Construction begins on Hutchins BBQ three months after fire

Faithful patrons of Hutchins BBQ may finally be reunited with a local favorite by late October or early November, as construction to rebuild the burned down eatery began last week.

The restaurant, located on Tennessee St., has been closed since mid-June when a fire struck the backside of the building. It is still undetermined as to what exactly caused the one-alarm fire, which left approximately $40,000 in electrical damage, owner Tim Hutchins said.

At first, a hopeful Tim believed the restaurant would be up and running in a couple of weeks. But with more planning and red tape to navigate than originally expected, he and his father, Roy, recovering a business from fire entailed much more than he anticipated.

"It was a matter of permits and kind of getting everything squared away," Tim said. "There's a lot that goes with it. [And] there was a lot more damage than we originally thought. It's been depressing, really frustrating."

The fire originated in the rear of the building and destroyed its back wall and pit room, which housed two wood-burning rotisserie pits, a trademark of the family namesake.

"It was devastating,," Roy said. "We've put in 14 restaurants since 1975, and this is the first fire we've ever had."

With the damages being more expensive than he originally thought, Tim believes the worst is behind them, and said he and his father are resting easier now that they can see the progress taking shape.

"A lot of times with a lot of restaurants, this could put you under," Tim said. "Thankfully, this is something I've been able to do."

Thanks to the preservation of its original pits and an insurance policy that has kept their employees on the payroll since the incident, the Hutchins men assured their customers that when it reopens, it will feel as if Hutchins BBQ never closed. The restaurant, which has been at that location since 1991, will look very similar to way it was before the fire, except for a completely new pit room constructed of steel and cement, no wood, Roy said.

"We've got a lot of people right now, they're very disturbed about us being down. They say, "We miss y'all, we're dying for your barbeque,'" said Roy, laughing. "We appreciate them and thank them for all the years of support. We've got faithful customers that have eaten with us since 1978 and we're sorry it happened. Nobody appreciates our people like we do."

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