December 30, 2024

Moo’s BBQ closing downtown location

By Jamee A

A “For Rent” sign now hangs in the downtown Moo’s BBQ restaurant, a visible indication that Moo’s will be closing its first location. The shop will serve meals for the final time on Sept. 9 before closing its doors. Moo’s second location, near Interstate 80, will remain open during its current business hours. (Jamee A)

Two and a half years after opening Moo’s BBQ in downtown Newton, Jeremy and Nicole Biondi will be closing the West Second Street location. The move comes seven months after the couple opened a second location on West 18th Street South near the exit 164 Interstate 80 interchange.

“It’s going to be kind of sad leaving that place because it was our first,” Jeremy Biondi said. “It’s just not financially doable, we’re breaking even there.”

Citing his growing catering business and struggles finding enough help for two locations, Biondi said it was not financially viable to keep both locations open.

“It is really hard — I see all of these restaurants everywhere I go, everybody is hiring. It is hard to find employees that we can afford,” Biondi said. “We have a culture where people enjoy fast food and for a mom and pop barbecue shop that has higher margins, it costs more for our food than a McDonald’s or Burger King. We have to keep some of our costs down.”

Biondi opened his first location in 2014, featuring quality smoked meats including brisket, chicken, pulled pork and ribs. When the second location opened in March, Biondi trimmed his hours downtown to three days a week, and only served lunch. His final day downtown will be Sept. 9, closing after the final Thunder Nites concert event of the season.

With one chapter closing for Biondi, he is hoping to focus on his I-80 location, bringing new and exciting items to the menu.

“We are going to start doing burgers in late October. It is going to be freshly grilled on the flat top,” Biondi said. “We are going to do unique burgers and have one-day specials where you can only get that burger on that day.”

Biondi is also working on new recipes for the restaurant including a brisket steak burger, taco and jalapeño poppers.

An outreach and free meal program that Biondi started with military veteran Melissa Gray in April at the downtown location will continue, just maybe not in the same format as previously expected. The meals are currently being served from 6 to 7 p.m. on Mondays.

“When we close that place we are probably going to go to a meals on wheels style,” Biondi said. “My partner Melissa has been down there the last five weeks getting names and addresses.”

Another option the duo may explore is moving the meal to Biondi’s new location on either Sunday or Monday evenings or a combination of the two.

“We’re still going to do something, we’re still just making plans,” Biondi said.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com