2026 SPECIAL SESSION I
ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 2051
Commending Croaker's Spot.
Agreed to by the Senate, June 22, 2026
WHEREAS, Croaker's Spot, a soul food institution and the oldest Black-owned, full-service restaurant in continuous operation in the Richmond area, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2026; and
WHEREAS, Croaker's Spot was named for Mr. Croaker, a native of Richmond's historic Jackson Ward, who traveled to New York City during the Harlem Renaissance and became well-known among the jazz set of the era; and
WHEREAS, though not a musician himself, Mr. Croaker often toured up and down the East Coast with various jazz musicians and developed an uncanny knack for being able to locate the best local soul food restaurants in any given city; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Croaker established the original Croaker's Spot in Harlem as a private club, which grew in popularity among jazz musicians, poets, artists, and creative entrepreneurs and ultimately evolved into a restaurant that evoked Mr. Croaker's blend of southern charm and big city sophistication, offering regional recipes from Boston, New Orleans, Chicago, Richmond, and more; and
WHEREAS, Neverett “Sugarfoot” Eggleston III, whose family had deep roots in the Richmond community as the founders of the Eggleston Hotel, a well-known destination for Black travelers during Segregation, sought to honor Mr. Croaker's legacy when he opened Croaker's Spot in Richmond on April 9, 2001; and
WHEREAS, what began as a beloved neighborhood restaurant has grown into a Virginia landmark celebrated for its soulful seafood, Southern hospitality, and deep community roots; Croaker's Spot currently maintains two locations in Richmond's Manchester neighborhood and Historic Old Towne Petersburg; and