Smithers Smokehouse is lining up a move into downtown Denton, with plans to take over the former Shine It Auto Detail space at 300 E. Hickory St. The 2,650-square-foot storefront is slated to be transformed into a full-service barbecue restaurant featuring outdoor patios and a walk-in cooler.
State filing lays out the work
A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation lists the project as "Hickory St BBQ (Smithers Smokehouse)" and outlines a one-story renovation with an estimated budget of $900,000. The filing pegs the buildout at 2,650 square feet and gives a projected completion date of Oct. 1, 2026. Plans call for two new patio overhangs along with the walk-in cooler.
A familiar downtown spot becomes available
According to Community Impact, Smithers is set to move into the space that formerly housed Shine It Auto Detail. The auto detail shop relocated off Hickory Street late last year, leaving the East Hickory address open for a restaurant conversion.
Who’s on the paperwork
State records identify Not Quite 4A Properties LP as the property owner and MKOA Studio Architects as the design firm, with a registered accessibility specialist listed as overseeing plan review, according to the TDLR filing. The same filing currently shows the tenant as "Not Assigned," and operators have not yet launched a public website or announced any soft-opening date beyond the Oct. 1 completion target in the state documents.
What this means for downtown Denton
If everything moves ahead as filed, Smithers Smokehouse would bring another full-service dining option into Denton’s core at a time when commercial space is getting harder to find. Community Impact reported that Denton’s commercial vacancy rate dropped to about 4% in 2025. We will update this story once the owners or property managers release a menu, website or official opening timeline.
