Johnny Ray's: Difference between revisions

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(New page: '''Johnny Ray's''' was a chain of barbecue restaurants. The first location was opened by Johnny Ray in 1954 at the Roebuck Shopping Center. Ray moved the restaurant to [[Valley...)
 
 
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'''Johnny Ray's''' was a chain of barbecue restaurants. The first location was opened by [[Johnny Ray]] in [[1954]] at the [[Roebuck Shopping Center]]. Ray moved the restaurant to [[Valley Avenue]] in [[1985]].
[[Image:Johnny Ray's logo.png|right|275px]]
'''Johnny Ray's''' was a chain of barbecue restaurants operating in the Birmingham area]] from [[1953]] to [[2022]]. The first location opened by [[Johnny Ray]] moved into the newly-opened [[Roebuck Shopping Center]] in [[1957]]. A second location at the [[Midfield Park Shopping Center]] opened before [[1960]]. Ray moved the main restaurant to [[Valley Avenue]] in [[1985]].


The chain was known for its pulled pork and chicken barbecue (offered in "blonde" or "brunette" for white or dark meat) and for its signature "Honey's Pies" (banana, chocolate, coconut and lemon cream pies)
The chain was known for its pulled pork and chicken barbecue (offered in "blonde" or "brunette" for white or dark meat) and for its signature "Honey's Pies" (banana, chocolate, coconut and lemon cream pies).


Ray's daughter. [[Dee Wood]]. opened a second location with her husband, Gary and son, Chad on [[Gadsden Highway]] in [[Trussville]] in [[1990]]. Additional locations were opened by franchisees at the [[Colonnade]], on [[Morgan Road]] in [[Bessemer]], on [[Old Highway 280]] in [[Chelsea]], on [[Pelham Parkway]] in [[Pelham]], and on [[Montgomery Highway]] in [[Vestavia Hills]].
Ray's daughter, [[Dee Wood]], opened a second location with her husband, Gary, and son, Chad, on [[Gadsden Highway]] in [[Trussville]] in [[1990]]. That location closed temporarily after Wood retired in [[2009]].


Wood retired in [[2009]], closing the franchising business and leaving individual owners to decide whether to continue under new names.
Most Johnny Ray's locations were operated by '''The Johnny Ray Companies, Inc.''', headed by [[Alton Shields]]. The [[Chelsea]] location was bought by [[Jack Donovan|Jack]] and [[Michelle Donovan]] in [[2017]]. It closed during the [[COVID pandemic]]. The last Johnny Ray's location, at the [[Shops of the Colonnade]], closed on [[May 21]], [[2022]].
 
==Locations==
* original store:
** [[Roebuck]], 1953–1957
** [[Roebuck Marketplace|Roebuck Plaza Shopping Center]], 1957–1985
** 316 [[Valley Avenue]], 1985–2009
* other locations
** [[Midfield Park Shopping Center]], 1960
** 1860 [[Center Point Parkway]], [[Center Point]], 1990s
** 3040 [[Allison Bonnett Memorial Drive]], [[Hueytown]], 1990s
** 2910 [[Morgan Road]] in [[Bessemer]], 1994–2009
** 1460 [[Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)|Montgomery Highway]] in [[Vestavia Hills]]
** 2252 [[Pelham Parkway]], at [[Oak Mountain Marketplace]] in [[Pelham]]
** 7268 [[Gadsden Highway]] in [[Trussville]], opened 1990, reopened 2009
** 10569 [[Old Highway 280]] in [[Chelsea]], opened 2004, reopened 2017, closed 2020
** 309 [[Huntley Parkway]], [[Pelham Towne Center]] in Pelham
** 3431 [[Colonnade Parkway]], [[Shops of the Colonnade]], closed 2022


==References==
==References==
* Natta, André (July 1, 2009) "[http://bhamterminal.com/blog/2009/07/01/farewell-johnny-rays/ Farewell, Johnny Ray's]" ''The Terminal''
* Natta, André (July 1, 2009). "[http://bhamterminal.com/blog/2009/07/01/farewell-johnny-rays/ Farewell, Johnny Ray's]." ''The Terminal''
* Cooper, Lauren B. (June 13, 2011) "[http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2011/06/13/cellular-sales-to-take-space-in-vestavia.html Cellular Sales to take space in Vestavia]." {{BBJ}}
* Kortright, Amelia (August 24, 2017) "Chelsea Johnny Ray’s celebrates new ownership." ''280 Reporter''
* Rebman, Stephanie (June 10, 2020) "BBQ joint to close location in Shelby County." {{BBJ}}
* "Johnny Ray’s in Colonnade closing permanently." (May 15, 2022) WBRC.com


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.johnnyrays.com Johnny Ray's] website
* [http://www.johnnyraysbbq.com/ Johnny Ray's] website


[[Category:Former restaurants]]
[[Category:Barbecue restaurants]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:Barbecue restaurants]]
[[Category:1957 establishments]]
[[Category:2022 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Roebuck Shopping Center]]
[[Category:Roebuck Shopping Center]]
[[Category:Valley Avenue]]
[[Category:Valley Avenue]]
[[Category:Gadsden Highway]]
[[Category:Gadsden Highway]]
[[Category:Colonnade]]
[[Category:Shops of the Colonnade]]
[[Category:Morgan Road]]
[[Category:Morgan Road]]
[[Category:Chelsea]]
[[Category:Chelsea]]
[[Category:Pelham Parkway]]
[[Category:Oak Mountain Marketplace]]
[[Category:Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)]]
[[Category:Montgomery Highway (Vestavia Hills)]]
[[Category:Pelham Towne Center]]

Latest revision as of 17:48, 8 February 2023

Johnny Ray's logo.png

Johnny Ray's was a chain of barbecue restaurants operating in the Birmingham area]] from 1953 to 2022. The first location opened by Johnny Ray moved into the newly-opened Roebuck Shopping Center in 1957. A second location at the Midfield Park Shopping Center opened before 1960. Ray moved the main restaurant to Valley Avenue in 1985.

The chain was known for its pulled pork and chicken barbecue (offered in "blonde" or "brunette" for white or dark meat) and for its signature "Honey's Pies" (banana, chocolate, coconut and lemon cream pies).

Ray's daughter, Dee Wood, opened a second location with her husband, Gary, and son, Chad, on Gadsden Highway in Trussville in 1990. That location closed temporarily after Wood retired in 2009.

Most Johnny Ray's locations were operated by The Johnny Ray Companies, Inc., headed by Alton Shields. The Chelsea location was bought by Jack and Michelle Donovan in 2017. It closed during the COVID pandemic. The last Johnny Ray's location, at the Shops of the Colonnade, closed on May 21, 2022.

Locations

References

External links

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