BBQ chain closes its Overland Park restaurant just months after entering the market

After edging ever closer to the Kansas City market, Oklahoma’s Billy Sims Barbecue finally opened in Overland Park this summer.

But now the Regency Park restaurant, at 9222 Metcalf Ave., has closed.

In a statement, co-founder Jeff Jackson said the area franchisee felt the location was tough and decided to close. The franchisee plans to open his eighth location, this one in Junction City, and another franchisee will open a Billy Sims in Gardner in spring 2018.

Billy Sims was a running back for the Detroit Lions. He retired in 1985, and in 2004 he opened his first Billy Sims Barbecue in Tulsa with Jackson.

This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 1:35 PM with the headline "BBQ chain closes its Overland Park restaurant just months after entering the market."