Fayetteville Restaurant Owners Expand Empire

The Huson family of Fayetteville is expanding its restaurant empire — all the way across Dickson Street.

Jim, Teresa and Nelson Huson opened Doe’s Eat Place at 316 W. Dickson St. in February 1999.

Now, they plan to open Big Daddy’s Sports Bar & Grill sometime between July 22 and mid-August in the space at 313 W. Dickson St. (in The Bakery Building) that previously housed Corky’s Ribs & BBQ. Corky’s closed at the end of May.

Nelson Huson, who is the son of Jim and Teresa, said Big Daddy’s will have seven television sets, including a big screen TV and one on the patio.

The restaurant will feature a full bar and will initially have only a few food items such as hot wings and hamburgers.

“Our goal is to do the best hamburger on Dickson Street,” said Nelson Huson, who owned a Chilli Red’s Coney Island hot dog restaurant in Fayetteville before opening Doe’s.

Matt Huson, Nelson’s brother, will be manager of Big Daddy’s.

The Husons purchased the building that houses Doe’s from Tom Pearson. They are leasing the space that will house Big Daddy’s.

Doe’s specializes in steaks, tamales and shrimp. The Fayetteville Doe’s had sales of $633,935 in 2001, according to city hotel-motel-restaurant tax figures.

Besides the Fayetteville location, there are also Doe’s restaurants in Little Rock, Hot Springs, Oxford, Miss. and Greenville, Miss. (home to the original Doe’s).