Tops B-B-Q in Midtown Temporarily Closes Following Fire

One location of a local barbecue chain has temporarily closed due to fire damage.

On Thursday, October 17, 2024, a fire broke out at the Tops Bar-B-Q located at 3353 Summer Ave , according to The Daily Memphian . The fire started in the restaurant’s barbecue pit around 6:52 a.m. and was contained within 15 minutes. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Both the flames and the water damage from firefighting efforts have caused extensive destruction to the Midtown restaurant. Tops CEO Randy Hough told What Now Memphis that a timeline for reopening won’t be clear until the extent of the damage is assessed in the coming days.

“The most important thing was that no one was hurt or injured and we have plenty of other locations for our employees to have a temporary home while we are undergoing repairs,” he said.

Tops operates 14 locations throughout the Greater Memphis area, including restaurants in Frayser, Cordova , Bartlett, Millington, Southaven, Olive Branch, and Marion.

In addition to its wide variety of barbecue options, the eatery is known for its cheeseburgers, daily breakfast, nachos, mac and cheese, and cheese fries.

Stay tuned for updates as the damage is evaluated and repairs begin.

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