‘We just couldn’t carry on.’ Kansas City area BBQ expanded a year ago. Now it’s closed

Jousting Pigs BBQ expanded from a brewery space in Liberty to open a second location, a freestanding building with drive-thru in Kansas City, Kansas.

The original location has since closed. And now, just 17 months after opening, the restaurant in the Legends Outlets Kansas City has closed as well.

“That location just wasn’t doing enough business to sustain it. Financially we just couldn’t carry on,” said owner John Atwell. “I don’t care to reopen or anything like that right now. I kind of need a break.”

Atwell and his wife are expecting their first child in September, which also factored into the decision to close.

“I may do some pop-ups in the future, but nothing planned or on the books,” he said.

Jousting Pigs BBQ first opened in 3Halves Brewing Co. in Liberty in 2019. Atwell then leased the former Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque building in the Legends Outlets, 1702 Village West Parkway, opening in late 2021.

At the time, Atwell said there was a lot of new development in the area. The building also had previously been a barbecue restaurant so he could open there quickly. The menu included brisket, burnt ends, slabs, pulled pork, turkey breast, sausage, ham, brisket chili and cheesy corn topped with chopped brisket.

Arthur Bryant’s closed the spot in late 2019 after more than 15 years but still operates in its longtime Brooklyn Avenue location. The then-owners said the KCK location had “underperformed” for the three previous years.

Jousting Pigs BBQ closed its Liberty location in late 2022.