Barbecue chain to open first location in area

BRADENTON — Florida-based barbecue chain BubbaQue’s will open its first location in Manatee County.

According to a press release, the restaurant has signed a lease for a location at 6581 State Road 70 E. in Bradenton. It will be the 12th BubbaQue’s location.

The 3,099-square-foot restaurant is scheduled to open next month. BubbaQue’s plans to make minor cosmetic renovations to the space before opening in August.

The property was previously home to Boneyard BBQ. Doug Sullivan of Ian Black Real Estate represented the tenant in the transaction. Ian Black, of Ian Black Real Estate, represented the landlord, SRQJM LLC.

Owner Jason Kazbour lives in Parrish and is overseeing the expansion of BubbaQue’s south of Tampa. Long term, he wants to see the chain grow in Sarasota and Manatee counties after the Bradenton location opens, a press release says. 

“There was tremendous demand for this location because of the high traffic on State Road 70 and close proximity to Lakewood Ranch,” says Sullivan, a sales associate and restaurant and hospitality specialist for Ian Black Real Estate, in a statement. “Being a second-generation barbeque restaurant also made this a desirable location for similar concepts. Ultimately, the landlord chose BubbaQue’s because of its ties to the area and commitment to the local community.”

BubbaQue’s has 10 locations in central Florida and one in Louisiana. It started in Chiefland.