Here’s the rub: Sugarfire Smoke House is continuing its rapid expansion, with plans to open more locations next year.
Co-owner Charlie Downs gave SLM a list of potential locations for 2018 and beyond. The list includes Columbia, Missouri, Farmington, Shiloh, an undisclosed location in Illinois, Denver, Indianapolis, Edwardsville, Cape Girardeau, and Wentzville. Planned for 2019 are stores in Bozeman, Montana, and Cincinnati. Downs cautions that the above is “written in pencil,” because all are moving targets, and “nothing is ever certain in the restaurant business.”
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The fast-casual barbecue restaurant started in Olivette in 2012 and has since opened locations in St. Charles, Valley Park, Washington, Winghaven, and downtown St. Louis. The expansion marks the farthest the company has reached beyond St. Louis, a city with a booming barbecue scene.
“There are so many great barbecue restaurants here, and they all seem pretty busy,” says co-founder and chef Mike Johnson, who started the first restaurant with Carolyn and Charlie Downs. “You look at Pappy’s and Bogart’s and Salt + Smoke and us. We have these great followings, and people are waiting in line. But we’re going to Indianapolis, and it’s scary to wonder if they are going to have the same passion for barbecue there.”
Johnson will be a partner in the Indianapolis restaurant; otherwise the stores will be operated by franchisees. He also notes that his partners are not looking to sell franchises and that the franchisees have developed organically—some are successful friends in the business, others are family members. Johnson’s aunt, uncle, and cousin will own and operate the Farmington location. Jim Cook and Matt Martin, the owners of the Valley Park and Winghaven restaurants, will own the one in Cape Girardeau. That location will feature a bar serving craft beers and “boozy milkshakes.” It will seat about 100 people inside and 40 more on a garden patio. The franchisee in Denver plans to open several locations around the city, Johnson says.
The restaurant is supplying the chefs and managers who’ve trained at its stores to the new locations. Johnson says the company is “stockpiling chefs” to train at its restaurants in anticipation of continued growth.
“We are expanding,” Johnson says, “but there is not going to be any drop in quality.”
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article indicated that the next Sugarfire location could open in the former PM BBQ space in Chesterfield pending a lease finalization. There is currently no lease pending for that space.
