After a false start, Ruby Tuesday has opened one of its newest locations in Randallstown. The 175-seat casual dining restaurant welcomed its first customers at a grand opening event on Oct. 20 at 8721 Liberty Road in Brenbrook Plaza.
On its first weekend day, business was brisk with families, groups of friends and couples—some celebrating special events—and even the Buffalo Soldiers dining on a diverse menu of chicken tenders, ribs and seafood. In a departure from the dark, traditional look of the Ruby Tuesday restaurants, the Randallstown location features a light and vibrant atmosphere with a modern décor and soft contemporary music playing, an open kitchen, bar service, a community table and lounge area of tufted burgundy leather couches.
Ruby Tuesday’s Randallstown restaurant employs about 95 people, some of whom were recruited through the county’s workforce employment center at Liberty Center, according to Baltimore County. The majority live in Randallstown and the northwest.
Community leaders, elected officials and business owners cheered the long-awaited addition of the brand to Randallstown—one of the county’s most affluent areas with the mostly African-American residents having the highest household income in the county, according to the U.S. Census.
Dozens of discount stores and fast food eateries have long dominated the Liberty Road corridor, and big-box businesses and chain restaurants had frequented passed over the Randallstown area in favor of Catonsville locations on Baltimore National Pike and Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills.
Negotiations to woo Ruby Tuesday began more than 10 years ago, but a souring economy and development issues stalled progress on the plan.
“Randallstown and Ruby Tuesday are a perfect fit,” County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a statement. “We encouraged Ruby Tuesday to move forward, knowing that Randallstown would enthusiastically embrace [the chain] as a welcome member of the community.”
District 4 Councilman Kenneth Oliver says, “I’m glad they finally made a decision to come,” referring to the chain’s renewed interest after Walmart opened a 150,000-square-foot supercenter that generated 350 jobs across the street. The success of the Randallstown location, which Oliver says, is exceeding sales expectations, and demonstrates the potential for international businesses to do well in the area. He also noted that seniors visiting the Liberty Road Senior Center next door and resident of the nearby senior housing complexes will have a convenient place to sit down and eat.
The county supported the Ruby Tuesday as part of its Liberty Road commercial revitalization initiative. It joins national retailers Home Depot, Walmart, Marshalls and Sonic.
CAPTION. All smiles.To reflect the energetic atmosphere of Randallstown’s Ruby Tuesday, staff’s uniform switched from black on black to dark blue jeans and a bright-colored shirt