When America celebrates its independence, you’ll find Chris Bruno smoking a brisket every Fourth of July. Smoking meats quickly became a favorite pastime after he was gifted a charcoal grill in 2017. Now almost five years later, Bruno is turning his favorite hobby into his full-time job with the opening of his Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchise in Sewell, New Jersey. The fast-casual restaurant will open in a 2,170 sq. ft. space in Washington Center Shoppes at 415 Egg Harbor Rd. this spring.
“There aren’t many barbecue restaurants in the surrounding area. It just so happened this year that some investments worked out well for me, so I’m trying to put my money into something I’ll enjoy doing,” Bruno, who grew up in nearby Mantua, told What Now Philadelphia. “I figured opening a barbecue franchise fits within my lifestyle and that Dickey’s would fit in well with this area.”
Bruno will leave his job in medical equipment repair to run his restaurant full-time. While the design and layout are still in the works, he anticipates having anywhere from 10 to 20 tables at the restaurant. Kids will eat for free on Sundays at the Sewell barbecue joint. Bruno says he looks forward to creating a cozy community atmosphere within his restaurant.
“As the owner, I want the restaurant to be a fun community place that families are going to look forward to coming to,” Bruno said.
Dickey’s offers counter service and serves Texas-style barbecue plates and sandwiches including smoked brisket, chicken, ribs, pork, wings, sausage. Their super Southern sides include baked potato casserole, jalapeno beans, bacon and onion green beans, and, of course, mac and cheese. You’ll also find unique dishes like the Brisket Chili Walking Taco, Fritos Pie, or the Buffalo Chicken Mac Stack. Dickey’s Barbecue offers an entire menu of loaded potatoes, like the Chicken, Spinach, and Cheese Baker, as well as a range of buffalo and barbecue sauces for smothering.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, a Dallas-based business, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey and boasts down-home hospitality and recipes handed down through the generations. The company is now a family-run franchise with more than 550 restaurants in 44 states. According to the company’s website, the Sewell location will be the franchise’s third. Their other New Jersey locations include Egg Harbor and Manchester Township.
