Dickey's Barbecue Pit has expanded in Mississippi, opening a new location in Meridian this week. This unit is the chain's 139th thus far, with another 60 set to open in 2011.
Dickey's already has a presence in the Magnolia State, with locations in Laurel and Hattiesburg. The Meridian restaurant will be operated by franchise owner Tommy Thornton.
"It's an exciting feeling to bring Dickey's to Meridian. I am confident Dickey's will be received really well," Thornton said. "Meridian is a great place to live and a great place to do business."
This is the first Dickey's location for Thornton, along with his partners Bill Clay, Doug Wilkerson and Roy Barnette.
Thornton said he was drawn to the Dickey's concept because of the company's rich history.
"This is a really exciting time to be a part of the Dickey's brand because we are growing so fast and expanding around the country," he said. "But, what's most important to me is that Dickey's has always stayed true to its roots. We are a chain restaurant, but all of our recipes are family recipes dating back to 1941 — you can't get more authentic than that."
The first Dickey's Barbecue opened in Dallas and is still owned and operated by the Dickey family.
Dickey's annual growth rate over the past two years has averaged 35 percent, according to company officials. The company began franchising in 1994.
