City Barbeque is coming to Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw, taking a spot in the redevelopment of the former LA Fitness property at 1185 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway. The 4.65 acre property is being transformed into Barrett Corners Phase III, a new restaurant, retail, and service development.
The property has gone through a few lives already. The building opened as Circuit City before LA Fitness converted the roughly 39,000 square foot space into a gym in 2011. LA Fitness closed the Barrett Parkway club on December 18, 2025, after nearly 15 years there. D&G Development Group purchased the 4.65 acre property in May 2024 for $11.64 million and later made it the third phase of its Barrett Corners development.
City Barbeque traces its history to a barbecue competition team led by Rick Malir. The group won the brisket category at the American Royal Invitational before opening the first City Barbeque in the Columbus, Ohio area in 1999. What started in a converted doughnut shop eventually grew into a multistate restaurant chain.
The restaurant focuses on meats smoked on site, including beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked turkey, chicken, sausage, and St. Louis cut ribs. Brisket can spend up to 18 hours in the smoker. The supporting cast includes corn pudding, baked beans with brisket, collard greens with pork, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, cornbread, hush puppies, and creamy slaw. Pitmaster Nachos pile pulled pork, queso, barbecue sauce, pico, pickled onions, and chipotle ranch over tortilla chips.
Poké House has also signed on for Barrett Corners Phase III, adding poke to a redevelopment that will now have smoked brisket and ribs at the other end of the culinary spectrum. Also coming to the new development is Caribou Coffee and Sugar Polish Nail Bar, along with promotional materials showing new locations for T-Mobile and Kay Jewelers.
City Barbeque already has a Cobb Parkway restaurant in Acworth at 3574 Cobb Parkway NW and in Woodstock at 8040 Alabama Rd Woodstock, giving local diners a couple of places to preview of the concept before the Barrett Parkway restaurant opens. The Barrett Corners Phase III redevelopment is expected to be completed in 2027.
Address:
Barrett Corners Phase III
1185 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway NW
Kennesaw, GA 30144
Online:
CityBBQ.com | Menu
