For 18 years, Archie’s Barbeque has been woven into the rhythm of life at Deep Creek Lake. More than a restaurant, it’s a comfort stop, a gathering place, and a go-to for good food and drink. Guests come for the slow-cooked classics like brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and ribs and stay for unique sides such as the loaded giant tots and the best damn cornbread at Deep Creek Lake.
The Archer family started Archie’s Barbeque with a simple idea and has held it together through chaotic summers, après-ski winters, slow muddy seasons, and all the surprises that unfolded along the way. The family’s decision to step back was made with confidence, knowing they had identified successors capable of maintaining the same standards of care, consistency, and respect that defines Archies. When interviewing the family and new owners, the word they’ve all come to use is beshert; a Yiddish term meaning destiny, or “written in the stars.”
According to the Archer’s, there are just too many coincidences to think this arrangement coming together was anything less than fate.
The new ownership team reflects complementary paths coming together at just the right time, or beshert, if you will.
One Archie’s owner-partner is beloved local business owner Bill Meagher. His approach to small business has always centered on filling gaps in the regional business ecosystem and developing local talent.
Known to many locals simply as “Ice Cream Bill”, Meagher is a familiar face across Deep Creek who has quietly helped shape much of the area’s business landscape over the years. He is behind well-known local staples like the Lakeside Creamery, Deep Creek Donuts, Copper Kettle Popcorn Factory, and FunTime Watersports but he doesn’t lead with that. He will ask you how your mom is or rib you about your football team losing first. Meagher has played a meaningful and enduring role in supporting Garrett County’s economic development.
“When you’ve built businesses in a town like this, you understand that every decision has a ripple effect,” co-owner Meagher explained. “Archie’s isn’t just a restaurant. It’s part of people’s routines and part of their memories. And, that’s what really matters.”
Meagher’s ownership partner in Archie’s, Andrew Sherman, comes from a different professional world but with the same long-time love of Deep Creek Lake. Sherman has spent decades serving as a legal and strategic advisor to Fortune 500 leaders and founders of rapidly growing companies. He has guided them through business planning, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and the development of intellectual property strategies. He is the author of 26 books on business growth, strategy, and M&A, and is a frequent speaker to business groups nationwide. In addition to his private advisory work, Sherman has dedicated nearly 30 years to teaching as an adjunct professor in the MBA programs at the University of Maryland and Georgetown Law School.
After a long and successful legal career, Sherman has expanded his professional portfolio with the purchase of Archie’s Barbeque, a strategic investment in the Deep Creek Lake area economy. His involvement reflects a continued energy towards community growth, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in Western Maryland.
“My love for Deep Creek Lake has always been strong,” Sherman said. “I’m proud to partner with Bill and help carry Archie’s forward as a cornerstone of this community.”
Together, Meagher and Sherman bring a balance of operational experience and expertise that aligns naturally with the character and flavor, no pun intended, of the Archer family’s legacy.
For the last five months, both Meagher and Sherman have been observing current operations, speaking with customers, spending hours behind the counter, and understanding the systems that have sustained Archie’s for nearly two decades. This period of listening and learning has shaped every decision made during the transition.
“We weren’t interested in walking in and making sweeping changes,” Sherman noted. “Our goal was to understand what people already love about Archie’s and protect it.”
With any change in ownership, the most common concern is what will be different. For Archie’s, the response is simple and direct: nothing. The menu, recipes, and brand identity will remain fully intact.
While the familiar feel of Archie’s will stay, the new owners are also looking ahead. With care and intention, there may be new menu items added and, perhaps, the return of the Mountain Man food challenge is in the cards. Who’s to say?
As Archie’s turns the page to the future, the team will be offering special hours between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays this year as a way to welcome the community in. The owners and staff invite you to stop by, grab your favorites, and get to know the people now guiding this next chapter. Details on the schedule can be found by following the Archie’s Barbeque Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ArchiesBBQ.
Pull up a seat. Let’s eat!
Photo cutline: L to R: Andrew Sherman, Bill Meagher, Cepheus (front), L to R: Andrew Sherman, Bill Meagher, Cepheus (front), Anthony Archer, Chloie Archer, & Debbie Archer
