LUMBERTON — Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q restaurant will reopen for business on Tuesday, again serving up the barbecue and chicken that has made it such a popular place to dine.

The locally owned restaurant, which is located at 5050 Fayetteville Road, has been closed since Sept. 30 when a fire broke out and caused extensive damage, most of which was confined to the restaurant’s interior.

It is operated by Bullard Restaurants, which is owned by brothers Clif Bullard Jr. and Drew Bullard, both Lumberton natives. They are anxious to get the restaurant back in service.

“Lumberton has made Smithfield’s the best restaurant our company has every had,” Clif Bullard said. “We are confident that the Lumberton Smithfield’s will prove to be the best of all again due to the strong support of our fellow Lumbertonians.

“We would love to thank all of our great friends for their support over the last four decades. We at Bullard Restaurants appreciate and love Robeson County.”

The restaurant, which employs about 70 people when fully staffed, is open Sundays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Clif Bullard established the business in May 1980, just a few years after he graduated from the University of North Carolina. He got a little help from his late father, Clifford E. Bullard Sr., a former Lumberton mayor and a businessman and farmer.

“I borrowed $150,000 … and he charged me 13 percent,” Bullard said. “The prime rate was 18 percent at the time and Southern National Bank wanted to charge me an interest rate of 20 percent. So I guess I got a good deal from Clifford Sr.”

Bullard began locally with Burger King franchises, and now owns 65 restaurants across North Carolina and South Carolina, employing more than 2,000 associates. Among the restaurants are Moe’s Southwest Grill, CoreLife Eatery, Burger Fi and Positalia.