Full Moon BBQ readies to open 1st doors in Trussville
Motorists on Chalkville Mountain Road will soon be met by the aroma of hickory wood smoke billowing out of the new Full Moon BBQ.
The Birmingham-based restaurant will create roughly 75 new jobs when it opens its 15th location in the Trussville Shopping Center, 5988 Chalkville Mountain Road, between Arby’s and BBVA Compass Bank.
The target open date was set for mid-December, according to Trussville resident and franchise operating partner Rich Yokeley.
“Trussville has wanted a Full Moon for a quite a while,” Yokeley said. “It’s been overwhelming the great support we’ve had from the community, and it confirms in our mind we made the right decision to take this venture on the back nine of life.”
Yokeley, a chef by trade, joins Full Moon BBQ after 27 years in the hospitality corporate world, most recently working as a manager with Sodexo and running different universities’ dining halls in five states.
His most recent move settled him in Trussville as he went to work at UAB, where he served four years as general manager for dining. It was at UAB where he first met Full Moon owners David and Joe Maluff, when they added a location at the UAB HillStudent Center.
“I’ve always wanted to have my own business, but the thing that intrigued me about Full Moon is that everything they make in their store is from scratch,” Yokeley said. “As I got to know (the Maluffs) and found out they were faith-based, that’s what drew me to the brand. Then, I tried the chow chow and the white sauce, and I was hooked.”
Trussville’s Full Moon BBQ will feature the same menu as other locations, including all the smoked meats, fried catfish, homemade sides, original recipes and fresh-baked Half Moon Cookies that have helped Full Moon stake claim to being the “Best Little Pork House in Alabama” since Pat James and his wife Eloise opened the first location in Southside in 1986.
One addition to the menu that is only in Trussville will be a new smoked turkey club with hickory bacon that Yokeley has been testing the last few months.
“Our goal is to serve high-quality food with superior service and provide our customers with a welcoming environment,” Yokeley said.
The dining area will include an 86-inch TV, Clay-Chalkville High School and Hewitt-Trussville High School football helmets and wall decorations featuring Alabama, Auburn and UAB athletics.
Yokeley plans to use the restaurant as a way to give back to the community, including supporting charitable events with Magic City Harvest to fight hunger and seekingto fund a scholarship through TrussvilleCity Schools.
Restaurant hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information about Full Moon BBQ, visit fullmoonbbq.com/location/trussville.