PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Earlier this week, King’s Famous Barbeque in Petersburg announced it would be closing its doors this summer after 77 years in business. The news came as a shock to dozens of fans who have enjoyed the Virginia-style barbeque chicken, pork and beef for generations. However, the owner of says the restaurant may make a reappearance in the future.
Matt Keeler, who owns King’s alongside his wife, Alicia, and her mother, Joan, said it was a very personal decision to close.
Keeler shared that running the business and doing so much physical work — including hand-chopping hundreds of pounds of meat every single day — has taken a toll on him and his head cook. He says they are now stepping back to focus on their health.
Despite announcing that beloved business will be closing its doors in June, Keeler is not planning on selling the business and may consider reopening in the future if his health improves.
While he is not making any promises for a reopening, he wants to honor the business and the people who love King’s so dearly.
“It really inspires us to keep going,” Keeler said. “Everybody has their own story and their own memories.”
For the 23 years that Keeler has worked at King’s, he has been impressed by the loyalty of the restaurant’s customers. Many people come in both for lunch and dinner every single day, but Keeler says they’re not just there for the food.
“King’s means memories to most customers,” he said. “They were introduced to Kings’ by their grandparents. They know our family, we know theirs. We watched each other grow up. Visiting us is a way to remember their family.”
Those King’s memories aren’t just limited to central Virginia. The restaurant frequently serves up meals to out-of-towners who are passing through or coming home.
“Especially in summer, a lot of travelers come in,” Keeler said. “People come to visit their family and stop by King’s before they even go to their family’s house.”
Even after King’s closes its doors on June 17, Keeler says one signature part of the business will remain in tact. They will keep up the online store where customers can buy King’s famous hand-bottled barbeque sauce.
“Hopefully that will help people during this barbeque sabbatical,” Keeler said.
