Dickey’s Barbeque Pit owner Patrick Harder along with family, friends and local officials, cut the ribbon during a friends and family event Jan. 8. The restaurant officially opened Jan. 9 in Pierce Township.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit owner Patrick Harder along with family, friends and local officials, cut the ribbon during a friends and family event Jan. 8. The restaurant officially opened Jan. 9 in Pierce Township.

By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

A line of people and the delicious smell of barbecue were coming out of the door of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, a new restaurant in Pierce Township, during a special ribbon cutting event Jan. 8.

“This is a great turnout,” restaurant owner Patrick Harder said during the event. “I wanted to get people in and trying the food.”

Harder, a 2008 Glen Este High School graduate who lives in Union Township, said he decided to bring a Dickey’s to the area after researching the restaurant.

“I got really interested in franchising,” Harder said. “I started researching and found what I thought was a good concept.”

Harder said Dickey’s is a restaurant franchise that began in Texas and now has more than 350 locations in the United States.

The menu features a variety of Texas-style barbecue items including pulled pork, baked beens, sandwiches, coleslaw, honey ham, green beans, salads, sweet tea and more.

Harder said one of his favorite hidden gems on the menu is the spicy cheddar sausage.

“Every single day we have a daily special,” Harder said. “You can always come in and count on getting a meal for $8.99, and on Sunday, kids eat free.”

Harder’s location is the first in the Cincinnati-area.

The restaurant officially opened Jan. 9, and Harder said the response from the community has been great.

He said part of that is thanks to the help of family members and friends.

“Family and friends have been an enormous part of the success we’ve had,” Harder said.

Harder said he is hoping to grow to more locations in the future, and he is also looking forward to getting involved with the community.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is located at 1227 Ohio Pike. For more information visit www.dickeys.com, or call (513) 802-2700.