Bar Next Door (formerly Back Door Barbecue)

[Roger S]

Also Oklahoma City BBQ has come a looooooong ways in the last 8 years. The competition is wildly different than it was when they opened.

The landscape has changed with leaps and bounds for sure.... When I was blogging Backdoor was chosen as our favorite on the 2015 OKC Broken Rib Tour we made. They are now the 2nd restaurant from the 3 annual tours we did that has closed.

We also struggled some years to find 16 restaurants to include on the list back then.... Bedlam BBQ, the 2014 chosen favorite, wasn't even on our list that year because I had been served some really bad ribs there a few months earlier and were added when Mr Sprigg's failed to get reopened. I don't think we would struggle with anything but the math we used to calculate the winner because some of these places are so close in quality now than what we had to choose from back in 2014-2016.

And here's a little known fact..... Travis Clark of Clark Crew BBQ was supposed to be a judge on that 2014 OKC Broken Rib Tour and had to back out at the last moment due to work scheduling conflict.

[jerrywall]

there are 7 mil less workers in the USA then 2 years ago ..

the under 18 workforce has taken a massive hit and that has effected all jobs

Certainly. People can refuse to work for under $12 an hour. There are still plenty of folks willing to work for more than that. Check out the OKC jobs group on facebook sometime. Business owners are finding out that the free market and capitalism works both ways, and workers can choose to follow higher wages.

I think it's more than likely they just couldn't compete in this market. As others have mentioned there's a lot of new BBQ competition around, and it's pretty darn good too. And any business that depended on downtown workers is probably hurting. But when a place says they have "staffing problems" what they mean is that they can't hire folks for the wages they are offering. People still will work, but they're able to be choosy now, and considering that many jobs are paying in the same comparable range as 20+ years ago, it's about time.

[gopokes88]

Staffing issues are easily fixed - folks are willing to work, they're just working where people are paying them more. I have no sympathy for any business that doesn't have a model to support competitive wages.

It's a double punch.

You can pay the staff more when the restaurant is growing, but the cost to eat out is growing so fast less people are eating out. So now your revenue is shrinking while expenses are growing. Recipe for a lot of places to close up shop.

I can't take my family of 4 out for less then $70-$80 anymore. So we're just eating at home more.

[Mr. Cotter]

I'm sad to read they are closing. They had some of the better brisket in OKC, and the espresso sauce is excellent.

I have no insight on how they pay, but Katheryn is able to staff Big Truck and Gusto okay, so I don't expect that's the issue.

[Rover]

there are 7 mil less workers in the USA then 2 years ago ..

the under 18 workforce has taken a massive hit and that has effected all jobs

I think or is more like 2 million less, not 7. 161 million vs 163 million civilian work force. Lots are back at work in last two years.

[BG918]

It's a double punch.

You can pay the staff more when the restaurant is growing, but the cost to eat out is growing so fast less people are eating out. So now your revenue is shrinking while expenses are growing. Recipe for a lot of places to close up shop.

I can't take my family of 4 out for less then $70-$80 anymore. So we're just eating at home more.

Same. We have really cut back on eating out because it’s too expensive. I imagine there are many others that are doing the same and many restaurants, already dealing with high costs and labor issues, will close over the next couple years.

[soonermike81]

Same. We have really cut back on eating out because it’s too expensive. I imagine there are many others that are doing the same and many restaurants, already dealing with high costs and labor issues, will close over the next couple years.

Us as well. We used to go out at least once a week. Although we didn’t splurge and go crazy on high end meals each week, we generally didn’t blink and usually picked what we wanted off the menu. Right now, we go out once a week at the very most. And we have also set ourselves a budget for when we go out. Not sure if they’re tightening up on the same things as us, but I talked to a lot of people in my circle that are doing the same.

[MagzOK]

We have drastically cut back on our restaurant dining with my family of six. Can't eat for under $100 anymore, especially the places that are in our normal rotation. It's no secret the price of dining out has shot through the roof, but we've noticed it more at BBQ restaurants and we've speculated it to be due to meat qualities. Some BBQ joints have kept the same quality and jacked the prices big time to keep up, meanwhile other places have cut the quality and still raised prices but just not as much.

I will certainly miss BDBBQ. You could taste the quality in the meats they used. They're always busy over the weekday lunch hour.

[bucktalk]

I drove by Bandee's BBQ in Chisholm Creek last night.....the place looked all but abandoned. Can't imagine how much overhead they pay for that location. You'd have to have a lot of business to stay open I'd think.....

