Maples Barbecue

[Pete]

Will the revenue from the arcade games count towards the 51% non-alcohol at the new place?

Don't think so.

And obviously, some places skirt the rules and fudge their food v. alcohol sales numbers.

[Bullbear]

Scorecards most likely got grandfathered due to the fact they were a 3.2 beer only bar prior to liquor law changes.

[GoldFire]

Hopefully something good moves into that space. I really love what they did with the building.

[mustang_rr]

I am really sad to see Maples close, it was the best barbecue in Oklahoma. I think location selection doomed it before it ever opened. There is no parking and it was not a fit in a hipster neighborhood. Zach knew what he was doing, and they had great smokers. I wish they would move to a new location and keep going, but I don't get to pick these things.

[Bullbear]

I do think Parking is a huge factor in the closing. when I think of people who want good BBQ I see people who also are turned off by lack of parking and having to hunt for a spot and walk. I love their Brisket its been my favorite in Oklahoma. I still need to try Clarks.

[dankrutka]

It's possible parking is a problem, but it's also worth pointing out that they are in an area with a lot of foot traffic (even if being west of Indiana lowers it some). That's an advantage. I'm not sure why they closed, but it's really easy to blame parking until you realize that some of the most successful restaurants in OKC are their neighbors... and also had little parking.

[TheirTheir]

Yes, many of the people who work in the Plaza are hipsters, but the majority of its patrons are not (Saint's excluded). Unless you view all people under 30 as meat-loathing salad drinkers, claiming that Maples wasn't a success because of vegan diets is a bit comical. During lunch the Plaza is filled with business types of all ages and in the evenings is filled with families and people of every walk of life.

[GoGators]

yea, definitely not buying the parking argument. Correlation does not imply causation.

[Pete]

One issue IMO is that it never became a hang-out spot.

Most the places in the Plaza are 'social dining' setups where people stay and drink; they don't just come in to eat and leave.

Look at The Mule, Empire, The Press, New State Burgers, Goro.

[dankrutka]

To Pete's point, hanging out tends to be more particular to restaurants in walkable neighborhoods. I remember people saying the inside was pretty bare and not very inviting. Maybe that was a cause.

[TheirTheir]

If Maples would have tried to be the Iron Starr of the Plaza, I think it might have worked. Props for trying to stay true the simple BBQ aesthetic, but to Pete's point, I certainly never wanted to hang out there very long.

[Plutonic Panda]

I have to say I wasn’t a big fan of the interior but I think OKBBQanon stated that it was modeled from central Texas bbq joints.

[BoulderSooner]

maples "problem"

is that people in this city (state) dont really want to pay for BBQ

[Jersey Boss]

maples "problem"

is that people in this city (state) dont really want to pay for BBQ

The lines of people who live outside of Wellston to purchase similarly priced Q at BUTCHERS tends to negate that position.

[BoulderSooner]

The lines of people who live outside of Wellston to purchase similarly priced Q at BUTCHRERS tends to negate that position.

i go to butchers stand about every other week there are rarely any lines

[Jersey Boss]

When i go on Sat. between 12 and 1 I am usually standing in one. Just my own personal observation. YMMV. One thing for certain is their business is thriving with similar prices.
BURN up in Tulsa also seems to do well with premium pricing.

[Mballard85]

i go to butchers stand about every other week there are rarely any lines

I have never not experienced a line at Butchers Stand.

[Pete]

Clark Crew is massive and is packing them in.

[BBatesokc]

i go to butchers stand about every other week there are rarely any lines

Opposite here. I've literally never been and there not be some sort of line (from fairly short to "Good God").

[liirogue]

I guess I'll be one of the few not surprised they closed. I found the BBQ to be disappointing- the brisket was overly fatty (over half of the serving was fat) and the pulled pork was dry with little flavor. The sides were forgettable in their blandness. I was with four others and none were particularly satisfied.

[BoulderSooner]

I have never not experienced a line at Butchers Stand.

i will say i ususally go at "off" hours

i am glad to hear that they often have lines ... i love their Q and hope they continue to do well

[RedDollar]

I have to say I wasn’t a big fan of the interior but I think OKBBQanon stated that it was modeled from central Texas bbq joints.

You lookin for atmosphere ?

The 8th best barbecue joint per Texas Monthly

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7W9OIsB..._web_copy_link

[jedicurt]

maples "problem"

is that people in this city (state) dont really want to pay for BBQ

no. people in this city (state) don't really want to pay for inconsistent BBQ. that was Maples problem, it was a completely different dinning experience every time i was there, this it was good, it was great, but many times it was far less than good.

[Roger S]

I have to say I wasn’t a big fan of the interior but I think OKBBQanon stated that it was modeled from central Texas bbq joints.

The meat definitely was and the exterior paint scheme was the same colors reversed of Franklin's in Austin.... I've never seen a whiskey bar in a Central Texas joint.

Franklins Street View - Click Here
Maple's Street View - Click Here

I think some of the problems they may have had are that the concept is different than what Oklahoma is used to. Having been to all the old school cathedrals of BBQ in Texas and experienced it myself. I totally understand how it can be confusing and Maple's had attempted simplifying it.

There are still places in Texas where you go into a separate smoke filled room with big holding/warming pits for the meat and you order and pay for, your meats by the pound there. You then go to another line and pay for your sides and drinks separately.... That would never fly here but you go to Kreuz or Smitty's in Lockhart and that's exactly how it works.

I also think our hipster crowd may be a whole lot different than the Austin hipster crowd where part of hipster cred is how many lines you have stood in to get BBQ. Which is one of the reasons I never took the plunge and went into the business here despite friends, several members here, and even Pete offering to introduce me to possible financial backers, to bring this concept to OKC.

And my concept would have been more similar to Maple's original concept which was more like John Meuller's Worlds Largest Outdoor Party concept in Austin before he got shut down for not paying taxes. Which was abandoned by Maple's to move to Plaza... I don't know why they made that decision because most days they were posting that they had sold out.

[Plutonic Panda]

You lookin for atmosphere ?

The 8th best barbecue joint per Texas Monthly

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7W9OIsB..._web_copy_link

Actually that is pretty cool. I could dig that over Maples just for the environment it looks like a nice intimate place.

I don’t know what it is I just didn’t like the interior but it hardly bothered me enough to really stew on it. I kept going back and didn’t think much of it. The food wasn’t spectacular as it was hyped up to be when it was a food truck(I never ate there until it was ‘brick and mortar’) but it was decent enough. Plus I like the Plaza district and I love BBQ.

Other than that I never experienced any issues. Parking was easy. Good staff. I am surprised this placed closed but Pete has said they weren’t doing much business during evening hours. I only went during lunch or before 5pm.