Help Save a Detroit Legacy: Park’s Old Style BBQ (Est. 1964)

For over 60 years, Park’s Old Style BBQ has been more than a restaurant—it has been a Detroit institution, a gathering place, and a source of comfort, culture, and community. Since 1964, this Black-owned, family-run business has fed generations with its Special barbecue sauce that no one can duplicate, with love, soul, and unforgettable barbecue that has touched hundreds of thousands of people from Detroit and around the world.

Today, this historic restaurant is at risk of closing its doors.

The owner and heart behind Park’s Old Style BBQ is now battling dementia, making it impossible for him to continue managing the business he dedicated his life to building. His family is doing everything they can to keep the restaurant open, but the emotional and financial strain has become overwhelming. Rising costs, operational challenges, and the absence of its longtime leader have placed this legacy in jeopardy.

This is not just about food.

This is about preserving history.

This is about protecting Black-owned businesses that have survived decades of change, hardship, and inequality.

This is about honoring a man who gave his life’s work to feeding and serving his community.

We are asking for help—anything you can give—to keep Park’s Old Style BBQ alive. Funds raised will go toward operational costs, staffing, rent, and the support needed to allow the family time and resources to stabilize the business during this incredibly difficult transition.

Our goal is $50,000 but every single dollar matters. If Park’s has ever fed your soul, hosted your family, or been a place of comfort for you or someone you love, this is the moment to give back.

If you cannot donate, please share. Awareness is just as powerful.

Let’s not allow a Detroit landmark to disappear.

Let’s keep this legacy standing.

Let’s keep the doors open—for the family, for the community, and for future generations.

Thank you for your love, support, and generosity. ❤️