If there’s one complaint people make over and over about Shotgun Willie’s, it’s this: They run out of barbecue brisket too early. The East Side’s Texas-style barbecue restaurant’s hours are, officially, “11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (or sold out).”
Well, owner and pitmaster Bill LaViolette has a plan. This week, the beloved barbecue spot announced a move to a significantly larger brick-and-mortar space near Eastside Bowl in Madison.
“It is amazing to think about the new possibilities that are ahead of us," LaViolette says. "We spent our first two years trying to stay afloat during the pandemic and the last year trying to keep up with demand! I am truly humbled and very lucky to be in this position."
The new larger space doesn’t just mean more tables and chairs (and the possibility of a mechanical bull). The bigger space also means room for a 1,000-gallon smoker, so Shotgun Willie’s “can double the size of our cooks,” according to LaViolette.
Shotgun Willie's current East Nashville location
The new Shotgun Willie’s will be located north of the current outpost with a new address of 1500 Gallatin Pike S. in Madison. The current space will remain a catering kitchen, so Shotgun Willie’s can serve weddings and parties and the like. The new space is twice the size of the current spot, plus offers parking and easy access to public transit. There are plans to expand the menu and host live music, special events, classes and cookouts throughout the year. Construction is scheduled to begin in May, with an anticipated opening date of September. Some of the new additions are things LaViolette wanted to do earlier, but was limited both by space and the pandemic. This is a big step up from Shotgun Willie's start as a food truck in 2016.
“Our neighbors, and Nashville as a whole, have shown us a whole lot of love since the moment we opened our doors in 2020,” LaViolette says. “We cannot wait to put even more of the Lone Star State on your plate this fall.”
The location of Shotgun Willie's forthcoming Madison outpost
Don’t worry — there will be plenty of “Texpherma” (that’s LaViolette’s word for Texas-themed décor) at the new space. LaViolette’s love of Texas is one of the things that goes with him whenever he expands the business.
Until the move, Shotgun Willie’s will keep serving brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken and other smoked meats Wednesdays through Sundays (until sold out, of course) at 4000B Gallatin Pike in Inglewood.
