Charlie P’s Barbeque Plans Northwest Side Restaurant
Barbeque pop-up and caterer plans brick-and-mortar at former home of The Corn King.
Smoked Brisket. File photo by Ernesto Andrade. (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Since he started selling barbeque at Fondy Farmers Market in 2020, customers have had just one pressing question for Charlie Hood: when will you open a standalone restaurant?
Business — like barbeque — needn’t be rushed, but after a few years of low and slow growth, Hood is finally ready to make the leap to a brick-and-mortar establishment.
“Based on the feedback from customers, it’s about time,” he said. Hood began setting his plans into action earlier this summer, submitting a license application for Charlie P’s Barbeque at 8628 N. 107th St., formerly the site of The Corn King.
And though the business is still in its early days, Hood’s skills have been a lifetime in the making.
“I started barbequing as a kid with my father,” he said. “And my grandfather, Mr. Charlie, had a love for barbeque.” Hood saw both men as heroes throughout his childhood, he added. “They were people I looked up to, so I’ve always taken to it.”
Charlie P’s currently operates as a pop-up and catering company, serving southern-inspired, barbequed meats including smoked ribs, pulled pork, dry-rubbed chicken wings, hot links and Hood’s crowd-favorite applewood smoked beef brisket.
Homemade sides such as collard greens, mac and cheese, coleslaw, potato salad, grilled asparagus, baked beans, cornbread and sweet corn make it a meal.
If all goes according to plan, the future restaurant could open by the end of October, said Hood. The 1,350-square-foot space — housed within a Citgo gas station — was previously built out as a Subway, so no renovations are necessary, he said.
Charlie P’s Barbeque will be a counter-service establishment, offering diners the option to carry out or grab a table for on-site dining.
More information regarding an opening date and hours of operation will be announced at a later time.
The future restaurant space and the co-located gas station are owned by 107th Real Estate LLC, which lists Pritpal Grewal as a registered agent.
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