Featured Spotlight Familiar Marion barbecue restaurant moves into Harvest Drive-In, grand opening Monday Mike Conley Jan 22, 2026 Jan 22, 2026 Updated Jan 23, 2026 0 × Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke is now located in the former Harvest Drive-In building in Marion.kAm%96 32C364F6 C6DE2FC2?E 96=5 2 D@7E @A6?:?8 @? E96 H66<6?5 @7 y2?] `f] %96 8C2?5 @A6?:?8 :D D4965F=65 7@C |@?52J[ y2?] ae[ 3FE E92E 4@F=5 492?86 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 H:?E6C H62E96C E92E :D 7@C642DE65]k^Am Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke is opening in the former Harvest Drive-In building. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS kAmx? s646>36C a_ad[ $>@<6 p ‘{:= $>@<6[ 2 5@H?E@H? |2C:@? C6DE2FC2?E =@42E65 @? t2DE w6?56CD@? $EC66E[ 2??@F?465 E92E :E H@F=5 >@G6 :?E@ E96 7@C>6C w2CG6DE sC:G6\x? 3F:=5:?8 2E ge` }] |2:? $E] k^AmkAmu@C >@?E9D[ E96 @=5 w2CG6DE sC:G6\x?[ H9:49 92D 366? 2 |2C:@? =2?5>2C< D:?46 `hea[ H6?E E9C@F89 6IE6?D:G6 C6?@G2E:@? H@C< 3@E9 :?D:56 2?5 @FE] xE ?@H 92D 2 ?6H =@@< 7@C :ED ?6H E6?2?E]k^Am People are also reading… Highway patrol: Juvenile killed in McDowell County wreck while driving electric bike One person critically injured in Sunday crash involving bicycle in McDowell County 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle Marion woman charged with starting wildfire in northern McDowell County McDowell County women's powerlifter inducted into North Carolina hall of fame ‘No kings’ rally in downtown Marion draws more than 275 people, organizers say Investigation continues into fatal wreck that killed juvenile on Sunday Marion, McDowell leaders seek public’s input on future of Drexel Heritage site See events that will close Marion downtown streets this year, including Friday night concerts Fire in Buck Creek section of McDowell still 175 acres Monday morning, 0% contained NC high school senior accepted to 90+ colleges, received $5.3 million in scholarship offers Tanker truck crashed on I-40 at McDowell, Burke line; milk spills into creek McDowell County NC East Marion, Clinchfield, Stumptown homecoming to celebrate community Marion man charged with death by distribution in 22-year-old's 2025 overdose death Multiple departments responding to wildfire in Buck Creek section of McDowell County kAm$>@<6 p ‘{:= $>@<6’D =@8@ ?@H 8C246D E96 7C@?E @7 E96 3F:=5:?8]k^Am Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke restaurant, which was previously located on East Henderson Street, can now be found at 861 N. Main St. in Marion. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS kAm$>@<6 p ‘{:= $>@<6 :D @H?65 3J y@9? !9:AAD[ 9:D >@E96C s@??2 |F6==6C[ 2?5 r@??@C s2G:D]k^AmkAm!9:AAD D2:5 96 2?5 9:D 76==@H @H?6CD 2C6 6I4:E65 23@FE E96 ?6H =@42E:@?[ H9:49 @776CD >@C6 C@@> 7@C 5:?:?8 2?5 A2C<:?8] xE :D 2=D@ 46?EC2==J =@42E65 @? |2C:@?’D 7:G6 =2?6]k^AmkAm“x H@F=5[ 7:CDE @7 2==[ =:<6 E@ E92?< 6G6CJ@?6 7@C 4@>:?8 @FE 2?5 DFAA@CE:?8 FD[” !9:AAD D2:5]k^Am kAmw6 D2:5 E96 D@7E @A6?:?8 6I466565 E96:C 6IA64E2E:@?D]k^Am Customers eat at Smoke A 'Lil Smoke's soft opening. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS kAm“%96C6 H6C6 H2J >@C6 A6@A=6 E92E H2?E65 E@ 4@>6 ;@:? FD 7@C E92E E92? 