LB's Chili Bar

richmond, VA

Food & Beverage

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About LB's Chili Bar

My name is Loren Bass and I am the owner of LB’s Chili Bar (trade name) by way of Bass Empire LLC. I began making a sweet and spicy chili when I was in graduate school in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2019 that I decided to turn my hobby into a small business. I began selling chili by the 16oz jar at the salon my aunt works at and through word of mouth. I sold chili by 8oz cups, 16oz jars, and by the crockpot to customers in my aunt's network and friends. In late 2019, I began shipping chili as a seasonal option during the cold months to customers out of state. In 2020, due to the pandemic and the lack of meat in stores-as I found it difficult to make my chili and was advised to pivot to making sauce instead. I have been able to sell my sauces at local farmers markets, online, and I have had success with some small businesses who purchased wholesale orders to resell my sauces to their customers and aid in my opportunity to grow and scale.