Archer's BBQ going full-service in Powell − including a full bar
Emory Road is exploding in popularity and Archer Bagley is rolling the dice.
Bagley, who opened his first barbecue restaurant in Knoxville in 2011 with the concept of counter-service only and seating for not more than 20 or so, has grown along with the area.
What he sees in the Powell area is a place where its time has arrived.
The sixth restaurant in the Archer’s BBQ empire will have a much different look.
The new location (1301 E. Emory Road), which will open sometime this summer, is 2,200 square feet and will seat 80 in the restaurant. There will be another 1,200 square feet on the patio, which will seat 60.
There will be a full kitchen and a full liquor bar, which is a big deal in the chain.
“(The liquor bar) will be very important in our night sales,” Bagley said. “This is our way of taking it to the next level.”
Archer's BBQ core values
Bagley owned a share in an Atlanta barbecue restaurant before arriving in Knoxville. His engineering background helped him with his business perspective.
“We’re always looking for ways to expand,” Bagley said.
The boss said he has had three managers with him who have been alongside since the start.
“It takes commitment and persistence,” Bagley said of the qualities that keep workers with him for over a decade. “They understand me as well as I understand them. You have to be proud of your job, something that is lost on the younger generation.”
Besides his stable of barbecue restaurants all around the Knoxville area, he has opened an upscale steakhouse (Fire + Smoke) on Northshore Drive.
“There are 40,000 people in the 37922 ZIP code,” Bagley said of the Bearden area. “The median income (over $113,000) is the highest in Knoxville (not counting Farragut’s $119,000). There were no nice steakhouses there. It’s done well.”
Handling tough times
Business concepts haven’t changed over the years, in Bagley’s perspective. Keep labor costs, costs of goods and rent in line, and there’s a recipe for success.
Bagley said his turnover has been low. The wages he pays are competitive with the Knoxville market, and employees have the option to contribute 50% toward health and vision benefits. Nobody is to work more than 50 hours a week, and regular schedules are encouraged.
“We have systems put in place where all our food can taste the same (no matter the location),” he said. “There’s a corporate culture. It comes down to: How well do you believe in the business model?”
That business model carried Archer’s through the tough times when others might have folded. During COVID, the chain’s “to-go” procedure, which was already in place as a normal part of the service, allowed the chain to profit while others were having trouble with the pivot.
The new concepts at the Powell location will be a new approach for the way business is done.
“The Powell location will employ between 20 and 40 people,” Bagley said. “There will be people at the bar; servers. This is really a big step for us.”
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Archer's BBQ in North Knoxville going next level including full bar
