One of the decals on the front window.

TIFTON — After being closed for over a year, Hawk-eye Barbeque is open for business at its new location at 339 Commerce Way.

Michael Day, general manager of Hawk-eye and 41 and Main, said that the food is completely the same but how they serve the food is new.

The biggest difference, Day said, is that customers watch their plate being made at the counter, rather than being seated and ordering off a menu.

“Every day the lunch special will be a meat and two vegetables, plus your choice of cornbread or biscuit,” Day said, explaining that there will be a different meat every day and that the sides will vary. The barbecue will be on the menu every day, he added.

“The method of cooking, the actual sauce recipe, I am the only one that has it other than Ms. Ann,” Day said, referring to long-time kitchen manager Ann Davis, who began working in the kitchen when the original Hawk-eye restaurant was opened on Excelsior Road by Kenny Hawkins. “We miss her but her handprint is on everything we do.”

Barbecue will still be sold by the pound.

Day said that they are planning on adding new items to the menu, such as smoked, fried and smothered chicken.

They will also be Capp’s Cakes, which are made in-house by Corey Capps at 41 and Main.

The old location on 12th Street would have taken a lot of work to realize what they wanted Hawk-eye to be.

The year-long transition took the new location, which used to be a series of bars, to a cafeteria-style restaurant with a brand new kitchen.

Day said this will not be the permanent home of Hawk-eye. The restaurant will move next door after that building is renovated, and will hold up to 300 people.

They went ahead and opened the restaurant in the current location because they wanted to experiment with the cafeteria-style concept.

“We wanted to try out the concept,” he said. “To make sure the concept was something that would work and we could sustain.”

Day said that they have had a really positive response from customers so far.

Once the new location is complete, the current site will go back to being a bar.

The third phase of the construction will see a rooftop restaurant opening above the permanent Hawk-eye location.

“Everything is the same, except for the concept and location,” Day said. “Mr. Kenny’s spirit is still alive. We’re holding true to what made Hawk-eye, Hawk-eye.”