HAMPTON, Va. — For the first time, the owner of a Hampton restaurant that has drawn scrutiny from the city because of issues at the business is sitting down with News 3 and talking about the issues and the decision to close.
“It wasn’t easy at all," Southern Comfort Restaurant & Lounge owner Eddie Gomez said about the decision to close.
Gomez said the restrictions the city is putting on his business leave him no choice but to shut down
“The business wouldn’t have been able to run under those mandates," said Gomez.
Watch: Hampton City Council revokes Southern Comfort restaurant's special use permit
One of the mandates from the city requires him to have up to ten security guards at certain times. He says he can’t afford that many and having them around would keep customers away.
One reason for the restrictions is a big fight that happened at the business in April. Video of the fight posted on social media was played at a Planning Commission meeting in May as Commission members received a presentation from Hampton Police on issues at the business.
Watch: Hampton Planning Commission recommends revoking Southern Comfort's special use permit
There was also a shooting outside the business, multiple use permit violations according to the city, and the business is the third restaurant and lounge in the city since 2024 to have issues like this.
The city also took action against the other two businesses, but Gomez has fought the hardest to work with the city to try to keep his business open.
“I think every business should be treated by its own track record," Gomez said.
Watch: Hampton City Council partially denies restaurant request, tables vote on controversial camping ban
Gomez believes the incidents at his business and his overall track record don’t justify such a heavy hand from the city. He said his business had been operating in good standing for several years.
Hampton Mayor Jimmy Gray is disappointed the business has been closed but believes the city’s action is necessary
“We know that there’s a demand for nightlife in our community but we, as Council, and staff have to make sure that we protect the safety of all of the people in the city who may want to be patrons in those places," Gray explained.
Watch: Hampton Planning Commission to discuss restaurant's request to stay open later
To be clear, the city did not tell Gomez he had to close.
"I start from scratch," Gomez replied when asked what happens next.
That may be easier said than done. He said he invested his life savings into the business and didn’t have money to start another business. He was also behind on his business taxes but was hopeful he could get on a payment plan.
Watch: Some downtown Hampton businesses say they're struggling to recover after renovations on Queens Way
Despite the challenges he was facing, the situation does have a silver lining. He said it can be a teachable moment for his son, who had been spending a lot of time with him at work learning about business.
“I’ve just got to teach him that there’s ups and downs in life and you’ve got to know how to rebound, stay strong," said Gomez.
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