6IA64E65 D@ x 42? @?=J 9@A6 E92E :D 2 D:8? 7@C E9:?8D E@ 4@>6[” 96 D2:5] “tG6CJ@?6 92D =@G65 :E D@ 72C]”k^AmkAm%96 4@=@C7F= :?E6C:@C 92D >FC2=D 3J |@C82?E@? 2CE:DE |2CD92== !J=6[ H9@ 2=D@ 564@C2E65 E96 t2DE w6?56CD@? $EC66E =@42E:@?] !J=6’D 2CEH@C< 762EFC6D G2C:@FD =2?5>2C<D :? H6DE6C? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 DF49 2D 5@H?E@H? |2C:@?[ 5@H?E@H? |@C82?E@?[ E96 q=F6 #:586 !2C<H2J[ E96 q:=E>@C6 w@FD6 2?5 {2<6 y2>6D]k^Am kAm%96 >6?F :D E96 D2>6 2D E96 AC6G:@FD =@42E:@?[ :?4=F5:?8 AF==65 A@C<[ AF==65 49:4<6?[ D2FD286[ 3@=@8?2[ 3667 3C:D<6E 2?5 49:4<6? E6?56CD] %96C6 2C6 2=D@ H:?8D @? E96 >6?F H:E9 DH66E[ DA:4J[ >FDE2C5[ E6C:J2<:[ 3=F636CCJ @C A6249 9232?6C@ D2F46] %96 D:56D :?4=F56 >242C@?: 2?5 4966D6[ 32<65 362?D[ D=2H[ 9FD9 AFAA:6D 2?5 7C:65 @<C2]k^Am kAm!9:AAD D2:5 96 2?5 9:D A2CE?6CD A=2? E@ 255 >@C6 :E6>D E@ E96 >6?F 6G6?EF2==J] !9:AAD D2:5 E96 C6DE2FC2?E 92D 5:D4FDD65 255:?8 2 D>@<65 AC:>6 C:3 E@ E96 >6?F]k^Am The colorful murals at Smoke A 'Lil Smoke's new location were painted by Morganton artist Marshall Pyle. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS kAm%96 C6DE2FC2?E 92D ?@E 2??@F?465 :ED C68F=2C 9@FCD 2D @7 %F6D52J]k^Am kAm“pD 72C 2D 9@FCD 2C6 4@?46C?65[ H6 2C6 E@J:?8 2C@F?5 H:E9 E96 :562 @7 5@:?8 D6G6? 52JD 2 H66< 7C@> `` 2]>] E@ g A]>][” !9:AAD D2:5] “(6 >2J 255 2 3C62< :? 36EH66? E@ <:?5 @7 C68C@FA 2?5 C6DE@4< 3FE 5@?’E 92G6 2?JE9:?8 D6E :? DE@?6 2E E96 G6CJ >@>6?E]”k^Am kAm%96 8C2?5 @A6?:?8 4@F=5 492?86 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 H:?E6C H62E96C]k^Am A plate of beef brisket at Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS kAm!9:AAD D2:5 E96 ?6IE DE6A “:D E@ C68C@FA 2?5 563C:67 H:E9 E96 DE277 E9:D H66< 2?5 86E 6G6CJE9:?8 4=62?65 FA[ 5@ 2 EC2:?:?8 D9:7E @C EH@[ E:89E6? FA D@>6 DEF77 H:E9 >2:?E6?2?46 2?5 E96? 86E C625J 7@C E96 ]]] 8C2?5 @A6?:?8]”k^Am kAm%96 @FED:56 @7 E96 @=5 w2CG6DE sC:G6\x? DE:== 92D E96 4@G6C65 D64E:@? H96C6 4FDE@>6CD FD65 E@ 5C:G6 FA[ @C56C 7@@5 2?5 62E :? E96:C 42CD] %9:D D64E:@? >2J 364@>6 2? @FE5@@C D62E:?8 2C62]k^Am Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke held a soft opening for invited customers as a trial run at its new location. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS kAm“~FED:56 D62E:?8 H:== 36 2G2:=23=6[” D2:5 !9:AAD] “(6 H:== DE2CE H@C<:?8 @? E92E 255:E:@? D@@? H:E9 E96 9@A6D @7 :E 36:?8 C625J 7@C DAC:?8 2?5 DF>>6C D62E:?8]”k^AmkAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ G:D:E E96 u2463@@< A286 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]72463@@<]4@>^D>@<62=:=D>@<6Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmHHH]72463@@<]4@>^D>@<62=:=D>@<6k^2m]k^Am A plate of beef brisket and sides at Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke. MIKE CONLEY MCDOWELL NEWS Potato skins at Smoke A ‘Lil Smoke in Marion. MIKE CONLEY, MCDOWELL NEWS 0 Comments Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mike Conley Staff Writer Author email Follow Mike Conley Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Soft opening at Smoke A 'Lil Smoke restaurant in Marion
Mike Conley Staff Writer Author email Follow Mike Conley Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
