Back Porch BBQ in South Deerfield will soon have more than a back porch.
It’ll have an indoor seating area and an expanded menu.
While surveying the freshly-poured concrete footprint of his 20 Elm St. building’s roughly 400-foot expansion on a recent afternoon, restaurant owner Robert Stockwell — a Hadley native and U.S. Navy veteran who now lives in Montague — said he has envisioned the addition since purchasing the restaurant and starting the brand earlier this year.
The expansion will almost double the building’s current 600-square-foot footprint and provide an air-conditioned and heated space for customers to eat in year-round.
Back Porch BBQ’s history began in March, when Stockwell spotted a “For Sale” sign and soon after purchased the building next to the railroad tracks, formerly Hillside Dairy & Creamery. The building was previously owned by Steve Schechterle, owner of the Spirit Shoppe liquor stores.
Stockwell’s 21-year-old son, Jarrod Stockwell, also helps out with the business.
In May, Stockwell opened his restaurant — making sure to continue offering ice cream, for which the location has become locally known. Over the summer and since opening, the restaurant has provided, in addition to ice cream, slow-smoked Southern style barbecue in the form of ribs, chicken and pork, among other dishes.
Stockwell’s expertise in Southern-style barbecue comes from personal experience. After moving down South with the Navy, where he served four years, he stayed for a total of 30 years in Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas, working in the computer industry. While there, he learned the barbecue business by talking with experts and entering competitions.
When the restaurant closed in early-August, an announcement on its Facebook page predicted renovations would take “45 to 60 days” and thanked customers for their patience.
Stockwell said since then, he’s had loyal customers contact him and express excitement about the expansion.
To facilitate the expanded indoor dining area, Stockwell said there’ll also be handicapped-accessible bathrooms included in the renovations. Earlier this week, building inspector Richard Calisewski confirmed Stockwell’s plans and said the restaurant has obtained a building permit with the town for the expansion — which Stockwell has wanted to tackle since opening.
“I’ve always wanted a place where people could sit down and eat, instead of having it all open,” Stockwell said. “I wanted to be open 12 months of the year.”
Come later this year, when Back Porch BBQ reopens, Stockwell’s dream of staying open year-round will become a reality. In December, when Stockwell said he plans to have a grand reopening, loyal and new customers alike will be able to dine in even during the winter months and, according to Stockwell, experience a revamped menu with a broader selection of side dishes.
“There’ll be a lot more sides,” Stockwell said, adding that “on the meat side it’ll stay the same — ribs, pork, chicken,” etc. He also said there’s been a good response from customers, who “said they like the idea of having indoor seating.”
As to the current outdoor seating area of red picnic tables and umbrellas, Stockwell said it’ll stay the same but could also be revamped with another possible expansion early next year.
“Next spring I’m probably going to extend the roof out.”
You can reach Andy Castillo at:
acastillo@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263.
On Twitter: @AndyCastillo