
Booming BBQ business to open its own restaurant
A BOOMING Ipswich barbecue business is hungry to keep on expanding and will do so by opening a new restaurant next year.
Phat Boyz Smoking was established in 2017 and owners Luke and Laurie-Anne Saggus opened a store in Bundamba last year to sell a selection of smokers, rub sauces and accessories.
They cater for private events such as weddings and engagement parties and like every other local small business, Phat Boyz has had to “overcome and adapt” during COVID-19.

Their delicious range of slow cooked meats and barbecue dishes, including briskets, pulled pork, mac and cheese and house-made coleslaw, have proven to be a big hit.
Phat Boyz snagged the new business of the year gong at the City of Ipswich 2020 Business Excellence Awards on Saturday.
Now they are set to open their own restaurant in Walloon.
The 100-seat venue will be located in The Hangar; the food and retail building within the Waterlea estate’s village hub precinct.
Mr Saggus was hopeful of a January or February opening.
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The new venue will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6am to 9pm most days, and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
“We’re going to have a nice big beer garden,” he said.
“There’s going to be live music and it will be family-friendly venue.
“We’ve got a custom one-off five metre long smoker that will be put in the middle of the restaurant with a big bar being built around it.

“(The smoker) was built by another local business, Boss Hog Smokers.
“It’s a casual vibe with seating inside and out, to chill, listen to music and let us do the cooking.”
About 18 people will be employed across the two premises once the restaurant opens.
Mr Laggus worked in construction sales and as a truck driver before turning his passion into a living.
Cooking classes will be moved from the shop to the restaurant.
“It’s just so I can share my passion with everybody else and show them the art of low and slow,” he said.
“The best thing about is the social interaction with the customers.
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“A lot of customers have now become mates we see daily or weekly.”
Phat Boyz is the anchor tenant for The Hangar at Waterlea, with the interior fit-out to include a polished concrete bar, recycled timber tables and a mural created by graffiti artist and tattooist Micky Hora.
The managing director of Waterlea developer RBG Services Greg Reed said it was a perfect partnership.
“Adjoining the retail precinct are lush subtropical gardens surrounded by 30 hectares of parklands,“ he said.

“There is parking at the front door or it’s an easy stroll from the Walloon train station connecting the community to Ipswich, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
“I can’t think of a better place to come together with family and friends and enjoy destination dining.”
Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.