The east-side BBQ go-to joint, Jimmy Jack’s Rib Shack, is opening a barn-sized smokehouse and sauce shop in June said co-owner Jack Piper in a phone interview with Little Village today. He and co-owner James Adrian are also building out a new downtown location they hope to open by August in the Old Capitol Town Center.

They’ve made “a couple tweaks” to their line of sauces and Piper said the new construction will streamline wedding and catering services. The barn upgrade, at the east-side location of 1940 Lower Muscatine Rd, will also include a silo.
Jimmy Jack’s current smoking situation involves a modest indoor smoker as well as a mobile smoker unit outside.

The business “keeps growing every year” Piper said. The new barn space will also include offices but little else is expected to change he said. Piper said he takes great pride in maintaining the fun family atmosphere of his rib joint.
In a prior incarnation the location was a Long John Silver’s.
