You’ll soon be able to order beer or wine when dining in at Old Hickory Bar-B-Que.
Owner John Foreman said they’ve been considering the move for “quite a while.”
“We do have a lot of customers that want it, and also it’s a way to help us boost dine-in sales. There were a lot of reasons to do it, and we just feel like this was the time,” he said.
Foreman said their evening hours during the week aren’t quite as busy as they used to be.
“It’s not bad, but it’s not like it used to be. Our lunch is still great, and so is our drive-thru and carry-out,” he said. “This is a way to try to kind of compete with other other stores that do offer it. I just think it will help us.”
Foreman noted Old Hickory is only adding beer and wine, not liquor. It’s also only table service; they aren’t adding a bar. He isn’t sure when they’ll be able to start selling alcohol because they are still waiting on the license, but said they “kind of have everything in place” and will be ready once it’s approved.
Foreman said they always keep customers at the forefront of decision-making because community support has played a vital role in the restaurant’s success.
“It means everything,” he said of customer support. “All the stuff I’ve done, I’ve put an emphasis on community. Local people are what matters to us the most.”
In September 2013, Southern Living magazine named Old Hickory one of the top 50 barbecue joints nationwide. Much to the surprise of Foreman, Old Hickory was No. 24 on the list, ahead of several prominent establishments.
“It’s a big deal, and I’m very proud. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it reassures me we’re doing things the right way,” Foreman said at the time. “It’s also an inspiration to keep going and not rest on our success.”
While mutton put Old Hickory and Owensboro on the map, the restaurant has also been dishing out pork, chicken, beef, turkey, and more using hickory coals since 1918.
