Hickory Store Craft Barbecue is a new barbecue location in Monrovia serving mouthwatering meats and traditional southern sides that will leave you coming back for more.

Owned by Glen and Kathleen Mcalpin, Hickory Store Craft Barbecue opened their first physical location in 2023 offering a place of communion and eating for members of the community and beyond. Glen first branded the Hickory Store in 1995 and soon after opened a food truck in Florence, selling his meats at local gatherings and events. It wasn’t until their daughters were fully grown that Glen and Kathleen finally decided to take the plunge and open their first physical store.

“We live in the community and I wanted to build this [store] in the community, for the community and I want people to come out and enjoy this place. It’s a passion of mine but I also want the community to enjoy it as well,” Glen said.

Glen gets his meat from a variety of local sources with all the bigger meats the night before and twice a day for their chicken and ribs. After you get your meat you can pick a side of sauce ranging from a tangy yet pleasant mustard and honey based sauce to a sweet heat that will send your taste buds on a wildly delicious ride. All while enjoying one of their incredible sides of fries, various beans, mac and cheese, hushpuppies and maybe even a dessert if you’re somehow still not full.

“I would say my personal favorite are the ribs which is a St.Louis style rib and the customers favorite’s are the smoked chicken wings,” Glen said.

My experience at Hickory Store Craft Barbecue was spectacular. I ordered the ribs with a side of fries and mac and cheese and it was definitely one of the best meals I have had in a while. The ribs fell off the bone and weren’t too greasy along with the added sauce that invited a whole new layer of flavor. The fries were seasoned really well and were crispy while the mac and cheese took creamy to a whole new level. I finished it off with a delicious cup of homemade banana pudding. The atmosphere was inviting with the beautiful white bricks that make up most of the building and the service was incredible with all of the people behind the counter being so easy and pleasant to communicate with.

And even if you don’t live in the Monrovia area, you may in the future be able to have your own wonderful experience in a Hickory Store.

“The building was a design by my wife and I. I want to be able to take this building and be able to move it to different locations and have multiple Hickory Stores and probably in the next year start offering franchise options for this brand,” Glen said. ““It’s been a dream of mine for a long time.”