A hot dog, barbecue, and axe-throwing restaurant that first opened in Ocala in August 2023, closed in November 2023, reopened in August 2024, and closed in January 2025, has reopened again.

Crave Hot Dogs & Barbecue celebrated its grand re-opening at 2463 SW 27th Avenue on Tuesday, April 15.

The restaurant’s reopening comes just over three months after it closed for a second time earlier this year.

Located within the Shady Oaks Shopping Center, Crave originally took over the space from Kotobuki when that restaurant closed after a multi-decade run.

After months of renovations, former owner Michael Lutz celebrated Crave’s first grand opening on August 5, 2023.

In November 2023, the business closed “due to electrical problems.” At the time, the former owner shared several pain points about his experience getting the franchise up and running.

Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ in Ocala has been closed for several weeks.
Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ in Ocala had this sign up in November 2023 for weeks before its eventual closure.

After corresponding with Lutz and other franchise owners across the country, a few months after its closure, Ocala-News.com reported that at least 10 other Crave franchises had also opened and closed in short timeframes.

In May 2024, Ocala-News.com reported that the restaurant would reopen its Ocala location under new ownership.

On August 30, 2024, those new owners reopened Crave, just over a year after its first opening.

In January, Ocala-News.com was made aware of the Ocala location’s second closure. At the time, Crave founder and owner Samantha Rincione indicated that the franchise owners were undergoing a “personal situation.”

Currently, there are only three Crave locations serving the state of Florida. In October 2024, a new Crave opened in The Villages, around an hour south of the shuttered Ocala location.

A previous Crave in Orlando was also opened and closed multiple times in the past two years. It is now permanently closed.

Ocala-News.com was unable to determine whether the Crave restaurant in Ocala is under new ownership before the publication of this story.

As its name suggests, Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ offers hot dogs prepared in a variety of ways, as well as barbecue options and associated sides.

In addition to its food, the restaurant chain also offers axe throwing services that can be scheduled through the restaurant’s website.

Crave is open Sunday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Will you visit the newly opened Crave Hot Dogs and Barbecue? Share your experiences with us in a comment or, if you have more to say, write a letter to the editor.