It looks like this will be the last summer of barbecue and live music on Caroline Street as Billikens Smokehouse opts not to buy the antique house it operates from and closes the restaurant when the lease expires in November.
It’s a loss for everyone — including the diners, the bands that play in their outdoor venue, and especially the Shalawylo family: Greg, Sharon, and Ashlie — who have put the final touches on their special barbecue for more than 10 years.
“This is my life, all of this is my heart and soul, very sad. The tears come often,” said Ashlie Shalawylo, the youngest member of the family, who came over to her family’s restaurant while studying to be a pastry chef elsewhere.
They explained it all in a blog post, stating the last day will be November 26, 2026.
“This decision did not come lightly. Our family and staff have poured countless hours, endless effort, and a whole lot of heart into creating something truly special here. What makes this announcement even more difficult is that we’re currently having our best year since opening our doors. But as Frank Sinatra once sang, ‘That’s life,” states the post.
There have been discussions with the building owner, who wants them to purchase the whole building as-is. But many repairs are needed and will be costly, and they must be historically accurate to comply with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources directives.
According to Chris Novelli of the Department of Historic Resources, for historic properties such as the Billikens building, built in 1846, all repair and renovation funding comes out of the owners’ pockets. But tax credits are available to owners of historic properties. This is an option for getting some of the money back from their expenditure.
In April, Billikens Smokehouse scheduled a technical review meeting with the city for the construction of a 1,550-square-foot roof structure over an exterior bar area, a second (uncovered) bar area, a stage, a brick patio with outdoor seating, and related infrastructure, so the city has helped them work through that process.
This isn’t the first time in the last year that a well-known eatery on Caroline Street has closed for financial reasons. A year ago, Juan More Taco, a few blocks down from Billikens, closed for similar reasons. The storefront remains empty.
Inside Billikens, all the dark wood furnishings resemble the antique look. The front entrance opens into a hall that leads to four rooms filled with dining tables and a small bar. In the side yard is a little plaza with more tables for dining al fresco and a stage for local bands that play every weekend.
Where does the Billikens name come from? It’s not the family name or a Fredericksburg historical name, so the only clue is a small statue of a pair of monkeys in the glass knick-knack case right inside the front door. The monkeys are named Billiken and Billikant, so this may be linked to the origin of the name, but it wasn’t clear.
The family does plan on continuing their catering operation, so the well-known brisket will still be available for some time.
Billikens is not going out without a bang, though. On September 26, they are throwing a party called “Billiken’s Band’s Last Hurrah,” with many of the past bands providing the musical entertainment. Then, on November 25, there will be the “Last Call” party. “We’re going to party it up on the last night,” Ashlie said.
