Less than two years after bringing the 1980s-themed McFly’s to the downtown Ames bar and restaurant scene, owners Steven Perlowski and Tanya Doyle are set to open a new restaurant for outdoor enthusiasts, just outside of Ledges State Park in Luther.

“You wouldn’t think that there’s a restaurant out here in the country,” Perlowski said. “We’re trying to make it a destination, but also with the heavy traffic, just trying to make it a convenient place for a lot of people to stop.”

Though he said they are still in the early stages, Perlowski said the restaurant, named Whatcha Smokin, will hopefully be ready to open by late spring or early summer. So far, he said the framing for the restaurant is almost finished, but the interior still needs extensive work. The location was once a gas station, which fits with the restaurant’s theme, described by Perlowski as an “outdoor enthusiast’s garage” or “man cave.”

The 2,400-square-foot restaurant — located at the intersection of Iowa Highway 17 (S Avenue) and 270th Street — will feature traditional barbecue staples such as brisket and chicken, but because it is Iowa, it will lean heavy on the pork.

“One, we’re in Iowa, so everyone loves barbecue,” Perlowski said. “We wanted to kind of do Iowa comfort food, and as people drive through Luther, they’re going to smell it, and they’re going to get hungry.”

Perlowski said that the idea for the restaurant came from Doyle, who owns a motorcycle shop with her husband in Luther. Though Whatcha Smokin has a much more rural setting than McFly’s, Perlowski said he jumped at the opportunity to open a barbecue joint.

“I was never hesitant,” Perlowski said. “I’ve worked with Tanya for a long time, and she’s a smart business person.”

According to Perlowski, about 4,600 vehicles pass the intersection where the restaurant will be located each day. In addition to the vehicle traffic, the location is also near bike trails, which he said will bring in an entirely new crowd that he doesn’t see at McFly’s.

Though Perlowski said he has extensive experience in the food service industry, he said barbecuing and smoking has been a fairly recent fascination of his, and one in which he has been focusing almost all of his time. Some of his recipes are already on the McFly’s menu, but Perlowski said he is excited to get them on at a restaurant that emphasizes the barbecue.

“I’ve been spending a lot of my time learning the art of barbecue, and cooking and testing a lot of foods and recipes,” Perlowski said. “This new place is definitely going to be more of a restaurant than McFly’s. Yes we have food, but we’re more of a bar.”

In addition to the setting and menu items, Perlowski said there is a staunch difference between McFly’s and Whatcha Smokin. However even with the differences, he said that he can still apply many of the same lessons he learned.

“It’s all preparation,” Perlowski said. “(McFly’s taught me) the dedication it takes to get a business going, and keeping it going. It’s about taking care of your guests, listening to feedback, making changes when necessary.”