Up In Smoke BBQ has shut down its Waite Park restaurant for good, closing effective September 28, just five months after moving into the Marketplace Mall location near Fuji Steakhouse. Owner Tim Hoefer said the closure stemmed largely from an accident involving the restaurant's food truck, which left liquid funds tied up in insurance negotiations at a time when the business was counting on growth after its relocation.
According to WJON, Hoefer pointed to the food truck mishap as the primary financial strain behind the sudden shutdown, saying the insurance delays came at exactly the wrong moment for a business trying to expand. As the Miami Herald reported, Up In Smoke BBQ announced the closure on its Facebook page, telling customers, “Thank you for your support.”
The restaurant had built a loyal following well before the move. Up In Smoke BBQ first opened in St. Cloud in 2023, serving slow-smoked meats including brisket, pulled pork, smoked ribs, wings and signature sides, along with specialties like house-smoked kielbasa, signature beef brisket and a three-meat combo, per the Herald's reporting.
A Reputation Built on Fresh Smoke, Not Freezers
Part of what set the restaurant apart was its commitment to never freezing meat, instead preparing everything fresh each day. Hoefer told WJON that “going out for BBQ is a treat these days,” framing that standard as central to the business even as it made the operation more vulnerable to cash-flow disruptions.
That dedication to quality helped earn the restaurant statewide recognition. The Minnesota Star Tribune named Up In Smoke BBQ the best barbecue in Minnesota in 2025, according to Minnesota Now, a distinction that helped fuel customer demand even as the business prepared for its move across town.
From 2nd Street to Marketplace Mall
The St. Cloud shop operated on 2nd Street South near Liberty Bank before closing on December 24, 2025, to prepare for the relocation, according to 96.7 The River. After a four-month relocation and remodeling process, the restaurant reopened on April 25, 2026, inside Marketplace Mall in Waite Park, moving to 234 Second Ave. S. The new location sat within the principal commercial and retail corridor serving the greater St. Cloud metro area, per the same report from Minnesota Now, positioning the restaurant for growth that ultimately never materialized.
96.7 The River also detailed one of the restaurant's signature draws: “shotgun shells,” manicotti pasta tubes stuffed with Italian sausage, beef, and cheese, wrapped in bacon, smoked, and finished with a honey pineapple barbecue glaze. The restaurant had also built community buzz through promotions like an 8-pound barbecue platter challenge priced at $120, which offered the meal free, plus a t-shirt and a spot on the restaurant's Wall of Fame, to anyone who finished it within 45 minutes, according to FoodChallenges.com.
Gift Cards and a Statewide Pattern
In its shutdown announcement, the restaurant urged customers to redeem any unspent gift cards and Value Connection certificates before September 27, a deadline shared through local media partner 96.7 The River, per WJON's reporting. The closure left little time for regulars to cash in outstanding vouchers before the doors closed for good.
Up In Smoke BBQ's exit was one of several notable Minnesota hospitality closures that month. Bring Me The News listed the Waite Park restaurant alongside two statewide Starbucks locations, Rochester's Thesis Beer Project, and St. Paul's Wonders Ice Cream among September's high-profile shutdowns, underscoring the broader pressure facing independent food and beverage businesses across the state.
