Meet the new owner reopening Rosehill Seafood restaurant and market in Columbus
A legacy seafood restaurant and market in Columbus is reopening — with new ownership.
Jeff Lunsford, former owner of Rosehill Seafood, announced the restaurant’s closure May 3. Later that week, Lunsford told the Ledger-Enquirer he wants the restaurant’s legacy to continue, even though he doesn’t have the bandwidth.
“I’m hoping that somebody’s gonna want [the restaurant] and carry it on,” Lunsford said.
That “somebody” came along a few weeks later. As a result, Rosehill plans to reopen by the end of this month. No exact date is set yet.
Buford King was looking for a change. King is a Columbus native and a graduate of Columbus State University. After 17 years in medical device sales, he thought it was time to take a risk: starting his own business. This opportunity to take over Rosehill came at the right time.
“What’s comforting is that this place has been here for 50 years, so they withstood a lot during those 50 years,” King told the Ledger-Enquirer during an interview Monday at Rosehill. “That’s what was intriguing to me. This business has really sustained itself. So, it wasn’t like going and buying a normal restaurant. It has its own heartbeat and life.”
Working in the food industry is not new to King. His father owned Buford’s Brownies, a legacy bakery and retail shop that shipped brownies all over the country. King worked at his father’s business until he graduated from CSU.
Lunsford told the Ledger-Enquirer on Monday that he plans to continue working at Rosehill until King feels comfortable running the business on his own. But he is confident King will acclimate quickly.
“It’s going to take some time for him to get comfortable with [running Rosehill],” Lunsford said. “He’s had experience working with people under him, and he handles things that put bumps in the road a lot better than I do. He’s a lot calmer. I’m like a bull in the China shop.”
Taking on the Rosehill tradition is a heavy responsibility, King said.
“It’s a lot to carry,” King said. “The last thing I want to do is be the reason why this place closes. We want to continue that legacy that they had, and I want [the Lunsford family] to be proud that they passed it to the right person. There is a weight that will be with me. ‘Am I doing it the right way?’ ‘Am I making sure everybody is happy?’”
King, however, welcomes the pressure.
“I knew it was going to be a challenge, and I look forward to it,” he said. “Most of the things that keep me up at night are just exciting opportunities ahead.”
King doesn’t plan to change the Rosehill menu. About 95% of Rosehill’s original staff is returning to work, he said.
For the new and former owners, continuing the beloved customer experience consistent is key.
“We’re going to keep Rosehilll Rosehill,” King said. “Maybe down the road, we may offer new items or something like that, but we’re not going to change what we did. We’re not going to change the recipes. It’s going to operate the way Rosehill operated.”
“It’s just about being consistent,” Lunsford added. “The people will take care of the rest of it. The customers will make it what it is.”
Per a city ordinance Rosehill no longer have their “brown bag” policy. King said the restaurant is getting an alcohol beverage license for beers and wines to be served
This story was originally published August 18, 2025 at 1:14 PM.