

[hipower]

A great many of these people who own business' do not realize the number of people who strongly believe in the Second Amendment.

 

They seem to think like the politicians, that they know what's best for everyone. And that usually means what they think is the God's Truth, and all else is just nonsense from the poor peons they wish to frequent their business and support said business.

 

Many of them are now realizing that the peons may have more clout than previously thought.

[Dustbuster]

I used to like eating at sunset grill. Their late night menu was good. Unfortunately the only places that last usually serve pizza or breakfast..... In this case he drove off an important sector of clientele cya !

[K191145]

He campaigned hard to deny you and me of our constitutional rights, I have no sympathy for him whatsoever. I hope the employees find something but that's it, Rayburn can go bankrupt as far as I care.

[Steelharp]

... but Mr. Rayburn knew he was working against the feelings and beliefs of the average Tennessean.

I think you give him too much credit. No, he doesn't know; nor care, I believe.

[Mike.357]

Karma is a bitch

[LagerHead]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. 

[bersaguy]

The Karma of pro-gun is on the rise for sure. As more and more small businesses feel the pain of going gun free and look at their bottom lines each month it might finally begin to sink in. I think a lot of what is happening to small businesses is that because many or most of their clientele that do business with them go concealed. The way that goes is the business owner does not realize that 2/3 rd's or more of their business were pro gun people. They didn't know it until the signs went up and business declined.

 

 

In most cases the only people that approached them are the anti-gun people. Pumping all the ridderick of negative gun beliefs so that was all they hear. I think what needs to happen is small groups of pro-gun folks need to get out and talk with small business owners and put a little bird in their ear informing them that possibly 2/3rds to 3/4 of their business are legal gun permit people they will lose when the signs go up. It won't take but a few minutes and you don't have to go out of your way to dod it. Just next time your in a business you trade with often that has not put signs up or even those that have. It might be to every ones benefit to take a few minutes and share the pro-gun side about his or her business................jmho

[K191145]

Karma is a bitch

 

It's quite possible that Rayburn was depending on like minded clientele to support him after his futile crusade to keeps guns illegal in restaurants. Me thinks he didn't realize that there's just not that many people who are passionate enough about HCP holders carrying in restaurants one way or the other. There are far more people who are passionate about handgun carry than those who are strongly against handgun carry, then there's the rest who just don't care and are not concerned about people carrying. Maybe Rayburn could move his restaurant to New Jersey. I also haven't heard much about the gun free dining in Tennessee website, pretty much a waste of cyber space.

Had a good ribeye at Logans yesterday with my Glock on my hip under my shirt, didn't hear any comments or see anyone who noticed or cared. I was a good boy, had a Coke and not a beer. I don't drink alcohol anyway.  :)

[Monkeyman2500]

I've been in the restaurant business for many years. I worked for Rayburn many years ago before any of his political BS. I never had any issues with him personally, but he was well known to be a horses behind in the industry. At that time he had a heck of a lot of debt and mutiple mortgages on his large home. I have a feeling with the help of his political stunts it all just finally caught up with him.

[TN-popo]

I have never eaten at Sunset Grill, but when all this was going on, one of the Demos' fell in lockstep with Rayburn and the others and had an editorial printed in the Tennessean.

I responded and was slammed (online).  I didn't eat at Demos' for a couple of years (really hated that).

 

Since then, Demos' has made the decision to not post their locations and I am happily eating there again.  :)

Edited January 2, 2015 by TN-popo

[none]

I have never eaten at Sunset Grill, but when all this was going on, one of the Demos' fell in lockstep with Rayburn and the others and had an editorial printed in the Tennessean.
I responded and was slammed (online).  I didn't eat at Demos' for a couple of years (really hated that).
 
Since then, Demos' has made the decision to not post their locations and I am happily eating there again.  :)

Demos?

[none]

The Karma of pro-gun is on the rise for sure. As more and more small businesses feel the pain of going gun free and look at their bottom lines each month it might finally begin to sink in. I think a lot of what is happening to small businesses is that because many or most of their clientele that do business with them go concealed. The way that goes is the business owner does not realize that 2/3 rd's or more of their business were pro gun people. They didn't know it until the signs went up and business declined.
 
 
In most cases the only people that approached them are the anti-gun people. Pumping all the ridderick of negative gun beliefs so that was all they hear. I think what needs to happen is small groups of pro-gun folks need to get out and talk with small business owners and put a little bird in their ear informing them that possibly 2/3rds to 3/4 of their business are legal gun permit people they will lose when the signs go up. It won't take but a few minutes and you don't have to go out of your way to dod it. Just next time your in a business you trade with often that has not put signs up or even those that have. It might be to every ones benefit to take a few minutes and share the pro-gun side about his or her business................jmho

I had recently spoken with one of the trainers at Panera in Brentwood I jokingly said Glad I can still come in here I reallly like their Smoked ham and Swiss. But I will find other options when the Gun Buster sign goes up. She let me know that the owner would not be posting any such signs in his store. Some do get it.

[TN-popo]

.

Edited January 2, 2015 by TN-popo

[TN-popo]

Demos?

 

Yep.  But, as I said, I'm eating there now because in the long run, they did the right thing.

[tnguy]

Something else that occurs to me is that when you put up a gunbuster sign, you are bringing the image of a gun into the consciousness of those who see it. That alone might be enough to make the antis nervous. So not only are you driving pro gun owners away, you may be turning the people who you hoped would be with you from your doors too.

 

So the old signage might actually be better from that point of view. But far better just not to worry about it anyway, of course.

[Steelharp]

One weird instance, to me. Painturo's here in Gallatin is posted... and the owner is an HCP holder. And a member at the range; comes and shoots often. But no guns in his place. :screwy:

[R_Bert]

One weird instance, to me. Painturo's here in Gallatin is posted... and the owner is an HCP holder. And a member at the range; comes and shoots often. But no guns in his place. :screwy:

about the same here in Oak Ridge with this place - http://riversidegrilletn.com/  (I have no idea if he frequents a range). I seem to recall his activism against 2A (carry in City of OR parks) here.

Edited January 3, 2015 by R_Bert

[none]

Yep.  But, as I said, I'm eating there now because in the long run, they did the right thing.

Just wondering what a Demos was?

[TN-popo]

Just wondering what a Demos was?

 

You have one in Lebanan...where your location shows you at.  Cops are supposed to know where all the good restaurants are.  :shake:

 

Anyway, there's also locations in M'Boro and Nashville.

Edited January 3, 2015 by TN-popo

[RobertNashville]

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to hear Adam Dread (co-counsel on Rayburn's lawsuit to stop the original bill) talk about the lawsuit and the "Guns in Bars" bills...he must have said "guns and alcohol don't mix" 100 times in a 45 minute talk.  After hearing him speak I came to the conclusion that both Raeburn and Dread were asses who obviously know little about firearms, firearm owners. As history has now shown, their position was idiotic and whatever rely drove their position was not based on logic or facts.

 

I don't really know why his flagship restaurant has failed...maybe it's just bad food/poor service...maybe it's because business has fallen off because of his politics on this issue.  In any case, I feel no sympathy for Rayburn or his restaurants.

Edited January 3, 2015 by RobertNashville

[analog_kidd]

about the same here in Oak Ridge with this place - http://riversidegrilletn.com/  (I have no idea if he frequents a range). I seem to recall his activism against 2A (carry in City of OR parks) here.

 

Is that place still posted? We went to a wedding rehearsal dinner there a year ago, and I don't recall seeing a sign. I know it used to be posted a few years ago, but I thought that it changed ownership since then.