[Libbymin]

It can also be true that all three things are true:

1. Staffing problems due to not being able to entice workers with higher wages

2. Higher meat costs. There was a graphic on NPR the other day showing the percent increases in food prices from the 4th of July a year ago. Buns and ground beef up 10%. Chicken breast up 24%. Chicken wings up 36%. Those are hard prices for any BBQ business to absorb.

3. Slow business. Just from conversations I’ve had with people, they felt that their food was alright. When you have to bump up your food prices for the same portion sizes, the bbq competition has gotten better, and your food isn’t considered to be great by many, then it’s going to be tough to survive when consumers are feeling inflation too - eating out and driving less.

Sad to see them go but the restaurant business is tough sometimes.

[OkieBerto]

Same. We have really cut back on eating out because it’s too expensive. I imagine there are many others that are doing the same and many restaurants, already dealing with high costs and labor issues, will close over the next couple years.

This is exactly how I saw this move. They decided to close before they start losing money. There will be plenty of local businesses that will be able to stay afloat and make it through this economy, but we will lose a lot of them. Prepare yourselves and be kind to the staff and owners of these places. They have already been through so much in the last 2 years.

[shartel_ave]

This is exactly how I saw this move. They decided to close before they start losing money. There will be plenty of local businesses that will be able to stay afloat and make it through this economy, but we will lose a lot of them. Prepare yourselves and be kind to the staff and owners of these places. They have already been through so much in the last 2 years.

same person owns big truck and gusto

chef Kathryn Mathis

[soonerguru]

I thought their 'cue was pretty good, but honestly not as good as hoped. If I recall, it was pretty pricey even when it opened, too. Just never made it into my regular rotation.

Big Truck is and always will be the best of their concepts.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

I like that mustard bbq sauce, do they sell it in bulk?

I should buy a quart.

[OkieBerto]

same person owns big truck and gusto

chef Kathryn Mathis

Yes, Chef Mathis has been a very successful person in our market. Big Truck has almost done better now with Ted's next door. So I am guessing they made a decision to close the business that had the least amount of revenue coming in. This also gives them the chance to maybe even hire the people at Backdoor to work at another one of their concepts. They have options, but keeping a business open that isn't making enough profit is not one of them.

[Pete]

James Vu is planning to open a sandwich spot in this space.

[PaddyShack]

James Vu is planning to open a sandwich spot in this space.

I have missed a good sandwich place in this area. I only had Scottie's a few times before it closed and I loved them!

[Pete]

Bar and sandwich shop coming to Uptown

A new bar and restaurant will soon open in the former home to Back Door BBQ at 315 NW 23rd in Uptown.

Bar Next Door opens October 28th and bills itself as a 'no frills retro dive bar and sandwich shop'.

Sandwiches will include two types of Bahn Mi, Pastrami, Italian Beef, Philly Cheesesteak, Sloppy Joe, Grilled Cheese, BLT, Fried Bologna and Monte Cristo.

Also on the menu will be fries, candied jalapeno bacon, nachos, house-made chips and chicharrones, fried pickles and spicy cheese curds.

Among several house cocktails will be Mexican Mullet: Dolce Vita Pineapple jalapeno tequila, sweet-sour mix, tajin rim; and Trash Can Punch: Rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine.

Lots of inexpensive domestic beers will be offered in cans.

Will be open for lunch until late.

[PhiAlpha]

Granddad’s bar is back?

[barrettd]

Feels like a mix of all the other bars that have closed down there. Not that it's a bad thing.

[Pete]

Grandad's and Rockford were in the spot next door, where The Eleanor is now.

This has only been Back Door BBQ in the recent past.

[Roger S]

Well they had me at sloppy joes and fried bologna.

[PhiAlpha]

Grandad's and Rockford were in the spot next door, where The Eleanor is now.

This has only been Back Door BBQ in the recent past.

Really meant the theme more than the location.

That said, the "Bar Next Door" was Grandad's lol.

[soonerguru]

Really meant the theme more than the location.

That said, the "Bar Next Door" was Grandad's lol.

As Father Time marches onward, I realize my window for full appreciation of this concept is slipping away. Alas, slamming beers and trolling around for late-night munchies aren't much of a thing for me any more.

Still, this looks like a stellar idea. You have to love the number of cheaper eats concepts popping up. A few years back we seemed to be getting hit with a lot of $18 biscuit purveyors.