After debuting a new store concept in October 2015 located in the barbecue brand’s hometown of Dallas, the first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location to undertake the new concept will open April 7 in Erie, Pennsylvania. The new store will offer seven slow-smoked meats and eight home-style sides, available in customizable plates that allow each guest to decide how much and how many slow-smoked meats they want to try. Guests will be able to see the full barbecue process on display from the glass butcher-style case displaying all the fresh meats to the smoker, which now plays a starring role in the kitchen located just behind the chopping block.

The new store design features a holistic sensory experience, from décor made largely of sustainably sourced, reclaimed wood to the hand-crafted design elements highlighting Dickey’s history on the walls paired with a specially curated singer/songwriter playlist heard from a Bose surround sound speaker system.

Dickey’s has made great strides in sustainability with the new store model, which also includes recyclable and compostable takeout containers made of 100 percent sugarcane. Other paper products are made with post-consumer recycled fiber. The new store will also slow smoke all its meats using Dickey’s proprietary wood-blend pellets, which consume 80 percent less wood and are made from a blend of hickory, cherry, and other flavorful woods.

To celebrate the new store’s grand opening, three guests will win free barbecue for a year at the new Erie location. Guests can enter to win using hashtag #1FreeYearofBBQ on any social media page, order online or sign up for the Big Yellow Cup Club to receive special offers and loyalty points which can be redeemed for free barbecue.

Doors open on Thirsty Thursday, when all guests will receive a free Big Yellow Cup with Dickey’s new reusable travel lid and straw. On Philanthropy Friday, all proceeds from Dickey’s signature potato chip sales will benefit Dickey’s charitable foundation, Barbecue, Boots & Badges, which supports first responders and their families. Musician Dave Van Amburg will play from 6 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Kids eat free on Sunday as always.

Dickey’s is also announcing its newest retail offer, which launched April 6 in 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide. Walmart will now carry three types of Dickey’s signature smoked sausage: Original Smoked Polish Sausage, Smoked Spicy Cheddar Sausage, and Hot Links.

The new line of sausages from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is high-quality, competitively priced, and easy to prepare at home. All of Dickey’s sausages are gluten free, and contain no MSG or nitrites. They come pre-smoked and ready to heat and serve. After the initial launch in select Walmart stores, Dickey’s sausages will also be available in other grocery stores nationwide, with outlets to be announced at a future date.

During the launch, Walmart customers can find Dickey’s brand of sausages in easy to find bunker displays in many stores, which will feature the products prominently in the center of the frozen food aisle. The displays will also be featured during Memorial Day weekend, making it the perfect meal for a summer kickoff barbecue or gathering.

“We are proud to launch one of our signature barbecue products in Walmart stores across the country,” says Tamala Fowler, Dickey’s vice president of R&D and purchasing. “By offering our sausages on Walmart shelves, we are offering our guests yet another way to enjoy our authentic Texas-style barbecue at home for their summer barbecue or family gathering. We look forward to a long lasting partnership.”

Dickey’s sausages follow the recent retail launch of its signature buttery rolls in United Supermarkets, Jewel-Osco, and Brookshire Brothers grocery stores in 2015.

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