Smoke N Bones BBQ on Hampton Avenue in south St. Louis says repeated vandalism and theft tied to nearby homeless encampments have damaged equipment, driven up repair costs and cut into sales. Owner Aaron Machado says his crew is constantly fixing smokers and swapping out security cameras while trying to keep the ribs coming for regulars.
According to FOX 2, Machado told the station the problem has dragged on for nearly five years, with vandals targeting smokers, security cameras and storage areas. The station reported surveillance video showing a man approaching before sunrise and damaging a smoker. Employees say they call police every time, but officers often have limited options unless someone is caught in the act, even as they document the damage.
Neighborhood Roots and the Restaurant's History
Smoke N Bones opened in 2021 at 6417 Hampton Ave and is run by Machado, who works the kitchen alongside family members, according to St. Louis Magazine. The spot built a neighborhood following on St. Louis-style ribs and busy weekday lunch crowds before a recent spate of damage began to chip away at staff bandwidth and revenue.
Vandalism Patterns Have Left Owners Scrambling
Machado says the heaviest streak of incidents tends to hit in winter, with January through April often bringing repeat problems that can force the team to pause service while they scramble to make repairs. Managers have added cameras, locked down storage and doubled their cleanup efforts, but those steps come with extra costs and still have not stopped the thefts and broken equipment.
City Services and the Broader Context
The City of St. Louis maintains a Homeless Services office that coordinates outreach, shelter options and encampment management, and posts updates about warming centers and outreach efforts on its website. St. Louis Homeless Services provides resources to connect people experiencing homelessness with shelter and outreach teams in the city.
What’s Next for the Business
For now, Machado says Smoke N Bones will keep serving customers while pushing for more consistent enforcement and community support to help protect small businesses in the area. He says the repeated losses have made day-to-day operations tougher and hopes neighbors and city officials can help come up with a solution.
