Dickey's BBQ Pit plans October opening

Delicious BBQ from a brand new fast casual concept will soon be gracing the Twin Ports come October. Dickey's BBQ Pit has set an early October opening date for the company's first location in the area. We talked with Landon and Sharon Wiser, a son and mother duo, about their franchise that will be opening in Hermantown next month.

While the location has been under construction for quite some time there is good reasoning for it (don't worry, we'll explain later on). Landon Wiser firmly stated that "we should be open by early October" when we began discussing their new location.

So what exactly brought the Wiser duo to their current state of owning a Dickey's BBQ Pit franchise? "We're originally from Eden Prairie, Minnesota and I was working as the general manager at a Dickey's BBQ location there." explained Landon. "That's where the Dickey's idea came from" and from there the rest is history! Well, not yet.

Dickey's BBQ in Hermantown has actually been planned for almost two years now. Originally the location was owned by a different set of franchisees. "September of last year we signed our franchise agreement" Landon explained. That's a few months after Landon and his mother took notice of the available franchise and swooped in. "My mom was looking for a new opportunity so I told her to go check out the franchise and pretty soon we were signing papers".

So why Duluth for the Wiser duo? Well, after looking at a franchise in Maple Grove Landon suggested Duluth's franchise as he soon was heading to college at UMD. "I'm just a student and I am going to do Dickey's also with my mom" Landon cheerfully explained. While that may be true Landon we don't think you're just the typical college student. Most college students are busily figuring where to go out this next weekend...not busily planning for an opening of their first franchise. We have no doubt that with such a bright set of minds behind this Dickey's BBQ location that there will be plenty of success. After all, what's more powerful than a mother and son duo? We don't think anyone would want to challenge that.

You're probably adding things together now and starting to wonder though why it is taking so long for Dickey's BBQ Pit to open if the franchise agreement was signed over a year ago. The flat out reason? Sometimes you just can't predict the way that construction will go. "Our biggest delay has been a setback due to a plumbing estimate" Landon told us when we asked on the matter. We were told that the contractor for the project will return on site this week and construction will pick up rapidly and be completed in a few weeks time.

Something else we were a little curious about too was why Landon and Sharon had chosen to save this particular location instead of opening something directly in the retail core of the Miller Hill Mall area. "One of the things that caught our eye initially was that everything seems to be moving this way" Landon said regarding the specific location of their franchise. "In this area the only real restaurant is McKenzie's which is a sit down restaurant" Landon explained. "We're trying to bring a fast causal concept to the area." He also noted that having a Kwik Trip location next door in the future was an added bonus as they tend to be a destination and draw customers from all over the area. The hope is that customers will fill their vehicle with a tank of gas and fill their stomachs with a plate of delicious barbecue from Dickey's BBQ Pit.

After all this time of waiting there has to be something special about this Dickey's location, right? After all, good things come to those who wait, right? Yes, they do and as a matter of a fact there is something special. Besides the fact that this location will be the first in the Twin Ports there's also another feature that sets it apart. "We're one of the only drive thru locations in the state as of last week" said Landon. That has to be a sigh of relief for northlanders for when those frigid winter days come rolling in. While barbecue is huge in the south, the Wiser duo also think it's also pretty big up north. That convenience of a drive thru window will ensure that no form of precipitation or temperature will keep area residents from getting their delicious ribs, a side of coleslaw and some cornbread while on their way up north.

Dickey's BBQ Pit is currently hiring for all positions. "We don't have servers because we're just like Chipotle where you go through a line" Landon said to us when asking about what type of positions will be available. What that ultimately means is that there are positions available in the block (meat and food prep), pantry (sides and back of house) and as a cashier (front of house). This location also is looking for someone to fill the position of assistant manager and is looking for a few line cooks. Visit our contact us page and we can get you in touch with Landon and Sharon if you're interested in applying.

There also will be a job fair this Thursday, September 19th from 11am to 5pm at the Hermantown Chamber of Commerce at 5094 Miller Trunk Highway. You'll be able to apply on site and meet with Landon directly. If you can't make it to the job fair just contact Landon and he'll set up a time to meet with you personally.

We'll have more details on Dickey''s BBQ Pit as the opening date gets closer. As always, check back at CDINDULUTH for the latest in development....and... well... BBQ news too!