North Central Street is quickly transforming into a barbecue hub, with two new barbecue restaurants planned for the same area just north of Happy Holler.
The owners of each concept have Knoxville history, but their next ventures will put them into new and distinct territories.
William "Archer" Bagley III told Knox News he is looking for a "second chance"with his new barbecue restaurant after abruptly closing all six of his Archer's BBQ locations in 2023. Meanwhile, a food truck is changing its business model to open a restaurant next year near Wild Love Bakehouse.
Here is everything we know about the barbecue boom on North Central Street.
Owner behind Archer's BBQ opening brand new restaurant
Nearly three years after Archer's BBQ closed all its locations, Bagley is making a comeback with a new kind
of barbecue restaurant between downtown Knoxville and Happy Holler.
"I just don't want it to be Archer's BBQ," Bagley told Knox News. "Everybody always wants a second chance. I learned from my first one and my mistakes."
Bagley opened Archer's BBQ in 2011 and grew the brand to six locations before suddenly closing in 2023 − the same year he opened and closed prime steakhouse Fire and Smoke, which is now under new ownership.
His new, unnamed restaurant will be at the former Hops and Hollers beer bar at 937 N. Central St., a building owned by longtime friend, events space owner and Happy Holler landlord Daniel Schuh.
Schuh also owns the building formerly home to Club XYZ − primed for a new bar named Good Judy's − along with property across the street that includes Central Flats & Taps and The Relix.
The restaurant could open within the next few months, Bagley said.
Wells Station Barbecue blends smoky flavors with fine dining
Just a few minutes up the road from Bagley's restaurant, owner Marcus Stokely is bringing his barbecue truck to a storefront near Wild Love Bakehouse and Mid Mod Collective.
His new location at 1617 N. Central St. is just north of the Happy Holler neighborhood.
Stokely partnered with A Dopo co-owner Brian Strutz to turn Wells Station BBQ into a full-service restaurant. He has a background in fine dining, working at places like A Dopo, Blackberry Farm and J.C. Holdway.
Wells Station BBQ is projected to open sometime in 2027, Stokley told Knox News.
Wells Station will offer counter service during lunchtime before shifting to a plated, full-service experience for dinner. Stokely plans to build off his fine-dining experience to bring a more elegant (but not too elegant) version of barbecue to Knoxville.
"I've worked in fine dining enough where tweezers are in my past," said Stokley, who will continue to operate the food truck until the Central Street location opens.
Construction on the restaurant is expected to start later this year.
Knox News reporter Joanna Hayes covers restaurants and retail for the business growth and development team. Email: joanna.hayes@knoxnews.com; Instagram: @knoxeat65. Sign up for Joanna's Eat65 email newsletter to get the latest drink and dining news, as well as restaurant recommendations, at knoxnews.com/newsletters.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Barbecue x2 coming to same part of Knoxville. What sets each spot apart?
