Slick's Que Co. closing Sisters location

Slick's Que Co. in Sisters has announced it will be shutting down its restaurant in downtown Sisters at 240 E. Cascade.

The owners of Slick's have cited unsuccessful lease negotiations with a new building owner, and tough economic conditions in Sisters. Slick's has been an active business and strong supporter of the Sisters community since it opened in May of 2009. The restaurant had become a popular destination for barbecue lovers from all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond, serving up Texas and Southern-style barbecue and winning several awards along the way.

"It's very unfortunate it's come to this end," said Roy Slicker, owner of Slick's Que Co. "The building was sold to a new owner in early 2012 prior to the end of our lease, we heard about the deal after the fact. We've been in negotiations with that new owner over the past six months or so. Our family has built the Slick's Que Co. brand right here in Sisters and we'll miss the culture and friendly people that had become part of our lifestyle."

Prior to opening the restaurant, Slicker had traveled tens of thousands of miles researching all the barbecue regions around the country. He and wife Kim developed the brand with a Western style and created the restaurant with a feel similar to many of the famous barbecue joints found in Texas and the South.

In 2010, Slick's won an award and listing as one of the "Best of the Best Barbecue Restaurants in America" by Barbecue News. That same year Slicker was elected to the board of directors of the National Barbecue Association to serve the 10 Western states, and in 2011 the association voted him in as president-elect of the association with his term set to start in February of 2013.

Slick's has also won several other awards in barbecue competitions and has been an active supporter and sponsor for the Sisters Rodeo and became a sponsor and venue for the Sisters Folk Festival in 2011.

"The people of Sisters have been very supportive," Slicker said. "We will miss the operation here very much. But, as I'm sure many other business owners here would agree, business is very seasonal here in Sisters, and with the economic conditions that have been present over the past few years, increased rent rates are very tough to balance with the current level of revenues.

"When you add in this year's extended fire activity impact on businesses in Sisters and the uncertainty of future lengthy construction projects, the whole business model doesn't pencil out for us."

Some activity will continue in Sisters, Slicker indicated.

"For the time being, we will continue to base our Slick's Que Co. branded products, including our original sauces and rubs, hats, shirts and, our new Slick's branded barbecue wines right here in Sisters," he said.

He added, "Slick's in Sisters will be open for normal business until that final day on November 24 - it will be business as usual. The Thanksgiving holiday is coming. We'll still be offering up our popular slow apple wood smoked turkey breast and the other low and slow barbecue meats. We're already taking orders. But, I'm sure that last week is going to be hard for the entire staff and our regular customers alike. After that, we'll focus our attention on our Slick's location on Revere in Bend, a possible second location there and further expansion in larger metropolitan areas."