Batesville officials learned this week the plans for the old Back Yard Burgers building located at 185 House Carlson Dr., and Mayor Jerry Autrey said he couldn’t be happier the property owner outlined in an email this week.

Back Yard Burgers originally built the Batesville store in less than three months during the summer of 2002, and it opened in late July of that year.

“There’s been all kinds of rumors about what is going there, from Krystal to everything else, but I’m glad to finally find out that Back Yard Burgers will be staying in Batesville,” Autrey said Thursday. “The owners thought about renovating the building, but they decided to tear it down and start new. We are very glad to keep the restaurant and we’re excited to see the new building.”

The restaurant has been closed for several months and city officials were unsure of its future until an email from company CEO Dennis Pfaff assured Autrey that Back Yard Burgers will be rebuilt with the chain’s latest building design and increased staffing.

Pfaff, who was named CEO last fall, said one of his first decisions was to improve the appearance of the Batesville location and the execution of delivering the premium hamburgers and side orders that has made Back Yard Burgers a success for more than four decades.

The new store and increased staff shows the company is willing to make a high level of investment in Batesville because owners believe the location will have an increase in sales when the chain is reestablished here.

Workers began demolishing the building last week, and all but the back wall of the restaurant had been torn down by Friday morning.

Autrey the company plans to have a special opening for city officials and others in the community to introduce the new store, and will have a grand opening event with specials for customers as well.

According to the company’s website the history of Back Yard Burgers began in the Delta:

“What started as a premium quality burger sold in a grocery store in Cleveland, Mississippi, in 1987 quickly caught fire. Lattimore “Lattie” Michael realized he had a recipe for success and thus opened the Back Yard Burgers drive thru restaurant.

Customers flocked to it, eating up the fresh-grilled burgers, great conversation and the neighborly feel that reminded them of their backyard cookouts. A year later, Back Yard Burgers opened in Tennessee and Florida. And the rest is delicious history.”

The chain now has 46 locations in Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Alabama, Kentucky, and Nebraska.

Many of the stores offer catering of large carryout orders for birthdays, retirements, reunions, etc.