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Heards BBQ & Soul Food opened its first full-service restaurant in Clanton on Jan. 4 and served residents throughout the day. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

The Heards BBQ staff inside the new location in Clanton. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Lines formed outside of Heards BBQ before opening at 11 a.m. (HEARDS BBQ & SOUL FOOD | CONTRIBUTED)

Children came out to try the new Heards BBQ location in Clanton during its opening day. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

Heards BBQ sold out of all products in just under six hours of service during its first day open. (HEARDS BBQ & SOUL FOOD | CONTRIBUTED)

The new dining room area at Heards BBQ & Soul Food at 1679 7th Street S, Clanton. (CAREY REEDER | ADVERTISER)

By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The long-awaited day for Heards BBQ & Soul Food arrived on Jan. 4 opening its doors to its first full-service restaurant in Clanton. Roman and Shakira Heard and staff were open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and were going for a soft open for a few days to get their feet under them at the new spot.

However, their first day was anything but a soft open as cars flooded the new parking lot and lines formed at the door before opening time.

“It was not a soft opening that is for sure, and it was more like a grand opening without the ribbon cutting I guess,” Roman Heard said. “We still have a lot to do (at the restaurant), and six months from now it may look totally different,”

The long lines remained throughout the day, and the six-person staff had to close for an hour to catch up on orders and reset. The opening menu featured pulled pork sandwiches and plates, ribs, smoked turkey sandwiches and plates, fried catfish, sides and drinks. Heards will continue to expand its menu adding more of its award-winning food including burgers, as well as grow their normal staff to 10 people. Set hours for the new restaurant will begin next week as well.

“We have some painting to do, and we want to stencil out some things to get some drawings and stuff in here and get the awards up too, just little things like that. We will get it done,” Roman Heard said.

Heards BBQ’s new Clanton location is located at 1679 7th Street S, Clanton on the far left of the shopping center.

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