Renee Kay stands with her two sons Zyler, left, and Alex. The family took over the BBQ Pit this summer, and plans to transform it to a more community-focused restaurant.
Renee Kay pulls apart a pork shoulder on Aug. 24. Most of the recipes from the old restaurant are still being used by the new owner.
Ten years ago, Renee Kay dreamed about working with her family in Seeley Lake, often eyeing The BBQ Pit as she drove through town to her family's land in Condon.
This summer that dream has come true: Kay and her family reopened The BBQ Pit this August, and plan to usher in a new era by staying open later into the year and offering community events like a family movie night.
"If you showed me what we were doing back (10 years ago), I would have renewed hope on a lot of aspects about myself," Kay said. "It's been amazing, difficult, but rewarding."
The BBQ Pit, which is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, has much of the same recipes and tastes as the past business. Kay said she took the original plan for the restaurant, and wants to expand its selection of foods and hours.
Some new menu items are already being sold, including brisket breakfast tacos, cinnamon apples, BBQ rice and garlic mash potatoes. Kay said there will be times The BBQ Pit opens earlier to serve the burritos, depending if someone is
there to staff the store.
The new meals are just one step of a long-term upgrade to the area, Kay said. The family hopes to start a monthly family movie night in the field behind the BBQ Pit, landscape the front seating area, and add two giant chairs in the front to add some character to the place.
"We want people to come through, see our chairs, and come take a picture with it," Kay said. "That way, people are noticing us and it gets us out there on social media."
Much of the plan is still in progress, as Kay first started the process of buying The BBQ Pit in May. She had been living in Condon for three years by then, building on her great grandparents' land to restart the homestead they started decades ago.
She said many other people wanted the property, but most of them wanted to change the business to something else.
Kay said she invested in three pigs to potentially create farm to table meat in the Seeley Swan Valley. She also talked with other BBQ owners in western Montana to see the different styles of making meat, noting that opinions on BBQ vary by person.
"For some people, BBQ is ribs, while other people need brisket," Kay said.
She said she hopes the offering at the BBQ Pit will have something for everyone, and it helps that the shack offers different sauces for many dishes. With all the new additions, Kay said she wants to make the BBQ Pit a main stop for those passing through and locals. To get more information, email Kay at TheBBQPitMT@gmail.com.
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