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    Construction Underway for Pecan Penny’s BBQ Restaurant on East Main Street

    The brains behind the Walrus and Olde Towne Tavern are bringing a barbecue concept to East Main Street. Construction has just started on Pecan Penny’s, which will take over the building that housed Ray Johnson Seafood Market for 99 years. Sitting between Third and Fourth streets on East Main, Pecan Penny’s will join a handful of other bars on the block, and restauranteur Brad Hobbs hopes that means the area will become even more of a destination.

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    “I’m standing here right now just looking at the view, and I think it’ll do very well as a location,” Hobbs said, “and I think this being at least the third or fourth restaurant that’s turned the corner, it’ll keep pushing that growth down that street, which I think is gonna make it a nice little entertainment district.”

    The one-story building at 113 E. Main St. will see a major transformation overseen by Adrienne Consales of black ink. Outside will be a large, covered patio with plenty of seating. Along with the tables and bar stools inside, Pecan Penny’s offers seating for roughly 90 people. Sit-down dining isn’t required, though. While they’ll do dinner as well, they aim to be a prime lunch spot, where people can order ahead, grab, and go.

    The simple menu will list the multitude of smoked meats required at any barbecue joint. Staying true to the name, they’ll throw pecan wood in the smoker, affecting the meat with a sweeter taste, “different from what a lot of people are using around here,” Hobbs said.

    Along with meat will come an assortment of house-made sauces that cater to regional tastes. A few sides, including slaw and mac and cheese, will appear on the menu as well.

    “It’ll be fairly traditional,” Hobbs said. “We’ll have some of our own twists, but for the most part everything will be very recognizable, and we’ll do some specials that will be a little bit more creative.”

    Phil Richardson, general manager for The Walrus, will assume the same role at Pecan Penny’s when it opens. Richardson offered up the name “Pecan Penny’s” in an early conversation. His grandfather was in the barbecue business, and he’d thought about the name a lot. Richardson will fill the role of mixologist as well, creating drinks that complement the warm, sweet and spicy flavors of barbecue, including cherry wine and sweet tea. A “very modest” liquor, draft and wine list will be available as well.

    Tomi Reichard, The Walrus’ executive chef, will also move to Pecan Penny’s. Greg Schmidt, famous for the pastrami wings he serves up at Challah! food truck, will join the team as well.

    “Phil and Tomi and Greg is where all the creativity, all the smoking knowledge and menu are coming from,” Hobbs said.

    The team will assemble for an opening “soon,” Hobbs said, but no exact timeframe was given.

    Stay tuned to CU for updates.

    Photo by Rebecca Wagner.

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    Lauren Sega
    Lauren Segahttps://columbusunderground.com
    Lauren Sega is the former Associate Editor for Columbus Underground and a current freelance writer for CU. She covers political issues on the local and state levels, as well as local food and restaurant news. She grew up near Cleveland, graduated from Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism, and loves running, traveling and hiking.
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