Great House BBQ has opened at 4233 W. Wabash in the former Tasty City Seafood & Trio space that went dark in June after less than a year in business. Kurtis Mitchell, who co-owns Great House BBQ along with his sister, Dianna Mitchell, said it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
“The location was totally turnkey, we didn’t have to purchase any of the furniture or equipment,” he said. Mitchell was raised in Springfield and graduated from Southeast High School in 2004, recently returning after serving in the Marine Corps and later working in law enforcement in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I wanted to own my own company, and the opportunity appeared to open a restaurant,” Mitchell said, although he noted that his sister handles the menu and cooking, while he focuses on the front of the house and day-to-day operations.
“Family recipes are a huge part of our business here,” Mitchell said, noting that the majority of the menu items are made-from-scratch. “We’ll have mainstays but also seasonal changes for the menu, things to keep people coming back.” The business also offers catering and Mitchell said he is currently working on a Thanksgiving takeout package for people who are planning a gathering but don’t want to cook.
According to Mitchell, he is still hiring additional staff and exploring potential partnerships with community groups. The restaurant opened for business on Oct. 26, and he said he is preparing for future growth.
“We’ve gotten an amazing reception from the people who have come through so far.”
