Barbecue restaurant adding downtown location

Backyard Grill is opening a second Sioux Falls location.

The restaurant, which started in Brookings, is heading downtown and has leased the former Chedd’s space at 323 S. Phillips Ave.

“I’m really excited about how downtown is being developed … especially the young adults, it seems like they’re a very aggressive market to go after,” owner Alan Elenkiwich said.

His son, Eric, oversees the Sioux Falls market, which includes the restaurant on 3705 S. Western Ave. It opened almost two years ago.

“It has been going well,” Elenkiwich said. “Our idea since Day One is Sioux Falls is enough of a market for east side and where we are and downtown.”

The downtown location will focus on barbecue, beer and blues music, he said. There will be daily specials and table service, which is different from the fast-casual format of the other Sioux Falls location.

“We’ll expand the menu with chislic, and we’re going to run with 20 tap specialty beers and we are exploring the option of local live blues music on the weekends,” Elenkiwich said.

Backyard Grill had the Chedd’s site under contract within 30 days of it becoming available, said Ron Nelson of Nelson Property Consultants, who represented the restaurant.

“They just decided they love downtown,” he said. “You’re just in the heart of what I would say is the greatest concentration of energy and vibrancy on Phillips Avenue.”

The plan is to be open daily. Renovations are expected to be done by spring.