Shack in the Back reopens this weekend in new, larger location – WLKY Louisville

Shack in the Back BBQ is no longer located in a shack.After spending more than 15 years serving customers out of a 19th century log home, the popular Fairdale restaurant is reopening this weekend at 10706 W. Manslick Road, according to Louisville Business First. Owner Barbara Sivells said it will take some time for her and her 16 employees to get use to the new space."The old location was a mere 900 square feet," Sivells said. "This location is over 4,400 square feet. We're not gonna know how to act. We're gonna have to put some extra stuff in the kitchen to bump into each other because we really were operating out of a spot that was probably 25' by 6', and that's being generous."The new Shack in the Back BBQ location will officially open its doors on Saturday, May 14. Sivells said she can't wait to show off the new space to her longtime customers.The new location features a rustic log cabin design with exposed cedar wood beams and river rock accents. Sivells even reused some of the wood from the original location in the new dining room.The restaurant offers indoor seating for 96 people at large booths, tables and it has a beautiful new bar area that includes four large screen TVs. Outdoor seating is also available in a specially designed patio that seats 40.A separate party room offers private seating for 20 guests. A newly designed catering kitchen will allow the restaurant to offer better service for that line of business.Sivells said initially Shack in the Back will only serve beer, wine, and bourbon. The new location will also start out with the same menu as the old location, but she plans to offer other new items like salads and a hickory smoked steak in the near future.Sivells said she had to relocate the restaurant from its original spot at 406 Mount Holly Road because the property was sold to Circle K in September 2021.Sivells' daughter Arianna worked at the Forcht Bank that is the restaurant's new home. Arianna, who now works at Shack in the Back, let her mother know the bank was closing."It's just kind of weird how it worked out," Sivells said. "Within the first day or two after the word got out, a couple of the city officials had come by and told us we should buy the bank for the shack. And I was like, 'I can't buy a bank'."State and Metro government leaders worked to help her get the financing she needed to ultimately buy the former bank. While the construction was going on, Shack in the Back continued to serve customers from its food truck. Sivells said the business would never had survived the move and the Covid-19 pandemic if not for her loyal employees."My employees have been amazing," she said. "The Shack on Wheels was our plan B because we had to leave the old location sooner than we thought. Our staff has been out there in wind, rain, sleet, or snow. We haven't missed a beat."Sivells is from Niagara Falls, New York. She met her husband Mike, who is from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 1989."Ever since the day I met him, he always said he was going to have a barbecue restaurant one day," she said.The couple opened Shack in the Back in 2006. Sivells said even after they found out that the restaurant had to relocate, they never considered leaving Fairdale because of the community support for their business.To read more about the new location and how Sivells got help to fund it, you can read Louisville Business First's complete article here.

Shack in the Back BBQ is no longer located in a shack.

After spending more than 15 years serving customers out of a 19th century log home, the popular Fairdale restaurant is reopening this weekend at 10706 W. Manslick Road, according to Louisville Business First.

Owner Barbara Sivells said it will take some time for her and her 16 employees to get use to the new space.

"The old location was a mere 900 square feet," Sivells said. "This location is over 4,400 square feet. We're not gonna know how to act. We're gonna have to put some extra stuff in the kitchen to bump into each other because we really were operating out of a spot that was probably 25' by 6', and that's being generous."

The new Shack in the Back BBQ location will officially open its doors on Saturday, May 14. Sivells said she can't wait to show off the new space to her longtime customers.

The new location features a rustic log cabin design with exposed cedar wood beams and river rock accents. Sivells even reused some of the wood from the original location in the new dining room.

The restaurant offers indoor seating for 96 people at large booths, tables and it has a beautiful new bar area that includes four large screen TVs. Outdoor seating is also available in a specially designed patio that seats 40.

A separate party room offers private seating for 20 guests. A newly designed catering kitchen will allow the restaurant to offer better service for that line of business.

Sivells said initially Shack in the Back will only serve beer, wine, and bourbon. The new location will also start out with the same menu as the old location, but she plans to offer other new items like salads and a hickory smoked steak in the near future.

Sivells said she had to relocate the restaurant from its original spot at 406 Mount Holly Road because the property was sold to Circle K in September 2021.

Sivells' daughter Arianna worked at the Forcht Bank that is the restaurant's new home. Arianna, who now works at Shack in the Back, let her mother know the bank was closing.

"It's just kind of weird how it worked out," Sivells said. "Within the first day or two after the word got out, a couple of the city officials had come by and told us we should buy the bank for the shack. And I was like, 'I can't buy a bank'."

State and Metro government leaders worked to help her get the financing she needed to ultimately buy the former bank.

While the construction was going on, Shack in the Back continued to serve customers from its food truck. Sivells said the business would never had survived the move and the Covid-19 pandemic if not for her loyal employees.

"My employees have been amazing," she said. "The Shack on Wheels was our plan B because we had to leave the old location sooner than we thought. Our staff has been out there in wind, rain, sleet, or snow. We haven't missed a beat."

Sivells is from Niagara Falls, New York. She met her husband Mike, who is from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 1989.

"Ever since the day I met him, he always said he was going to have a barbecue restaurant one day," she said.

The couple opened Shack in the Back in 2006. Sivells said even after they found out that the restaurant had to relocate, they never considered leaving Fairdale because of the community support for their business.

To read more about the new location and how Sivells got help to fund it, you can read Louisville Business First's complete article here.

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Shack in the Back reopens this weekend in new, larger location - WLKY Louisville