Smokeshow BBQ, a downtown Naperville restaurant that opened to much fanfare only six months ago, has already closed its doors.
A post on its Facebook page Wednesday announced the decision.
“It’s been a great rodeo… Hanging up our boots up at the Naperville location, but keep following us to hear more,” the message read.
When it opened in late February at 22 E. Chicago Ave., its calling cards were the variety of meats available that were smoked from six to 12 hours, the smoked jackfruit that was available as a vegan menu option and its live Saturday music.
“We are really sad to see Smokeshow BBQ go because we thought it added great texture to our restaurants and we loved that they offered live music all day on Saturdays,” said Danielle Tufano, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. “It was something new and different.”
Smokeshow BBQ replaced Zade’s Lounge, a gastropub and cocktail lounge, which also was open for less than a year. Both concepts came from Scott Harris Hospitality group, which runs several restaurants in Naperville and in other suburbs, including Fat Rosie’s, La Sorella di Francesca, Vasilli’s and Davanti Enoteca.
Tufano said that the restaurant was so short-lived was a surprise.
“I just think they need to find the right concept to go there because just a few doors down the same hospitality group run Fat Rosie’s, which is doing wonderful and is one of our most popular restaurants,” she said. “It’s just a matter of finding the right concept.”
The restaurant has already closed its doors and had its last day, spokeswoman Kaley Shaffer said.
“We are a business at Scott Harris Hospitality, always focusing on our customers,” she said. “This location at Smokeshow did not meet the expectations we had as an organization, and we decided to hang up our boots at Smokeshow BBQ.”
Shaffer said the company does not have any other plans for the location.
