KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Archers BBQ went completely quiet this week and its presence vanished online, leaving many wondering what was going on. A property owner confirmed what people suspected: the Knoxville-based BBQ chain has closed for good.
On Wednesday, the company's website and social media pages were taken down without explanation. WBIR 10News went to several of the company's restaurants, only to find the doors locked with no one inside.
Tim Hill is the president of Hatcher-Hill Properties, LLC, which owns several of the locations. He confirmed to 10News that all of the restaurant locations had closed due to financial reasons, saying he found out about it Tuesday.
10News reached out to Archers BBQ's owner, William "Archer" Bagley III, and called all of the restaurants. None of the locations picked up the phone, and Bagley has not responded yet.
Bagley posted a listing on Facebook's Marketplace on Wednesday, asking $14,000 for a cargo van clad with Archers' logo and catering advertisements.
Archers BBQ first opened in East Tennessee in 2010, eventually opening six locations in Knoxville, Powell, Seymour and Sevierville.