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McLean's Restaurant receives state alcohol license to open at 3205 West Broad St

McLean's Restaurant receives state alcohol license to open at 3205 West Broad St

Rule Changes Richmond, VA local

Virginia's alcohol regulator cleared the longtime Broad Street diner for service. No opening date has been announced.

August 11th, 2026: Virginia ABC issues restaurant license

Overview

Updated 38 minutes ago

McLean'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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Key Indicators

1
Restaurant license issued
Virginia ABC granted the license Aug. 11 for 3205 W. Broad St.
0
Opening dates announced
McLean's has not said when service will begin.
c. 1965
Year McLean's first opened
Richmond Magazine reported the diner had been open 55 years in early 2020.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

January 1965 August 2026

5 events Latest: August 11th, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Virginia ABC issues restaurant license

    Latest Regulatory

    The state alcohol regulator clears McLean's to operate at 3205 W. Broad St.

  2. Restaurant shifts to takeout

    Business

    With dining rooms closed, McLean's operates takeout only.

  3. Longtime owner Fred Wagner dies

    Obituary

    Fred Wagner dies from COVID-19 complications; his daughter takes over.

  4. Richmond Magazine profiles the diner

    Media

    A feature recounts 55 years of family ownership and regulars.

  5. McLean's opens on West Broad Street

    Milestone

    The 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.

July 2012

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.

Then

Sylvia's stayed open and remained a Harlem institution.

Now

It became a standard example of a family-owned restaurant surviving its founder.

Why this matters now

McLean's faces the same test: Fred Wagner's daughter took over after his death, and the restaurant's future depends on family continuity.

September 2020

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.

Then

Katz's kept serving customers and retained its staff through the worst of the pandemic.

Now

Old eateries that adapted to takeout were better positioned to reopen when restrictions lifted.

Why this matters now

McLean's also leaned on takeout during COVID; the new ABC license is the next step in its own reopening.

Sources

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