Heritage Smokehouse’s next chapter? A simpler barbecue kiosk in Jacksonville.

Heritage Smokehouse will open a new location in Jacksonville this September after a rocky five years in Govans, the business said Tuesday on social media.

The Baltimore County spot will be a return to “more traditional barbecue concepts,” said Robert Voss, owner of John Brown General & Butchery, who will be working with Heritage Smokehouse co-owner George Marsh at the new location.

Marsh called the Aug. 8 closure of the York Road spot “bittersweet” in the Instagram post and said he and his wife, pastry chef Jenny Marsh, were “excited for what’s ahead and this next chapter.”

The Jacksonville shop will reconceptualize Heritage Smokehouse — known for its menu of smoked meat, artisanal sausage and indulgent pastries — as a grab-and-go shop for lunch and early dinner, serving until sold out, Voss said. The kiosk-style eatery is set to open in September and will mainly focus on smokehouse products rather than full dinner and bar service.

There will be no indoor seating, but there will be a few outdoor spots for customers looking to eat right away.

“George used to run a more plated menu on the backside of his barbecue menu at Smokehouse. So we’re going to condense it down to just things off the smokers with some sides and lunch options,” Voss said. Marsh was not immediately available for comment.

The move to Jacksonville is something of a homecoming for Voss, who grew up near the community.

“I want to bring good food back to the area,” he said.

After he closed John Brown General & Butchery’s restaurant in Remington, Voss wanted to build a new business in a community he was more familiar with.

“We can be there and address the customers and understand them better,” he said.

Heritage Smokehouse, which opened its York Road location in 2021, nearly closed before. In 2024, the Marshes told The Banner that they asked customers for support after empty tables and slow service left the restaurant struggling financially. “We’re three years in and we’ve not made any money,” George Marsh said at the time.

Inflation and Heritage Smokehouse’s rising prices deterred some customers, Marsh added. “Briskets are more expensive than they’ve ever been.”

In addition to the new Jacksonville location of Heritage Smokehouse, Marsh will also work with Voss at the Bel Air location of John Brown General & Butchery, which Voss said is coming soon.