New seasons can bring new beginnings. In this case, the coming of fall brings news of a welcome possibility: the return of Houston’s Barbecue Inn.
Barbecue Inn, which famously served generations of Houstonians since 1946, closed over the summer. But it appears the restaurant could be returning under new management. Social media chatter in the Houston Heights Foodies (HHF) Facebook group started buzzing early Friday morning. According to commenters, John Frels, HHF’s founder and admin, revealed the news during a Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals event the previous Thursday.
Frels, the chairman of the board of the GHCC, told Chron Friday that he had heard the potential buyer was a regular at Barbecue Inn and wanted it to reopen. The plan, reportedly, is to invest money into a new roof, new bathrooms and dining room upgrades. David Skrehot, son of owner Wayne Skrehot, would be installed as the general manager, and longtime waitress Theresa would be promoted to manager.
David Skrehot, son and business partner of Barbecue Inn owner Wayne Skrehot, told Chron Friday that it was too early to reveal anything and laughed upon hearing reports about the comments in the Heights Facebook group. Currently, he said the family is continuing to look at multiple offers.
When Barbecue Inn closed, questions arose about the future of the property at 116 W Crosstimbers St. Most assumed the Independence Heights restaurant space would be sold for a tidy sum and turned into something else—like so many other places near the 610 Loop these days.
The news regarding Barbecue Inn’s closure might be one of the more heartbreaking events in the Houston restaurant space this year. For longtime residents, it was one of the few remaining institutions that reflected the city’s hospitality scene of yore.
This story has been updated from the original.
Dining and Cooking