ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Long-time Albuquerque restaurant, Mr. Powdrell’s Barbeque House, is closing its location on Central Avenue NE.
A letter to customers was posted at the restaurant and it reads as follows:
“To our customers: This location will be closing indefinitely effective October 1st 2023.
Please visit our 4th street location at 5209 4th nw between Montano and Griegos. Phone: 505-345-8086.
If you have been a loyal customer we appreciate you for your patronage through the 50 plus years we’ve been in business. If you are a new customer, thank you for visiting and giving us a try.
Sincerely,
Mike & Judy Powdrell”
Joe Powdrell told KRQE News 13 that the sales have been down as the costs of goods have been increasing. He also said the location on Central Avenue NE has been struggling with hiring staff since the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the restaurant’s website, Mr. Powdrell’s barbecue sauce recipe originated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the early part of the 19th century by Issac Britt, Pete Powdrell’s grandfather. Pete Powdrell inherited the recipe and took it to east Texas, then eventually to Albuquerque.
Pete Powdrell opened his restaurant in the North Valley in 1962. According to the New Mexico Tourism Department, “Pete Powdrell rose to become the king of barbecue in Albuquerque, and one of the city’s most respected restaurateurs.”
