After outgrowing its space, 603 Bar-B-Q faces deadline for finding new location

One of Concord’s most popular restaurants is looking for a new home — and fast.

Located next to Litherman’s Limited Brewing Co. in the Concord Business Center on Hall Street, 603 Bar-B-Q had clearly outgrown its space. The eatery can only fit two dozen people at any given time, including employees. It’s not uncommon for lines to snake out the door and into the parking lot — and for food to quickly sell out.

The eatery’s owner, Ben Normandeau, had found a new place in Concord and was ready to make the move when the deal fell through at the eleventh hour last week.

Their neighbor and landlord, Litherman’s had supported the eatery’s growth and partnered with 603 Bar-B-Q to give patrons top-notch food while they sipped craft beer.

However, 603 was opening earlier in the day and was often sold out by the time the brewery was in full swing, leaving customers hungry.

When Litherman’s learned 603 had found a new location, they gave notice that the month-to-month lease would end in 60 days. It seemed straightforward: Their friends in the smoked meat business needed more room, and they needed a new food partner.

“This is not a kick-out situation,” said Lori Lundergan, who owns the brewery with her husband, Charles. “This is not a force-out. This was done with the intent of: We need food, they need space. They had a deal going. And we executed on a contract per the contract guideline.”

Now, Normandeau finds himself in a sticky situation without a new space in hand and a clock ticking in the current one.

“We just buckled down and tried to look at every property available, made calls to as many people as we knew,” Normandeau said. “I’m just trying to find the right property. But no, we have not talked with Litherman’s about extending our lease there or anything like that. Because, I mean, we do need a new place to go.”

Over the summer and fall, the barbecue following grew to new heights, with visitors from around New England queuing up regularly for smoked meat, sides and sauces. With limited seating, the business became a victim of its own success once the weather got cold. As barbecue customers sought warmth while lining up in Litherman’s, the brewery could not continue to accommodate people waiting in its space, especially given fire codes and other constraints.

“It’s a blessing that not many restaurants ever get the chance to have,” Normandeau said of his food’s popularity. “The restaurant industry is so tough, and people just barely scrape by, and it’s for the love of food that you get into the restaurant industry.”

Sparks started to fly online Monday night when Normandeau lashed out at Litherman’s and announced his search for a new space. The post led to some heated social media comments that left the brewery feeling a bit blindsided.

Lundergan said some 603-Bar-B-Q customers threatened the brewery online. This has felt “scary” and “disheartening,” she said.

“We’re two businesses that both want to thrive and both want to grow, and we want to see both grow,” she said.

Cooler heads prevailed on Tuesday.

“There’s no ill will towards Litherman’s,” Normandeau said. “I’m so thankful that they gave us an avenue to support ourselves, and they supported us.”

His social media post was not intended to stir controversy, merely to assist in finding options for new spaces, he said. Even though he was planning to leave, the lease termination came as a surprise, Normandeau said. Already, many people have reached out with possibilities, including some that are not even on the market.

“We love Concord. We’ve all grown up in Concord. Everybody on our team wants to stay in Concord, and that’s always been the goal,” he said.

Litherman’s, for its part, will continue to help 603 Bar-B-Q in the ways it can throughout the duration of the barbecue joint’s time on Hall Street.

“We still will always wish 603 the best, and we’re here to support them through this transition. Because, gosh, growing is hard,” Lundergan said.

The brewery is exploring its options for once the eatery leaves, including another eatery taking over the prep space, the brewery opening its own food options, or bringing in rotating food trucks and pop-ups of different kinds.

Unless some other arrangement is worked out, 603 Bar-B-Q has until April in its current location.

As both businesses undergo transitions, their owners request patience and civility from their customers.

“Bear with our staff. Come support us, but just thank our staff. I can’t thank our staff enough,” Normandeau said. “So this is a stressful time for them. It’s a stressful time for the brewery. So just remain respectful to everybody is all we can ask for,” he said.

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