Dickey’s spices up Hardin Valley
Barbara “Barb” Hall and Don Hall have opened a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchise, 10853 Hardin Valley Road, as a neighborhood stopping area.
The couple’s plan is to offer a family-operated “neighborhood stopping area” in the expanding community.
Their restaurant, with their son, Donnie Hall as general manager, opened at 10853 Hardin Valley Road Thursday, Aug. 2.
“It went really well,” said Barb about their opening day. “It beat our expectations. We’re very excited about it.
“Everybody in the Hardin Valley community was very positive,” she added. “It makes you feel good when they want you here.”
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit sells pulled pork, brisket, turkey, chicken, Polish kielbasa, cheddar jalapeño sausage and ribs.
“All of our (meats are) smoked in the pit,” Barb said.
“Our mac and cheese is the best, and people love the green beans here,” she added.
Dickey’s also has a baked potato casserole that is like a loaded baked potato in mashed form. Other sides include an Asiago creamed spinach, potato salad and coleslaw, jalapeño pinto beans, barbecued beans, Caesar salad, fried okra and waffle fries.
The children’s menu includes grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken nuggets.
“We specifically thought that would be a really good idea since we are right next to the (East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Pediatric Care),” she said. “I thought that would be something the kids would like.”
And, dine-in customers are treated to a complimentary ice cream at the end of their meal.
The Halls, previously in the medical field, recently decided to change careers.
Don, a vascular ultrasound technician, and Barb, a registered nurse and former restaurant manager, were “just looking to do something different,” she said. “Our youngest son, Dustin, lives in and works at Gulf Stream in Savannah, Georgia, and we ate at the Dickey’s (there) all the time.
“We were pretty impressed with it, so we just started looking around,” Barb added. “We were looking for a growing area with new neighborhoods … and (Hardin Valley) seemed to check all our boxes. It’s a beautiful area.
“We would be like the neighborhood stopping area.”
The Halls started a corporate-wide campaign Monday, Aug. 13, to offer a delivery service.
“That’s another reason we wanted neighborhood access, so we could deliver to the neighborhoods around here,” Barb said.
Additionally, Dickey’s offers catering, carryout and online ordering services.
“Online is a big thing,” she said. “We have big family packs and picnic packs to feed four to six people at a time.
Dickey’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week — except Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, customers may pre-order holiday meals with whole turkey or prime rib dinners; they currently are taking orders for those holiday meals.
For more information or to order, visit dickeys.com or call 865-454-9338.
