Shady Grove Foods in Long Beach to close due to permit issues
The smoker is a crucial part of cooking the meat and without it being onsite, the owners have had to limit their menu options.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Shady Grove Foods has been providing its unique and smoky BBQ flavors to the Long Beach community for a little over a year now.
"We've developed recipes living in Long Beach, what we like to call Long Beach style," said Shady Grove Foods owner David Robicheau.
David and Dennis Robicheau opened the restaurant in August of 2022 after doing pop-up events and catering for 12 years. The father-and-son duo said they had a dream of becoming the best BBQ spot in town. But that dream is slowly coming to an end because they've been struggling to get a permit for their smoker.
"The smoker is what we wanted to permit here and we've just been hitting a lot of roadblocks, can't get it done. The expense of opening kind of cut into our ability to get that permit done," David Robicheau said.
David said the smoker is a crucial part of cooking the meat, but because it's not onsite, they have had to limit their menu options. Last week, they posted on Instagram saying they are closing the restaurant on Jan. 1 because they don't have the money for the permits and build.
"It was really hard posting the post and seeing the reaction and seeing how much people liked us," said co-owner Dennis Robicheau.
"This is definitely my second home, so it's really heartbreaking that it could be going away," said server Jasmine Navarro.
City officials said they met with David and Dennis last week and the community is rallying around them.
"Our smoker we have is actually antiseptic proof. The issue is, 'do we have to tear the ground out and put cement and a coating over it?'" Dennis Robicheau said.
David and Dennis said they are waiting to hear back from the city in the next week or two on details about the smoker. But in the meantime, they say they are encouraging customers to dine in at the restaurant.
"This past week has given us a chance to think there's life after the restaurant as well. But, I think we'll work," David Robicheau said.
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