MABELVALE, Ark. (KTHV)- Three Sam's BBQ burned down in March of 2016. Since then, they’ve been on the road to recovery.
Owner, Sammy Jones, said they were out of business for about 19 months. After months of rebuilding, they're back, and the parking lot is packed.
“We're happy to have him opened up and feeding everyone again,” one customer said.
“When I saw them getting ready to open it I got really excited and this is my second time to come back since they re-opened,” customer Billye Moore said.
Customers said the restaurant is just like they remembered it; history lining the walls, the train rumbling through the backyard, and familiar faces filling the room.
“This window right over here, there are a bunch of bullet holes and I thought it was really unique and they're still here,” customer Patricia Teeling said.
“Well there's a few changes but for the most part it's the same. I think they wanted to keep the older, rustic look,” customer Moore said.
Jones said he couldn't have done it without help from his friends and the community.
“The Shriner's they loaned us a truck to use and we would sit out in the parking lot and sell BBQ three days a week and that helped a whole bunch and I'm just happy to be back,” Jones said.
You can keep up with Three Sam's BBQ and Catering by connecting with them on their Facebook page.