BALDWINSVILLE — Nearly three years ago, Jeff Rogers wrote the menu for a new barbecue restaurant, a sultry sister to his successful Angry Garlic venture in the village of Baldwinsville. Rogers didn’t know it at the time, but the menu for what would become Angry Smokehouse would have to wait — for COVID, for supply chain delays and for its new home, the former Lock 24 restaurant on Water Street.
“In my opinion, it’s the best location in B’ville. I’ve been trying to buy it for three years,” Rogers told the Messenger. “The building went into foreclosure and when COVID hit the banks put a moratorium on commercial [foreclosures].”
Around the New Year, Rogers let it slip on Angry Garlic’s Facebook page that he had finally purchased Lock 24. He has spent the last several months tearing out the familiar green carpet, tables, chairs and dark wood paneling. Underneath was more than Rogers had bargained for.
“There was so much rotten water damage from leaks they didn’t fix,” Rogers said. “Four weeks ago, the place was on jacks. It was a nightmare.”
Rogers’ contractor, Randy Reinhardt of R&R Roofing Contracting and Corp., has had to replace the subfloor, joists and an I-beam. The good news, Rogers wrote in a Facebook update: “You will no longer have to worry about falling through the floors and into the basement!”
Once the restaurant’s makeover is complete, the exterior will be a deep red with charcoal trim. Gray interior tones will complement the façade, and the décor will be a blend of vintage and contemporary.
“I want people to walk in and say, ‘This place looks like it’s been around for 50 years,’” Rogers said.
Salt City Millworks is building tables, and the light fixtures over the bar will be repurposed bourbon bottles. Rogers is building additional décor elements out of staves — the aged slats of oak used to make bourbon barrels.
“If you go up close to it, you can still smell the charring,” Rogers said.
As for the barbecue, Rogers is looking to offer unique items not available in other Upstate New York eateries: grilled, super-thick-cut bologna; Texas-style jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, smoked sausage and scallions, all wrapped in bacon; and smoked chicken and biscuits.
“There’s no real, true smokehouses around here,” Rogers said.
While he has been smoking meat at home for about 20 years, Rogers is leaving Angry Smokehouse’s work to the professionals. He has hired a pit master and kitchen manager who specializes in barbecue.
“I’m smart enough to know where my limitations are,” Rogers said.
Rogers is hoping to open Angry Smokehouse by the end of June, but supply chain issues have stymied some of his plans.
“I have three gorgeous, custom-built smokers being built for me as we speak,” he said, adding that the builders were having trouble sourcing enough metal for the project.
Once the smokers are fully operational, they’ll have a combined capacity of 1,500 pounds of meat.
Follow Angry Smokehouse’s progress at facebook.com/angrysmokehouse.
