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Longtime North End Carry-Out Parks’ Old Style Bar-B-Que to Close After This Week 

February 5, 2026

Parks Old Style Bar-B-Que, a Detroit smokehouse operating since 1964, announced its closure on February 8 after nearly 62 years of business through a handwritten note on its door. Founded by Edward Parks, a former manager of another historic Detroit barbecue establishment, the restaurant gained a loyal following through its unique spice blends and strategic location near North End factories and plants that served blue-collar workers. As Detroit's industrial base declined and the North End neighborhood deteriorated, traditional carry-out barbecue spots like Parks struggled to compete with newer dine-in restaurants that arrived in the 2010s.

Who is affected

  • Longtime customers and patrons of Parks Old Style Bar-B-Que
  • Blue-collar workers in the North End area who frequented the restaurant
  • The Parks family (founded by Edward Parks and his wife Verna)
  • Employees working at the establishment, including the clerk mentioned
  • The North End Detroit community
  • Customers who had placed online orders through Uber Eats and DoorDash

What action is being taken

  • Parks Old Style Bar-B-Que is closing its doors on February 8
  • The store is only accepting walk-in, cash-only orders during its final days
  • The clerk is fielding orders with limited stock and warning customers about cut availability
  • The store has stopped accepting card payments
  • Online orders via Uber Eats and DoorDash are no longer being fulfilled
  • Customers are lining up at the location to make final purchases

Why it matters

  • Parks Old Style Bar-B-Que represents the decline of historic, family-owned carry-out barbecue establishments that were once staples of Detroit's working-class neighborhoods. The closure reflects broader economic changes in Detroit, including the departure of industrial plants and factories that once sustained the North End community, leaving neighborhoods vulnerable with aging housing stock. Additionally, the restaurant's closing symbolizes how traditional carry-out spots have been overshadowed by newer dine-in barbecue options that arrived in the 2010s, leaving only a handful of historic carry-out barbecue locations remaining in the city.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle