The Vault Smokehouse is moving to Ennis

For the past five years, The Vault Smokehouse has served barbecue in downtown Waxahachie, but in mid-April, owners Money and Jason Salmon are stepping into a new location and a new season for their business in Ennis.

“It’s been, truly, the essence of bittersweet,” co-owner Money Salmon said. “We are sad we’re not going to be in Waxahachie. We’ve just been really loved on by our Waxahachie community over the years, but we’re excited for what God has in store for us in Ennis.”

The Vault recently held its last weekend in Waxahachie on March 18-19 and have been moving into its new building located at 105 N.W. Main St. in downtown Ennis.

“We’re definitely going to miss seeing those faces (in Waxahachie),” Salmon said. “We did shed a lot of tears. It was a hard goodbye because we love our community.”

The decision to move came after being told their lease would not renew in June 2023 because lofts are being built above their restaurant. Salmon said she wanted to stress to the community that they are not being “kicked out.”

“We are not looking at it from that angle,” she said. “We understand business, and we understand that our barbecue pit is inside a restaurant. God had a plan. He saw it before we did, and it’s all good. There’s so much peace.”

After finding out in December, they began looking for a new location in Waxahachie but were unable to find a building that could house their barbecue pit or had an area outside for the pit. A realtor encouraged them to look in Ennis, and the second place they visited had everything they needed.

“We looked at the building,” Salmon said. “It was turnkey. It was amazing (and) restaurant ready.”

The pit will not be located on site but around the corner. All the food will be prepared on site then transported to the smoker.

The 1,904-square foot building is about the same size as the location in downtown Waxahachie, but Salmon explained that the layout is different, making it feel more spacious.

With the new location, customers can expect a few changes.

Operation hours will now be 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Thursday-Friday, and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday.

Instead of placing orders at a counter as they enter, customers will now place orders from their table. Salmon said the new kitchen includes upgrades like fryers, griddles and more, so customers can expect new items on the menu. The new location includes a bar, and Salmon said they hope to partner with Railport Brewing Company later in the summer.

While the new location will bring changes, the restaurant’s number and mission will stay the same.

“One thing that my husband and I realized is that there’s a stewardship of the hearts of the people that are eating at this restaurant,” Salmon said. “(It’s) not just the good food but meeting them where they’re at. There’s a lot of people that come in that are having a bad day, and we’ve learned to tend to what they need.”

The Vault is hoping to open around April 12, with official updates being posted to its Facebook page.

“If we could say anything to our Waxahachie customers, it’d be, thank you for your support,” Salmon said. “We love you, and we miss you, and we’re only 20 minutes.”

For more information, follow @TheVaultSmokehouse on Facebook or visit https://www.thevaultsmokehouse.com/.

Originally published March 30, 2023 - https://www.waxahachiesun.com/business/the-vault-smokehouse-is-moving-to-ennis/article_032eb384-cf46-11ed-9050-abd8fc00cf7d.html