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    Pappa Charlies Shutters

    Another Harvey closing: EaDo barbecue joint calls it quits — for now

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 13, 2017 | 12:06 pm
    Pappa Charlies Barbeque meat
    EaDo barbecue fans will have to get used to life without Pappa Charlies' smoked meats and “Goofycue.”
    Photo by Eric Sandler

    Houston’s restaurant community continues to feel the effects of Hurricane Harvey. A number of high profile restaurants have closed; on Wednesday, the storm shuttered another business.

    Pappa Charlies Barbeque in EaDo has ceased daily operations, pitmaster-owner Wesley Jurena tells CultureMap. The restaurant remains available for catering and special events.

    “I’m not going to blame it all on Harvey,” Jurena says, but the storm’s timing made the financial disruption particularly difficult to bear. “End of the month, rent was due, employees had to be paid...I don’t feel like business has picked up since then.”

    The restaurant got a boost during the World Series, as it did during other large events like the Final Four and the Super Bowl, but business quickly tapered off after that.

    “When the big events were going on, business was boom town,” Jurena says. “When they weren’t going on, we had a steady stream of customers, but the numbers don’t justify me staying in that location.”

    The restaurant opened two years ago after a successful run operating as a food truck in Montrose. Jurena’s 10-year stint in the U.S. Army, including seven with the First Ranger Battalion, and a track record of success on the barbecue competition circuit drew diners to sample his product.

    Pappa Charlies earned some acclaim for its experiments like masala-spiced lamb and smoked meatloaf. A message board commenter dubbed the dishes “Goofycue;” instead of letting the criticism disrupt his work, Jurena embraced the label and continued to tinker.

    While the EaDo location hasn’t proved viable, Jurena says he still believes in his product. He’s in negotiations for a new location in Northwest Houston that could allow Pappa Charlies to rise again. If it doesn’t work out, he’s still sanguine about his experience in the restaurant business.

    “We made a little bit of a splash on the scene,” Jurena says. “If we don’t continue, I hope we helped raise the bar and push Houston barbecue into the national spotlight. Hopefully we can stay involved in the community. If not, it was a great run, and I appreciate everyone’s support.”

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    an offer he couldn't refuse

    Exclusive: Killen's Barbecue will soon shutter in The Woodlands

    Eric Sandler
    Dec 1, 2025 | 10:30 am
    Killen's barbecue meat platter with sides
    Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma
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    Fans of Killen’s Barbecue’s location in The Woodlands have a days to make one last visit. The restaurant will close this Sunday, December 7, chef-owner Ronnie Killen tells CultureMap.

    Open since 2021, Killen says that he’s in final negotiations to sell the location at 8800 Six Pines Dr. to Whataburger for a new location of the iconic Texas fast food restaurant. Neither the original location of Killen’s Barbecue in Pearland nor its Cypress location are affected by the closure of The Woodlands and will remain open.

    “Whataburger made me a deal I couldn’t pass up. It would take 10 years to do that kind of revenue,” Killen writes in a text, adding that the company recently made a significant payment to keep the deal’s window open through the end of the year.

    He added that the costs to operate the restaurant have gone up significantly. As one example, a cord of wood cost $175 when he opened the first Killen’s Barbecue in 2013. It costs $475 now, he writes.

    If the deal falls through, Killen states that he could look for a new buyer or convert the restaurant into a second location of Killen’s Burger, the retro-styled burger joint he operates in Pearland.

    The restaurant’s closure had been expected since February, when Killen sold The Woodlands’ location of Killen's Steakhouse. At the time, Killen said he also planned to find a buyer for his barbecue joint in the bustling suburb. He cited the driving distance from Pearland to The Woodlands as one reason he chose to divest both locations. He still operates Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland, comfort food restaurant Killen's near the Heights, Killen's Burger, and three other locations of Killen's Barbecue.

    As it approaches its 13th anniversary in the spring, Killen’s Barbecue remains a vital part of Houston’s barbecue scene. The restaurant recently earned an honorable mention from Texas Monthly and holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. In July, it opened a new location at Hobby Airport.

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