McClard’s Bar-B-Q is being sold, sources have confirmed.
Arkansas Money & Politics reported earlier in the week that the Hot Springs landmark was expected to sell soon. An unidentified source told AMP that Lee Beasley was planning to acquire the restaurant for his growing portfolio.
A spokesperson for Beasley, has confirmed to multiple news outlets that the sale is moving forward. The deal is expected to be finalized on Friday, May 29.
Beasley is the owner of Bones Chophouse, which has locations in Hot Springs and Little Rock, as well as the Copper Penny Irish Pub. He also recently acquired J&S Italian Villain Hot Springs.
Scott McClard is the current co-owner of the restaurant and represents the fourth generation of the family-owned business.
The restaurant is expected to reopen next week, after the new owners/staff have time to learn the processes and recipes for the McClard’s menu items.
McClard’s has been closed since late March. In a March 20 Facebook post, the restaurant announced that it would be closing its doors in response to COVID-19. However, in a post just four days prior, the McClard family had announced that the restaurant would be open during normal business hours and would be filling to-go orders.
“After careful consideration of our staff and the community, we’ve decided to close our doors indefinitely to best protect the city we love. We will be monitoring the current situation closely and will provide updates when they’re available,” the restaurant posted on its social media page on March 20.
The terms of the transaction have not been revealed.
READ MORE: J&S Italian Villa Finds New Owner
Image courtesy of McClard’s Bar-B-Q
