Now here’s a bit of good news for the new year: One of University Avenue’s longtime gems, Big Daddy’s Old Fashioned Barbeque, will remain open and stay in its current spot on University and Dale avenues longer than previously planned. And if everything falls into place, the operation could reopen in another spot nearby sometime in the future.

The owners of the more than 30-year-old St. Paul institution originally announced they would close the current location at the end of December, but the timeline has been pushed back.

A post on the restaurant’s Facebook page reads, “First of all, we would like to thank all our wonderful customers whom have shown us love and support. Second, we would like to announce that we will be able to stay open for a few more moths (until March) thanks to NDC which is helping to make this possible. Please help us spread the word!!!”

Fernando Queto, spokesman for Big Daddy’s Old Fashioned Barbeque, said Big Daddy’s will remain in its current digs until March 31.

“We have a couple of more months. Construction doesn’t start until next March,” Queto said.

Construction of a mixed-use redevelopment of office and commercial space along with affordable housing is slated to be built on land that includes where Big Daddy’s now sits. Queto said while they have been working with the Neighborhood Development Center and have the option to stay — moving out for a few months and then returning to the property after construction is complete — they recently decided to look at alternative spaces.

“We could move back after the construction, but it’s going to take up to one year or even possibly until the winter of 2021 and we don’t want to wait that long,” he said.

Mike Temali, president and CEO of the Neighborhood Development Center, said his organization has had a longtime partnership with Big Daddy’s, providing financing, training and moving the food operation to multiple spots over the course of almost 30 years. Ownership changed in 2017, when longtime lead cook Manuel Tacuri bought Big Daddy’s from founders Ron Whyte, Bob Edmond and Gene Sampson and kept the recipes the same. Originally Tacuri planned to remain in the spot and had been working with the NDC.

Temali said ultimately the move out, while temporary, led to a decision to entertain a permanent move elsewhere.

“We’ve been working for 20 years on this project and as with the previous owners, we have said that if you want to, we’d love to have you back and build out most of the kitchen for you while there would still be some cost,” Temali said. “But that lag of 8 months of construction and the question of where do you go during that time was still a question.”

Big Daddy’s Old Fashioned Barbeque: 625 University Ave., St. Paul; 651-222-2516; bigdaddysbbq-stpaul.com