FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG) — It’s sat empty since it closed in 2018, but soon a popular Baldwin County restaurant will reopen.

Ben’s Jr. BBQ in Fairhope was a popular spot on the Eastern Shore when it first opened in the 1980s. That’s when Kenneth Lee, known as Bubba, opened the location on North Section Street.

Now, new owners and a new general manager are reviving it, preparing for customers in just a few weeks.

“We hung the sign up out front a week ago yesterday and immediately started getting responses, people walking in after work. The word got around quickly,” said Ben’s Jr. BBQ General Manager Ian Few.

“Bubba’s burger, the way that he made it, we want to sell it just like that, with thick-cut steak fries. We want to have the loaded potato skins that everybody remembers,” Few said.

They hope to reopen in early December, and, right now, they’re looking for about 40 employees, from servers to kitchen help, to get this restaurant going once again.

“We are looking for cooks to make some good barbecue, we’re looking for cashiers to take care of a lot of guests that we’re anticipating here at the opening,” Few said. 

An expanded dining area is just one improvement. Some familiar faces will also be ready to greet customers. We’re told several previous employees will return to Ben’s Jr. BBQ next month.

If you’re interested in a job you can stop by the restaurant during the week for an application.

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