Apr 20

Apr 20 Speedy’s Barbecue reopens on Piedmont Drive in Lexington

Roy and Ella Dunn stand in the new open dining room of the relocated Speedy’s Barbecue on Piedmont Drive in Lexington. {Vikki Broughton Hodges/Davidson Local}

One of Lexington’s iconic barbecue restaurants and a longtime participant in the Barbecue Festival in Lexington has relocated.

Speedy’s Barbecue reopened Thursday at 408 Piedmont Dr, in the former Tricia’s Catering building, after closing a couple of weeks ago at the Winston Rd. location where the eatery had operated for 60 years.

Roy Dunn, owner of Speedy’s, was told four years ago he would have to close or relocate due to the Winston Rd. widening project. Most of the businesses on the same side of Winston Rd. have already been razed by the N.C. Department of Transportation for the project designed to alleviate congestion into a major entrance into the city.

Dunn said he never considered retiring and closing Speedy’s, noting he has been in the restaurant industry since 1961 when he went to work at Old Hickory Barbecue. He then started working at Speedy’s Drive-In on Winston Rd. and he and his cousin, the late Bud Dunn, bought the restaurant in 1970. Roy’s younger brother, Boyd Dunn, bought their cousin’s interest and the siblings ran the business for almost 40 years until Boyd retired.

“I’m not ready to retire — I enjoy it,” he said. “Sometimes moves are good. We’re only about a quarter of a mile from where we were and it’s a good location between M&L Motors and Jerry Hunt Supercenter.”

The longtime restauranteur also wanted to continue employing his 30 staffers, including his daughter, son, grandson and two granddaughters, and serving regular customers.

Dunn bought the building from Tricia and John Jenkins late last year. He explained Dan Stamey built the restaurant about 30 years ago when he opened the Hog City restaurant and it has been the location of a few restaurants over the years. He said the tile floors, updated bathrooms and stainless-steel kitchen were upgrades for the eatery.

Other than the relocation, there will be few changes in the restaurant with the same menu, staff, prices and motto: “Quality, quantity and quick service.” He said he may add barbecued chicken down the road.

The new space still seats roughly 150 people but is more open with the exception of a new private dining room named “Robbie’s Room,” shared Roy’s wife, Ella Dunn. The room, which can seat 25 people for private parties and meetings, is named in memory of one of their sons, who died from Covid two years ago.

Speedy’s will still offer curb service with a dozen parking spaces designated for that business. He noted the adjacent Time Out Hut has graciously allowed his employees to park behind their building to free up space for his customer parking.

Business hours will be the same — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The phone numbers remain (336) 248-2410 and (336) 248-2092.

“When all is said and done, I think it’s been a good move,” Dunn added. “We’re excited and feel like it’s a step forward.”