V. Richards Forest Park Market

V. Richards Forest Park Market is cooking with gas.

This Alabama specialty foods market also bakes, heats waterand interior space, extends the outdoor dining season andprotects an extensive inventory of gourmet foods with backuppower generation with – what else – clean-burning, reliablenatural gas.

Extensive Inventory of Natural Gas Equipment

When folks in Birmingham, Alabama want something reallyspecial for breakfast or lunch, they head to V. Richards, anupscale fine foods market that also offers catering and year-round dining at its 120-seat, semi-enclosed outdoor café.During cooler months, patrons remain comfortable whiledining with the help of four natural gas-fired SunPak radiantpatio heaters manufactured by the California firm, InfraredDynamics Inc.

“The patio heaters are just phenomenal for spring, fall and winter,” says Rick Little,founder and owner of the popular food market. “The heaters keep it nice and warm. Wehave never had to close our outdoor café.” This inviting dining area is open 361 days ayear, and is just the spot to enjoy a fresh-baked treat prepared by award-winning PastryChef Susan Notter or Premier Artisan Baker Cory Hinley.

V. Richards serves approximately 75 breakfasts and 300 lunches on weekdays, more onweekends. Among its menu selections are homemade soups prepared in a natural gas-

Upscale Food Market Enjoys the Quality andValue of Natural Gas for Cooking and More

Natural gascooking,outdoor patioheating, waterheating, andbackup powergeneration

Specialty foodmarket and café

Birmingham,Alabama

Market owner

Richard Little is a firm

believer in the benefits of

using natural gas. “It’s so

efficient,” he says.

“I enjoy the quick on and

the quick off. You get

instantaneous heat and

you can control that

heat better.”

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fired Groen steam-jacketed kettle. It distributesheat perfectly to eliminate hot spots and reducethe need to stir.

“The steam-jacketed kettle is used for cookingvegetables,” says Joe Gordon, Senior TechnicalRepresentative for Southern Natural Gas

Company, the natural gas pipeline throughwhich Alagasco, the local natural gas utility,gets most of its natural gas. “It provides veryeven heat – there is no point source.”

Other natural gas commercial cookingequipment used at V. Richards includes aGarland/US Range natural gas-operated rangebroiler, TDH & TDHC Southern PrideRotisserie Master natural gas range, Frialatordeep-fat fryer, and Star-Max natural gascharbroiler. The deep-fat fryer, Little says,supplies steady, rapid heat, while thecharbroiler “works just like a good gas grill athome.”

A Rheem/Ruud commercial natural gas waterheater provides all the hot water required tokeep cooking equipment and servingwarespotless. The entire building is heated withnatural gas during the winter months.

To protect the market’s large inventory ofperishable specialty foods from potentialspoilage in the event of power outages, Littlealso invested in a natural gas generator set.Because many of the delicacies – including alarge selection of international cheeses andwines – are so valuable, relief from twoextended power outages would pay for thegenerator.

“We have power outages quite a bit due tostorms coming off the Gulf,” explains Little.“Having gas is a great backup. We can keepour freezers and walk-in coolers running.” Thegenerators will also supply lights and power forthe price scanners to keep the businessoperating during an electric blackout.

Owner Believes in Natural Gas

All this natural gas equipment was installedwhen V. Richards relocated across aparking lot to a larger, 6,100-sq.-ft.venue in 2005. Little used naturalgas for cooking in the old location,but decided to increase hisinventory of natural gas restaurantequipment at the new location.Little, who launched his first marketin Milwaukee, Wisconsin 29 yearsago, is a firm believer in thebenefits of using natural gas. He

© Energy Solutions Center / October 2006 For more information, visit www.energysolutionscenter.org

© Energy Solutions Center / October 2006 For more information, visit www.energysolutionscenter.org

uses it extensively in his own home as well asin the food market.

“It’s so efficient,” Little says. “I enjoy thequick on and the quick off. You getinstantaneous heat and you can control thatheat better.”

In addition to improving profits by allowingthe market’s chefs to create better-tasting,

better-looking food products, the natural gasequipment is beginning to show savings onenergy costs. “We’re seeing good utility bills,”Little says. “And the generator will pay foritself many times over.”

Purchasing high-quality natural gas cookingequipment, he adds, is a “long-term investmentfor us. We feel gas is a better value in the longterm.”

Southern Natural Gas P.O. Box 2563Birmingham, AL 35203-2563http://premier.sonetpremier.com/sonetpremier/

Energy Solutions Center Inc.400 N. Capitol Street, NW4th FloorWashington, DC 20001

Groen1055 Mendell Davis DriveJackson, MS 39216www.groen.com

Infrared Dynamics Inc. (Sunpak)3830 Prospect AvenueYorba Linda, CA 92886www.infradyne.com

Star Manufacturing International, Inc. 10 Sunnen DriveP.O. Box 430129St. Louis, MO 63143-3800www.star-mfg.com

The Garland Group 185 East South StreetFreeland, PA 18224www.garland-group.com

Southern Pride 5003 Meadowland ParkwayMarion, IL 62959www.southern-pride.com

Rheem Manufacturing Co. Water Heater Products101 Bell RoadMontgomery, AL 36117www.rheem.com Alasgasco

605 Richard Arrington, Jr. Boulevard, NBirmingham, AL 35203-2707www.alagasco.com

Pitco Frialator, Inc.P.O. Box 501Concord, NH 03302-0501www.pitco.com