historic bbq joint closing
Iconic Fulshear barbecue favorite will soon shutter after 67 years
Dozier's will close on March 30.
A historic Houston-area barbecue joint will soon slice its last brisket. Dozier’s BBQ & Meat Market will close after service on March 30.
Dozier’s owners Jim Cummins and Steve Baur released the following statement about the closure:
"The last fires in the pits at Dozier’s BBQ will be lit on March 30th. We are saddened at this difficult decision, and it has been an honor to be a part of this community since 1957.
We invite you to come by for a fond farewell from the Dozier’s family through the end of the month."
Houston restaurant consultant Jess Timmons, who had been working with Dozier’s for the past year, tells CultureMap the decision did not come lightly.
“We’ve exhausted every avenue we could to increase revenue. The traffic has steadily declined since 2019,” she says.
Baur and Cummins purchased the restaurant in 2019. The duo, who have other business interests in the area, took on Dozier’s as a passion project, Timmons says. They recruited veteran pitmaster Jim Buchanan to lead the restaurant, but he departed last year.
The restaurant earned some acclaim during Buchanan's tenure, including a spot on Texas Monthly’s Honorable Mentions list that’s a companion to its 2021 ranking of the state’s 50 Best BBQ Joints. Last year, the magazine's barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn profiled sausage maker Sam Palomarez, who has worked at Dozier’s since 1965.
Timmons says the employees have been informed of the decision to close. “As much as we can help find positions for people, absolutely that’s the case. It’s extremely important to me.”
In the meantime, diners are invited to make one last visit to the restaurant. It will continue serving Palomarez’s sausages, as well as specials like smoked meatloaf and smoked burgers, through the end of the month.
Veterans will receive a 30-percent discount at Phat Eatery.
Photo by Dragana Harris