Two of three Missouri Mike’s brand restaurants to close

Two of the three restaurants that operate under Missouri Mike's branding are slated to close.

Mike Hickman, owner of Missouri Mike’s BBQ & More, announced on Facebook that the restaurant he owns at Battlefield Road and Glenstone Avenue, as well as the sandwich shop he consults for, would shutter on Oct. 1.

"This decision was made after much soul-searching and is due to a combination of factors that have made it increasingly challenging for our business to continue operations. These factors include family, buildings and other influences," Hickman wrote in the post. "We have faced a variety of challenges over the years, including economic fluctuations, rising operational costs and the unforeseen difficulties posed by the global pandemic. These factors, coupled with insane hours that have taken me away from food and family, both of which I still thoroughly love, has forced me to make a decision."

Hickman's Missouri Mike’s restaurant at 1724 E. Battlefield Road launched in late 2021, according to past reporting and the Facebook page. Downing Street Pour House previously operated in the space near Battlefield Mall.

The sandwich shop, called Deli Mike’s, opened in June at 2040 S. Glenstone Ave. Hickman previously told Springfield Business Journal he was working on behind-the-scenes operations and as a spokesperson for Deli Mike's, with ownership by his longtime partner, Kelsey Strahl, and their teenage daughter, Zoey Hickman.

The original Missouri Mike's, 2833 W. Chestnut Expressway, is remaining open, according to the Facebook post. The restaurant debuted in 2020.

The Chestnut Expressway Missouri Mike's is developing a larger catering menu focusing on corporate lunches, among other changes, according to the Facebook post.