Reo’s Ribs gives up on Johns Landing
By Cari Hachmann/ The Portland Observer
The owners of Reo’s Ribs, brothers Ricky Varnado (from left) and Reo Varnado, get some moral support from Tim Causey, co-owner of the Arlington Mart in Gladstone.
Co-owner of Reo’s Ribs, also known as uncle to rapper Snoop Lion, Reo Varnado will no longer be cooking up his famous thick and juicy-sweet Mississippi-style meats in Johns Landing.
Varnado was forced to close his barbeque restaurant after escalating complaints from neighbors about smoke from his outdoor cookers pressured his landlord to cut his five-year lease short.
“I cried for so many days,” said Varnado a big, curly-haired man dressed in a yellow suit and sitting in the Portland Observer office along with his brother, Ricky.
A native of Magnolia, Miss., Varnado first opened his southern-style barbeque joint on Tualatin Valley Highway in 1999. He served customers there for 13 years before moving his restaurant to a strip mall on Southwest Macadam Avenue hoping for better business.
Since his arrival to the 2,200-square-foot space between downtown Portland and Lake Oswego two years ago, Varnado said he’s felt unwelcome.
In February 2011, a neighbor living in a rowhouse behind the retail complex, Gerriann Fox, sued Varnado and the strip mall’s owners for damages by smoke from the restaurant’s barbeque smokers pouring into her home. She claims the smoke caused her headaches and other health issues.
While too much smoke has been the headlining problem for most of the negative attention directed at Reo’s, Varnado feels that a darker issue lays at the heart of the matter.
“Prejudice turned everybody against us,” said Varnado, who is looking for a new place to open his restaurant, but not likely in the same area. “I don’t want to go back because of the way they treated me.”
Varnado claims he’s received multiple racist threats.
The restaurant owner says he’s been spit on, approached, watched, and followed in his car by strangers. “I’ve felt threatened by people lurking near the restaurant,” he said.
While some police officers have served him well, Varnado says he’s been harassed about having a permit for his cookers by others. He also says he’s been bullied into shutting down by a health inspector.
“It made me so angry,” said Varnado. People have vandalized his cookers– broken grill pipes, urinated on them and cluttered them with broken bottles.
“I hate to be mistreated,” he said, “I left Mississippi to better myself and I come out here and it’s the same stuff.”
Varnado, who happens to be black, is not the only restaurant owner who feels like racism played a role in their closure. Tim Causey, co-owner of the Arlington Mart in Gladstone, says people made it impossible for him to operate his business.
In the barbeque business for four years, while his business partner, Scott Richardson, had run the main store for 16 years, Causey says neighbors filed three or four “legally meritless” cases against them before they were finally shut down by code enforcement for operating their barbeque grill outside.
“When people use civic positions and financial leverage to oppress you and take out your business—that’s problematic,” he said.
I watched his operation on TV Hwy for years. Was glad to see him move down to near my work. However, the quality of his product suffered. For whatever reason, what used to be monstrous beef ribs and awesome pulled pork turned into burnt and barren ribs and the pulled pork was just meh. I had no idea about the other issues and find it hard to believe that he is the only one to have these troubles what with the Bamboo Garden in the same block and they are always smoking the place out. So… hmm…
Yeah I am hunger …Just thinking about it!!!!
Over the years, I also saw Reo’s Ribs along TV highway and did eat there. The food was decent and not too many neighbors/businesses nearby and yes there was smoke coming out of the cookers but then again that is what makes bbq. I meant to stop by and eat at the new place but I believe missed my chance. Yes I believe Varnado of Reo’s Ribs about the prejudice. It happens to everyday people… Anywhere you go, let it be work or your own neighborhood …If you are not part of the “click” you will have problems. I think Reo’s Ribs can still make it in the food Business but will have to find the right neighborhood around Portland and take serious consideration the high probability of negative neighbors and food inspectors into his business plan.
”Smoke from bbq’s”
caused residents to whine???
Holy Cow.
There’s very few smells that are better in this world than beef slow-cooking over a pit. It is a heavenly smell.
I guess his neighbors who bitched and moaned appreciated those other smells… the type that come from Dante’s Inferno.. you know, strange meat patties broiling at McD’s and B’King… unknown meat being warmed at Taco ‘ell. The neighbors would rather those offensive vapors permiated their lives than a real, honest to goodness, barbeque. What straaaaaange people.
I live up in Welches near Mt Hood. W’d LOVE to have your BBQ blending with the fresh air up here (and hey, I even own a restaurant up here and I’d still welcome Mr. Varnado and his business up here!)
I guess Johns Landing folks are more used to gas and diesel fumes coming down from I-5 and up from Macadam.