NORFOLK, Va. - A sign reading, "Waffles are just pancakes with abs." A picture of Eleven from Stranger Things.
This is just some of the personality you'll see when you walk into one of Downtown Norfolk's newest places to eat.
Then, you get to the meat of your visit...That is, if you order a waffle with fried chicken on top. Or you might decide to go the sweet route and cover your waffle in marshmallows and whipped cream. Or, you can combine sweet and savory with chicken and Fruity Pebbles cereal.
At the new Granby Waffle Shop at Slover, the world is your waffle. That's how the Barzoloski brothers wanted it since the beginning.
"We wanted something that worked as a sweet dish, a savory dish. We wanted something that was kid-friendly, but also something that's good for the adults too," said Brad Barzoloski, who founded Capitol Waffle Shop in Richmond with his brother, Brian, four years ago.
Their business partner Jamie Colston, a Virginia Beach native who's spent years running restaurants in Norfolk, joined the team during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a move to the Mermaid City was soon in the works.
"I went down (to Richmond) and worked on my birthday weekend, I think, and was kind of hooked on it. I think this could really work," said Colston.
They soon found the perfect location, Colston says, inside Slover Library, right next to Selden Market.
Granby Waffle Shop at Slover held its soft opening in the first half of June with a grand opening still in the works.
Starting next week, the business partners say they'll be open seven days a week serving up waffles, milkshakes and more. Once they get their liquor license, the plan is to offer mimosas and crushes with boozy milkshakes upon request.
But so far, things are going well.
"I'm really surprised how much the city's embraced us and all the neighbors come by and check it out so it's been really great," said Brian Barzoloski.
Granby Waffle Shop at Slover is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
