Pappy’s Burgers and Barbecue, a Grenada-based restaurant, hopes to open a new location at the former Steven’s Barbecue building on 208 Fulton St. Renovations to that building, however, were delayed this week because of a compliance issue with Greenwood’s building code.
Bobby Boykin, also known as Pappy, is the owner of the barbecue restaurant. He gets a lot of customers from Greenwood each week and decided to bring Pappy’s to town to “make it easier on the commute,” he said.
Boykin, who has been working on preparing the downtown building for the new restaurant, said that he has had an issue getting a permit he requested and that Greenwood’s Community Development Department is requiring him to have a commercial licensed contractor rather than a residential licensed contractor, which is what he was using for the renovation.
“They won’t let me pull a framing permit because they said they want me to have all the plumbing and electrical and HVAC permits pulled first, which is completely backwards because you got to have it framed in order to get good quote prices on the other work,” he said. “They said that is what Greenwood prefers. That is not a law what you prefer.”
Boykin, a Clarksdale native who had a longtime career in construction, said that state building codes allow for use of a residential licensed contractor when working in a commercial building if the job is under a certain square footage and under $50,000 in price.
Mayor Kenderick Cox said that he has met with Boykin and has organized a formal meeting with him and the Community Development Department to find a way to resolve the issue.
According to City Attorney Don Brock, Greenwood has adopted “the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code, and revisions, which set essential standards for construction safety, structural integrity, and design. These standards are enforced through our Community Development Department, which oversees permitting and inspections to ensure compliance.”
“The City of Greenwood is committed to fostering a vibrant, business-friendly environment that encourages economic growth and development,” Brock said. “We are excited about the prospect of new businesses contributing to our community’s vitality. The city welcomes entrepreneurs and is eager to support their efforts to establish and grow their businesses in Greenwood. However, public safety remains our paramount concern.”
Brock cited a Mississippi law that states any commercial construction or renovation project valued at $50,000 or more requires a contractor to hold a valid commercial contractor license and that a residential contractor license is not sufficient for such projects such as the renovation of a commercial building such as a restaurant.
He added that according to Mississippi Code Section 31-3-21, engaging in commercial contracting without the appropriate license is unlawful and classified as a misdemeanor.
“The city also requires contractors to obtain a municipal license and a building permit, which includes submitting detailed plans, site maps, and specifications,” said Brock. The requirements are there for safety, he said.
Boykin opened Pappy’s Burgers and Barbecue in Grenada almost a year ago after he retired due to heart complications.
The restaurant’s food is specially prepared and cooked in an old-fashioned way.
“We cook it over wood, slow-smoked and every bit of our meat is fresh,” he said.
Customers favor the rib tips, pulled pork and burgers the most. According to Boykin, the restaurant goes through about 500 pounds of rib tips and ground beef a week and about 450 pounds of pulled pork a day. The burgers are made with real ground beef.
Boykin prides himself on his customer service. He said that he wants to feed everyone and never turns anyone down regardless of whether they can pay for it all.
Boykin said that he was homeless as a kid and swore up and down that he would learn how to cook and never let anyone go hungry as long as he could. He makes it a point to appreciate every customer and to never forget about those who help keep the business running.
“When they come in, we make sure they get taken care of,” said Boykin.
The restaurant features claw machines and other games for children. Boykin said that he wants his customers to come in, enjoy their food and feel like they’re family no matter who they are.
“Stepping into Pappy’s Burgers and BBQ is like walking into a warm, chaotic hug,” said an online reviewer. Another said that Pappy’s made them feel as if they were at home even though they lived 600 miles away.
The space that housed the former Steven’s Barbecue restaurant has been vacant since the restaurant closed in 2021. Since then, Greenwood has dealt with the closure of several beloved restaurants, including The Crystal Grill, Turnrow Cafe, Lusco’s, Webster’s and most recently the Bread and Butter Shoppe.
Boykin said that if issues persist, he and Pappy’s Burgers and Barbecue may end up pulling out of Greenwood completely. “My hopes were to have six locations within the next 10 years with one in Greenwood, but I don’t know if we’re going to stay there or not,” he added.
Brock said the city is ready to work collaboratively with any business owner to navigate the permitting and licensing processes.
- Contact Marissa Wiley at 662-581-7224 or mwiley@gwcommonwealth.com.
