BBQ CENTRAL: Sonny’s coming to Clinton
“Project Piggy” is out of the bag! With a unanimous vote by the Board of Aldermen on October 6, the City of Clinton granted approval for ACG, BBQ LLC, the company that owns Sonny’s BBQ, to open a restaurant in Clinton.
“There’s always step after step after step to make this final, and the mayor has worked with us,” Rick Thomas, who represents ACG, BBQ LLC, said at the October 6 Board meeting. “We decided to come to Clinton because of the city’s good reputation,” Thomas said.
The location of Sonny’s in Clinton will be at the corner of Hampstead Boulevard and Hampstead Place, in front of the Fairfield Inn, with access to the restaurant off Hampstead Place.
Thomas presented the plan, including the landscape plan, for the restaurant. While the Clinton design will look similar to the Sonny’s in Brandon, it will have a new model that the company has developed. The Board granted a dimensional variance to ACG, BBQ LLF for the restaurant’s parking, approving 66 parking spots instead of the standard 78 required by a City ordinance. The new restaurant is expected to seat around 130 patrons. Thomas says the restaurant’s current takeout business percentage is running much higher than pre-COVID-19 numbers, and he doesn’t see the parking lot being an issue, even should dining patterns change. A flood plain line and easements necessitated the variance, according to Thomas.
“We’ve been working on a daily basis to get everything approved, finalized,” City Director of Economic Development Gabriel Prado said.
The buzz about Sonny’s coming to Clinton started on social media as soon as Clintonians heard about it.
“Sonny’s (on Hwy. 80 in Jackson) was always a favorite place after church on Sunday! The cornbread is so sweet it’s almost like eating cake. I like pouring the sweet sauce on my pulled pork. And don’t get me started on the corn nuggets! I wish Sonny’s much luck on their new location!” Rebekah Hudgins of Clinton posted on Facebook.
Many residents also posted on the social media application Next Door about Sonny’s.
Celeste Harrison and her husband, who live on Post Road, love Sonny’s BBQ so much that they had Sonny’s cater their wedding.
“I love Sonny’s, and we eat there at least once or twice a month,” said Harrison. “My favorite is the sliced pork, and my husband likes the sliced brisket.”
“We love Sonny’s and are very excited about this announcement,” Mike Parker of Countrywood said. “We enjoy their pulled pork, slaw, smoked green beans, and really everything they serve.”
Lucy Chappell of Indian Trails said Sonny’s is her favorite BBQ around.
“So glad it’s coming here!” Chappell said. “I love their ribs and chicken. Others [in the] family love the pulled pork and baked beans. The service has always been friend- ly and timely.”
“Super news,” John Woods of Olde Vineyard posted. “Now, I won’t have to drive to Brandon.”
Anne Shelton and Susan Gregersen Leister, who both live in Cascades, enthused about Sonny’s. “We love Sonny’s. Great BBQ and sides! Great news!” Shelton wrote.
“Love their BBQ!” Leister posted. “So glad to be getting another restaurant in our wonderful Clinton. Can’t wait!”
Preliminary plans are for construction to being in January 2021.
“There’s always things that pop up,” Thomas said, adding that the engineering is the first step. “[We could] realistically start by January 1. If we can do it sooner, we will.”
When contacted after the Board meeting, ACG, BBQ LLC, would not provide an official announcement about the restaurant name or location, since the project is still in the beginning stages; but slides and information provided at the Board of Aldermen’s meeting offered the name and suggested renderings for the establishment. Thomas told The Clinton Courier that he will go into more detail about Sonny’s in Clinton with the newspaper’s City Beat Reporter in a couple of weeks.
