ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - It turns out the opening of Salt + Smoke's newest outpost in Ellisville in west St. Louis County was only an appetizer.
The local barbecue chain is continuing to expand. Owner Tom Schmidt tells Total Information PM he's just inked a lease for a sixth location.
"South County was a glaring hole in our accessibility to the region," Schmidt told KMOX's Michael Calhoun. "We're excited to be a part of that community and to make new friends there."
Salt + Smoke will open the restaurant in an existing building near I-55 and Lindbergh, at the same corner at Costco and Target.
Schmidt says that opening in Ellisville has gone well.
"It's in part of region that we didn't really have a presence," said Schmidt. "The community in Ellisville has been so gracious, warm and inviting. That part has been really heartening and it's been very busy, which is great for us."
South County joins the locations in Hampton, the Loop, St. Charles, West County and.... the busiest location for the chain: downtown.
"There's a lot of energy, a lot of people back in their offices, a lot of convention traffic and people that just want to be downtown," said Schmidt. "And for us, it's just been busy, busy, busy all the time."
Schmidt says he thought the location would rely on baseball season, but he told KMOX that downtown was the busiest location of the five currently open now.
