Adam’s Celebrates its 30th Anniversary
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years this month that Adam’s Ribs started in Severna Park, Maryland. We have since grown and expanded but we never forget what got us to where we are – the community of Severn Park and hard working staff. To commemorate our three decades in business, we would like to travel back to where we came from, talk about someone who has made a big difference to the success of Adam’s and then party. Read on to join us.
History of Adam’s Ribs
Adam’s Ribs first opened its door in 1981 in Edgewater, Maryland. And at the time, unknown to him, Joe Lefavor, the general manager, would become the owner of his very own Adam’s Ribs – their second location. Joe stayed on as general manager until 1986, and actually left Adam’s for a new opportunity. It wasn’t that long before his good friend and founder of Adam’s Ribs, Bill Bagdasian, called him back. In the fall of 1986, he asked Joe to become his partner and help him open the second location of Adam’s Ribs in Severna Park.
And so began the groundwork for what would become a well established and loved restaurant in Severna Park community. However, it didn’t start out will all rainbows. It took a lot of hard work and dedication. Adam’s Ribs didn’t even start out as a restaurant at all. In March of 1987, Joe and Bill opened a carryout-only location in Severna Park. The food was a hit in the community, so much so that customers wanted a sit-down restaurant. That meant a bigger location.
In 1989, after numerous attempts, they finally found a location and opened a dining room. Over the years Adam’s Ribs became so successful, we expanded our menu and number of locations. Today, there are six Adam’s TapHouse and Grille locations in Maryland, including Severna Park, Edgewater, Annapolis, Prince Frederick, Kent Island, and Salisbury.
In 2015, we decided to modify the restaurant name to ‘Adam’s Tap House and Grille’. The new name is more modern and reflects their brand personality and services, hence the slogan, “We’re not just ribs anymore.” We have done many different renovations and upgrades but in the end, it is the community that has continued to embrace us that we thank for all our success. Oh and Lisa…
Who’s Lisa?
You probably already know her, especially if you are a regular. Although, it’s hard to tell what she actually does at Adam’s because she does just about everything. Lisa’s official title is Operations Manager, but she really is a jack of all trades.
Lisa grew up in Crofton and went to Arundel High School. She later moved to Severna Park and went to Anne Arundel Community College, while working full-time at Ledo’s Pizza. In 1991, Lisa was interested in a change of scenery and stumbled upon Adam’s Severna Park. Joe hired her as a server as she continued to pursue her degree. That pretty much sealed the deal. Lisa has been with Adam’s ever since. First, she started out as a waitress and then took over an office position while still waiting tables. From there she just kept going.
While we have a lot of great staff, our history is intertwined with Lisa’s. She has held just about every job and will still do everything from bussing to barback to help the team out. She even worked a double shift the day she gave birth to her son! Today, Lisa handles all of the duties of the restaurant and there isn’t a job that she can’t do. She does payroll, catering, booking, and even takes the grill when needed. She credits Joe with everything that she has learned about hard work and what it takes to run a good business.
Let’s Party!
We love our community and have truly enjoyed being a part of the Severna Park area for 30 years. In celebration of our love for our community and success in business, we would live to give back. We are holding an event on April 29th, 2017 at the Columbian Center to celebrate 30 years together. Proceeds will go to the Providence Center and the Old Mill Steel Drum Band. There will be Caribbean style food, an open bar, door prizes, and live music. Tickets can be bought at the restaurant for $30 per ticket or $225 for a table (8 people). The restaurant will still be open on this day. Learn more about the event here. Hope to see you there!