Dick Russell’s Bar-B-Q in Tillman’s Corner has closed for good, ending a run that traces back 72 years to when the restaurant first opened in 1954. The closure came a day earlier than planned after a wave of customers during its final weekend of business led the restaurant to sell out of food.
The barbecue restaurant had planned to serve its last meals on a Sunday, but announced on Facebook that Saturday’s crowd was so large that it ran out of food, forcing an early close. “We are grateful for every day you have supported us. We are grateful for the love you have shown our employees. It will never be forgotten. We love y’all,” the restaurant wrote in its announcement.
Dick Russell’s originally opened on Craft Highway in 1954 before relocating to its longtime home on Highway 90 in Tillman’s Corner in 1982, where it operated for roughly 44 years. Owner Jimmy Popple said running a restaurant had become too difficult a job to continue and that it was time to close the business.
Over the decades, the restaurant built a loyal following around its rustic decor, attentive service and menu staples including homemade biscuits, handmade sausage patties, burgers and pulled pork sandwiches. In 2015, Dick Russell’s was inducted into the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame as one of 29 restaurants honored in the hall’s inaugural class.
News of the closure drew hundreds of comments on social media from longtime customers sharing memories of meals at the restaurant, with many expressing disappointment that they did not get one last visit before the doors closed for good.
Update: Additional details have emerged about the restaurant’s final months and the circumstances behind the closure.
In January 2026, ownership of Dick Russell’s was transferred from Dick Russell’s children to five longtime employees in an effort to keep the restaurant running. That arrangement ultimately was not enough to prevent the closure. Longtime co-owner Jimmy Popple said the restaurant’s lease had ended and that running the business had become too demanding, adding that it was time to make room for the rapid commercial growth reshaping the Tillman’s Corner area — a Chick-fil-A opened near the restaurant just days before its final weekend.
Like many restaurants, Dick Russell’s also felt the effects of rising food costs in recent years, including a temporary 50-cent surcharge on egg orders during last year’s run-up in egg prices.