Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ To Open in Student Union Food Court
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ, which operates several restaurants along with locations at numerous UConn athletic venues, will soon open a new location in the UConn Student Union’s Food Court.
The Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a five-year lease with the company to open in the location currently occupied by One Plate, Two Plates. The space will be renovated for Bear’s to open early in the spring 2025 semester.
Since opening its first location in 2013, Bear’s BBQ has earned the type of name recognition in Connecticut and the Hartford area typically reserved for legacy businesses that have been operating for decades.
Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ is co-owned by Jamie McDonald and Cheryl Antoncic. Antoncic, a native of Windsor Locks, and McDonald, a Kansas City native, recognized an opportunity to bring outstanding Kansas City-style barbecue to Connecticut.
“Our partnership with the University of Connecticut and UConn Athletics started in 2015 and has continued to evolve over the last nine years bringing delicious Kansas City-style BBQ to UConn sports fans on and off campus,” says Antoncic. “We are very excited for our new location in the Student Union, allowing us to integrate further into the UConn community with students and staff on a daily basis.”
Bear’s operates four Bear’s BBQ locations in Connecticut and two in Asheville, North Carolina. They also have food trucks, a full-service catering division, as well satellite locations at places such as Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, and Gampel Pavilion and the Toscano Family Ice Forum at UConn Storrs.
Alongside their brick-and-mortar locations, the Bear’s Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2020 by Bear’s Smokehouse LLC. The Foundation seeks to further the restaurant group’s mission of serving the communities in which they are located and bringing awareness to important issues affecting society on local and national levels. Such issues include mental health, animal welfare, conservation of natural resources, and protection of wildlife.
Latest UConn Today
- UConn Entrepreneur Aims to Revolutionize Men’s Health CareReza Amin’s Bastion Health creates virtual, confidential, progressive approach to medical screening to help save lives
- UConn’s Sir Cato T. Laurencin Recognized as Springer Nature Editor of DistinctionSir Cato T. Laurencin, MD, Ph.D., K.C.S.L, has received a 2025 Springer Nature Editor of Distinction Award. The award is given to exceptional editors who have demonstrated commitment to upholding scientific accuracy and advancing discovery.
- UConn Health Minute: Two Lives, One TeamAn expectant mom learned she suffered a life-threatening condition. But the high risk pregnancy team at UConn Health had the expertise to keep mom safe as she delivered a healthy baby.
- Overcoming Engineering Challenges Was No Problem for This Student TeamA joint mechanical and electrical and computer engineering Senior Design team tackled various problems in the midst of an electric boat competition
- Beautiful Moments: SFA Alum Brings Smiles to Bridal Couples with Live Event PaintingWhen Erin Leigh Boughamer '94 (SFA) left UConn three decades ago with a degree in graphic design from the School of Fine Arts, event painting hadn’t yet become part of bridal vocabulary. To ask her back then if she foresaw herself with a wardrobe of dressy pantsuits, each with at least a little dollop of acrylic paint on them, she’d have said no way
- Kumar Venkitanarayanan Named Interim Dean of UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural ResourcesVenkitanarayanan is a leader in the field of egg and poultry meat safety and has served in several leadership roles within the University
