Jax's Longest Operating BBQ Joints

8. Fred Cotten’s Landmark BBQ - 1946



Located at 2623 North Main Street, the original Fred Cotten’s opened its doors way back in 1946. Fred Cotten, the owner, and family, served up delicious BBQ—never changing their recipe. The Cotten family ran the joint all the way up to 2000, when the restaurant was sold to Bill Cowart.


Courtesy of Keith B. at Yelp.com

Cowart ran the business just the same, but Cowart’s money began to dwindle away and he had to shut down in 2014. This was only temporary though, as Melanie Dosztan purchased the space and re-opened the BBQ favorite. They were even able to stick to the original legendary recipe by re-hiring Johnnie Brown, who had been stoking the restaurant's fire six days a week since 1989.


Courtesy of Keith B. at Yelp.com

For more information, check out: https://www.facebook.com/Fred-Cottens-Landmark-BBQ-156587631349452/timeline/

Article by Kristen Pickrell