Vandy’s BBQ, located at 22 W. Vine Street in downtown Statesboro, closed last Thursday, June 27, 2024 due to leaks caused by an aging roof.
Darin Van Tassell, who took ownership of the restaurant in the Fall of 2020, told Grice Connect that the building has needed repairs for a number of years. Vandy's BBQ has been operating at its current location since 1943 after moving from its original home in Portal, Georgia where the doors were opened in 1929.
Van Tassell says there have been a few obstacles in making necessary renovations, one being that the building is an historic landmark. Additionally, the space is leased which adds a bit of complexity to the ordeal; but a restaurant can’t run with a leaking roof, he said.
Van Tassell says the repairs should start next week, but there is not yet a specific reopening date. He adds that the work must be completed as fast as possible in order to get staff back to work and get back to “doing all the things Vandys is good at”.
“I think we’ll take advantage of the time,” Van Tassell said in regards to making additional repairs while the restaurant is closed.
Stay tuned to Grice Connect for updates about the reopening of the beloved Vandy’s BBQ in downtown Statesboro.
