Popular Fayetteville Barbecue Restaurant Fowler’s Closing in August

Another popular local Fayetteville barbecue restaurant is closing its doors for good, as Fowler's Barbecue has announced it will cease operations this month.

Fowler's is located on 723 West Rowan Street and has been led by former Fayetteville City Councilman Wade Fowler. The restaurant announced its closing in a Facebook post late Wednesday night.

"It saddens us to have to make this announcement, but circumstances have led to a difficult decision," the Facebook post said. "Fowler's Barbecue Restaurant will permanently cease operations on August 26th. We appreciate all the support you have given us over the years and all the friends that we have made."

Fowler's opened its brick-and-mortar location after several years as an incredibly successful food truck, The Blind Pig.

The restaurant has a notable following, largely because of incredible menu items like their burnt ends, St. Louis Ribs, and of course pulled pork. Sandwiches like "The Angry Hawaiian," have been menu staples for years. The menu evolved over the years, and eventually included a line of signature barbecue sauces sold in some grocery stores.

The restaurant was recognized in several publications for having some of the best barbecue in Fayetteville and in North Carolina.

"Man, I hate to hear this news. You guys were one of the best local spots around. And now, there are very very few left," commenter Herman Ospina said on the restaurant's closing post.

Fans will have a few weeks left to visit to visit Fowler's Barbecue in Fayetteville, and take in some of their favorite dishes, and get some merch.

"We hope you will take the chance to come by and dine with us a couple of times before we close," they said. "Also, we would like you to own a reminder of us, so we will have T-shirts and our sauces for sale. Thank you again for the outpouring of support you have given us over the years."

As we dip head on into summer, it's time to think about all the fun you could be having in North Carolina with your family and friends.

But is North Carolina the spot with the most fun? Or should you be looking elsewhere for all the entertainment you can handle?

Our friends over at WalletHub.com ventured out to determine this once and for all. Their annual ranking of the Most Fun States are out, and while North Carolina is a lot of fun, it's sadly not even in the Top 10.

"There are certain states where fun is not just an option but also a way of life," Adam McCann said in his WalletHub piece. "These states offer such a variety of activities that everyone will be able to find something that excites them, from people who crave the outdoors and athletics to those who would rather sit down for a film."

WalletHub ranked 26 key indicators to figure out where the entertainment was flowing most. Everything from the cost of a movie, to accessibility to national parks, or even nightclubs.

While North Carolina didn't come in the Top 10, it did land at a comfortable 15. That's probably a good amount of fun. After all, you don't want to have TOO much fun this summer. We're nestled nicely between Pennsylvania and Missouri in the rankings. And we managed to beat our neighbors to the south, as South Carolina came in at No. 19.

The Tarheel State did decently in all but one of the key rankings:

So let's dive into the rest of the rankings, taking a look at the Top 5 most fun states, and the Bottom 5, so you know where to stay away from.

This makes sense. California has literally every possible kind of fun you could possibly want. Theme parks, nightlife, beaches, mountains. Like, literally everything.

Again, this makes sense. Florida is a massive family fun destination, with theme parks, beaches, nightlife, NASCAR, college and pro football. There's a little bit of everything down there.

VIVA! This is undoubtedly boosted by the fact that Las Vegas is the top tourism city in the country. But don't sleep on Reno and Lake Tahoe.

As a whole, the entire state of New York has most anything you'd want to experience for fun. It's not quite the same as visiting California or Nevada, but there's still plenty to do.

Apparently Chicago scores REALLY well in nightlife, and look, we're sure the whole state is plenty of fun. But this one seems weirdly high.

Well, there's college football. And the Ozarks. And there's... umm... We'll get back to you on the rest.

Our nation's smallest state doesn't have room for a whole lot of fun. But this kite thing looks pretty cool.

Another small state, with very little room for fun stuff. It's a lovely place, but not somewhere we think of to go for fun.

Oh bless their hearts. It is a lovely state to drive through, with natural beauty everywhere. But that's about it.

We'll politely disagree with this ranking, as Mississippi may not be the most entertaining place to go, but there are casinos and beaches and... well, that's it.