Smokey D’s is dropping anchor in House Springs.
Daryl Gilfillan said his barbecue stand, which started as a mobile business in April 2019, will open on Sept. 25 at 4561 Gravois Road.
“Having a permanent location is always what I wanted,” he said. “In the beginning, I just kind of moved around, just to kind of get the word out a little bit, but I wanted to stay in the High Ridge or House Springs areas because I live here. I wanted it to be as close to home as possible.”
Gilfillan, 37, of House Springs has used his car to pull around his equipment and would set up at different locations for a day.
“I just set up with my grill, my smoker and my canopies,” he said.
He said he has always wanted to open a permanent location.
“I am literally one of those people that has followed my dreams with this,” he said. “I’ve always, always had a thing for cooking.”
Gilfillan said he serves pulled pork, pulled chicken, loaded potatoes and other traditional barbecue dishes.
“The nachos are what put me on the map,” he said. “It’s in the cheese. Of course, it’s the meat, but the cheese is liquid gold.”
The stand will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, offering take-out items as there is no seating at the stand. Gilfillan said he sometimes closes earlier or later, depending on if he has sold out of everything for the day.
He said the 26-ounce pork steak is a favorite.
“That is usually one of the first things that sells out,” he said. “They’re big, they fall off the bone and I have to scoop them out of the tray. I can’t just grab it with the tongs and pick it up.”
Gilfillan said he has hired one person and is planning to hire two more to staff the stand.