Smokehouse 52 BBQ to Open in Downtown Chelsea in November

The owner of Smokehouse 52 BBQ doesn't just want to provide barbecue to patrons, he wants to tantalize taste buds.

Smokehouse 52 BBQ will soon take the former place of New Chelsea Market, 125 S. Main St. 

"The menu will be fun, crazy, blow-your-mind barbecue," said Phil Tolliver, restaurant owner. "It will have a pit barbecue that smokes our food."

Tolliver trained with Mike "The Legend" Mills in his 17th Street BBQ restaurants in southern Illinois. Mills is known as a champion pit-master and owns seven nationally acclaimed barbecue restaurants. 

Tolliver said he has unique plans in mind for the restaurant.

"I’ve got a list of surprises that I don't want to give out," he said. "Even down to my bar, and my own personal drink that's bacon-infused bourbon."

He recently created a test batch of macaroni and cheese called bacon pimento mac-n-cheese that he said is amazing and guaranteed to be a popular item.

Tolliver said he will make the design unique, too. The building is from the 1890s and he plans to keep some of its original elements.

"We're keeping the original tin-work ceiling. It will have nice oak plank floors, nice brick walls. Really fun stuff that you don't see anywhere," he said.

Tolliver owned several businesses in the area but sold them, he said, to focus on Smokehouse 52. He still owns Bearclaw Coffee at 12855 E. Old US-12. However, the new owners will take over on Sept. 1 so he can focus on his new endeavor.

"Things are going well. I'm getting the liquor license, and we're in the final site plan review by the county," he said.

Tolliver said the restaurant should be open by November.