McLean's Restaurant receives state alcohol license to open at 3205 West Broad St
Rule Changes Richmond, VA localVirginia's alcohol regulator cleared the longtime Broad Street diner for service. No opening date has been announced.
August 11th, 2026: Virginia ABC issues restaurant licenseNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated 38 minutes agoMcLean's Restaurant, a Broad Street diner that has fed Richmond since the 1960s, is cleared to operate at its longtime address. Virginia's Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) issued a restaurant license on Aug. 11 for 3205 W. Broad St.
The license means the state has approved the business to serve customers. It does not mean McLean's has opened; no opening date has been announced.
Why it matters
If McLean's opens, a 60-year-old Richmond breakfast spot returns to Broad Street.
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Breakfast and lunch diner known for Southern classics at 3205 W. Broad St.
State agency that licenses and regulates alcohol sales in Virginia.
Timeline
January 1965 August 2026
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Virginia ABC issues restaurant license
Latest RegulatoryThe state alcohol regulator clears McLean's to operate at 3205 W. Broad St.
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Restaurant shifts to takeout
BusinessWith dining rooms closed, McLean's operates takeout only.
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Longtime owner Fred Wagner dies
ObituaryFred Wagner dies from COVID-19 complications; his daughter takes over.
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Richmond Magazine profiles the diner
MediaA feature recounts 55 years of family ownership and regulars.
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McLean's opens on West Broad Street
MilestoneThe diner begins serving breakfast and lunch at 3205 W. Broad St. Date approximate.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Sylvia's Restaurant after founder's death (2012)
Sylvia Woods, founder of Harlem's Sylvia's Restaurant, died at 86. Her children and grandchildren had already been running daily operations for years.
Sylvia's stayed open and remained a Harlem institution.
It became a standard example of a family-owned restaurant surviving its founder.
McLean's faces the same test: Fred Wagner's daughter took over after his death, and the restaurant's future depends on family continuity.
Katz's Delicatessen reopens dining room (2020)
New York's Katz's Delicatessen, open since 1888, stayed in business through the spring 2020 shutdown with takeout and reopened its dining room at limited capacity.
Katz's kept serving customers and retained its staff through the worst of the pandemic.
Old eateries that adapted to takeout were better positioned to reopen when restrictions lifted.
McLean's also leaned on takeout during COVID; the new ABC license is the next step in its own reopening.
