Retaining wall failure closes Back Yard Burgers

After several days of heavy rain, a retaining wall behind Back Yard Burgers, located at 1428 Montgomery Highway, failed, causing a minor landslide on the hill behind the business.

Back Yard Burgers CEO Dave McDougall said the wall began to fail and slide down the hill on Sunday, May 28. Since then, he said the company has been working diligently with their landlord and the city to get the situation rectified and the restaurant back open, but that continued rain hasn't helped that process.

Parts of a fence at the top of the hill have also come down.

City Engineer Christopher Brady said the building safety department is waiting on a remediation report from the owner of the property, and said once they have it they will look into how to re-stabilize the area. Back Yard Burgers has a private engineer, a contractor and an insurance representative reviewing the issue as well.

Brady also said he believes the owners of the adjacent properties have been in contact with the city about the issue.

Back Yard Burgers will be closed until further notice, McDougall said, out of an abundance of caution.