After fire, Hutchins BBQ hopes to reopen late July or early August in McKinney

A New Year’s Eve fire at Hutchins BBQ has halted business at the McKinney landmark for five months.

Now, owners of the restaurant are estimating they will return to the pit either last week of July or first week of August, according to a restaurant spokeswoman.

“They feel good about estimating that repairs will take another two months,” Rebecca de Haro, a publicist for the restaurant, said Monday.

The fire was concluded to be accidental and electrical in nature, according to Merit Ossian, a spokesperson for the McKinney Fire Department. Sprinklers saved the building from being a total loss, Ossian said.

It’s not the first time the McKinney location has suffered a fire. One in June 2012 closed the restaurant for five months.

“The Hutchins family is forever grateful to the firefighters who have helped prevent injuries and further destruction from those fires,” a statement from the restaurant said.

In the meantime, Hutchins BBQ’s Frisco location is saying thanks to the firefighters who responded—and any other firefighter—with a free meal May 4, also known as International Firefighters’ Day.