New Chelsea BBQ joint ramps up staff by a third in its first week

It was one year to the day from Phil Tolliver's first tour of the Main Street location in Chelsea to the opening of the doors of his new barbeque restaurant, Smokehouse 52. Between Feb. 20 of 2012 and 2013, Tolliver poured his heart, soul and a lot of elbow grease into the 4,700 square foot space. 

 

"The building was happy to be refurbished and come back to its beautiful glory," says Tolliver. "I think I've raided every barn in the area for wood."

 

Tolliver and his family did the renovations of the 1890s building themselves, using reclaimed barn wood from local farms. In addition to preparing the physical space for Smokehouse 52, Tolliver sought out famed barbecue pitmaster Mike "The Legend" Mills to teach him the tricks of the trade. 

 

"Our recipe is different than his but I wanted to learn his process," Tolliver says. "I lived out of a hotel for awhile and learned everything they do."

 

The long year of preparation appears to have all been worth it, as Tolliver's biggest issue when opening the 74-seat restaurant last week was lines of patrons out the door and not enough staff. Smokehouse 52 opened with a staff of 43, Tolliver says, but that number increased to 60 within a week. 

 

Tolliver, who formerly owned Chelsea's True North Jerky, says his goals for the restaurant include becoming a contributing member of the community. Even before Smokehouse 52's official opening, the restaurant held a fundraising dinner for the non-profit Faith in Action. Tolliver plans to continue to support local organizations in the future, as well as gain a reputation for serving excellent food.

 

"It's real barbecue and it's real hospitality," he says. "We're a simple, family friendly place, and you can come here and just enjoy."