BBQers Rejoice In Grand Reopening of St. George BBQ Pit Stop

It was a landmark day in St. George for those who like to cook meat in a variety of BBQ ways -- the BBQ Pit Stop, which closed more than a month ago, reopened to fanfare, a car show and free food.

The store, which doesn't sell BBQ'ed food, but rather supplies so customers can make their own BBQ at home, ran for nearly three years with owner Troy Poll. But Poll started a new venture last year and found he had less and less time to devote to his BBQ Pit Stop store, so he opted to close up rather than renew his lease.

In stepped Ronnie LeBaron and Matt Lyons, who decided to take over the lease and give the store a new lease on life.

Incidentally, the BBQ Pit Stop carries Poll's new product, The Outdoor Kitchen Kit, thus carrying on Troy's involvement with the company.

LeBaron and Lyons held the official grand reopening of the store Saturday, complete with tents and food from Traeger and HeyGrillHey's Susie Bulloch (mmmm, smoked, pulled ham), plus a Corvette car show (as well as a couple of Ford Mustangs!) and a lot of adoring fans.

"Like the car club here, this is a community," Lyons said at the ceremony, which featured a ribbon-cutting by the St. George are chamber of commerce. "That's the thing I most excited about, being a part of this community, with great people and great hobbies and huge rewards, some of the best food you can imagine."

LeBaron echoed those sentiments.

"We're so grateful for the community support," he said. "I've been a customer at BBQ Pit Stop for years, a friend of Troy's for a long time."

LeBaron said when he heard the store was closing, he was determined to do whatever he could to keep it alive, although he didn't think operating the store himself was one of those options.

"I spent a week calling everyone I knew that had a penny that I knew about ... asking them to keep the store alive," he said. "After a week of getting that door slammed in my face, I said 'All right, I guess it's got to be me.'"

The BBQ Pit Stop sells smokers, sauces, rubs, seasonings and accessories for the BBQ enthusiast.

BBQ Pit Stop also offers monthly classes to help beginners and experts alike perfect their BBQ craft.