Memphis-based Central BBQ to open Fayetteville location

Photo: Todd Gill, Fayetteville Flyer

Memphis BBQ is coming to Fayetteville.

According to Health Department records, the owners of Memphis-based restaurant Central BBQ are planning to open a location at 417 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in the new South Yard development at the corner of South School Avenue and MLK.

The restaurant company opened its first location in 2002 after founders Craig Blondis and Roger Sapp met and became friends on the barbecue circuit in the mid-80s. Since then, Central BBQ has grown to operate four locations in Memphis along with two Nashville locations. The restaurant chain has received national attention, including features on television shows such as Pitmasters, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, BBQ with Bobby Flay, and others.

The menu at Central BBQ focuses on all the staples you’d expect at a barbecue restaurant, including ribs, brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and of course, barbecue sandwiches topped with their signature coleslaw. They are also known for shipping their ribs right from the restaurant directly to consumers around the country.

Image: Courtesy, Specialized Real Estate Group

The Fayetteville location will likely be the first Central BBQ in Arkansas, though it might not be the first to open outside of Tennessee. A location currently under construction in Southaven, Mississippi may earn that distinction.

A new investment group is currently working to expand the restaurant chain, and has plans for several new Central BBQ locations around the southeast, a company representative told us.

The restaurant is one of at least three concepts expected to set up shop in the commercial spaces at South Yard, a new development by locals Specialized Real Estate Group on the site of the old Farmers’ Coop in Fayetteville. South Yard will also include commercial space for retail, offices, and other types of businesses. South Yard Lofts are also on the site, with several studios, lofts, and one-and-two-bedroom apartments already available for lease.

Construction of the site is currently underway. We have reached out to the folks at Central BBQ for more information on when they plan to open their Fayetteville location, and we’ll update this post once we learn more.