A popular smokehouse has closed after more than two decades of serving brisket, ribs and other Texas barbecue classics.
Fargo’s Pit BBQ in Bryan, located between Houston and Austin, announced it would close the day after the Fourth of July.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closure of Fargo’s Pit BBQ effective July 6, 2024,” wrote husband-and-wife Alan Caldwell and Belender Wells, who also co-own the restaurant.
They revealed that a “challenging economic climate” was behind their decision to end a business they have run since the turn of the millennium.
“Despite our best efforts and dedication, the tough economic climate has made it increasingly difficult to maintain our operations,” the Facebook post continued. “We are grateful for the support you have shown us and cherish the memories we have shared.”
Alan Caldwell, right, and Belender Wells pose in front of their restaurant sign.
Fargo’s Pit BBQ has been serving brisket, ribs and other Texas barbecue classics for over two decades.
Fargo’s was named one of Texas’ Top 50 BBQ Restaurants in 2013 by Texas Monthly
Rising food costs are not only affecting the average consumer, but are wreaking havoc on the U.S. restaurant industry, both small and large establishments.
Red Lobster is the largest chain to go out of business recently, while other once-dominant American chains such as Cracker Barrel and Boston Market have gradually lost influence over the years.
While Caldwell and Wells did not specifically reference rising meat costs as the reason they are exiting the barbecue business, pork prices have risen in the United States since COVID-19 hit about four years ago.
Fargo’s was famous for its pork ribs, according to the Houston digital newspaper Cron reported over the weekend.
But some blame the recent rise in pork prices. on the passage of Proposition 12 in California, which bans the sale in the state of pork from farms that keep pigs in overcrowded pens.
The ballot measure, which takes full effect in January 2024, coincides with rising pork costs across the United States this year.
Pictured: Fargo’s Pit BBQ in Bryan, Texas. The restaurant, a hit with locals, closed for good over the weekend after operating for 24 years.
Nevertheless, Fargo has had a respectable track record and was named one of its… The 50 Best BBQ Places in Texas in 2013.
In the newspaper Caldwell Profile 2013He was revealed to be incredibly secretive about his recipes and methods, going so far as to refuse to show off his grill.
“Tell me more about that pit,” Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn asked at the time.
“I have nothing to tell,” Caldwell replied, although he did say a man named Tiny Tim from Fort Worth custom-built it for him.
In February, about five months before he decided to close Fargo’s, Caldwell told a local outlet KAGS Television that the restaurant business has been especially difficult since the pandemic.
Caldwell poses with ESPN commentator John Buccigross inside the restaurant in October 2019
“The restaurant business is hard work. It’s not an easy sector,” he said.
“So you have to put your heart and soul into it, especially since many people start out without realising that it will be necessary to give it their all and more. It’s not for everyone.”
Caldwell and Wells thanked their customers in their final farewell, calling everyone who visited and patronized Fargo’s “the backbone of our restaurant.”
Longtime fans of the restaurant commented on the Facebook post to share the huge loss this represented for the Bryan community.
“This is a HUGE loss. Without a doubt the best BBQ joint and now forced to close through no fault of their own,” one person wrote.
Others thanked the couple for their excellent food and hospitality over the decades, and some even suggested they go into the restaurant business.
“Thank you for being a part of Fargo’s legacy. We will miss you greatly,” Caldwell and Wells wrote.
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