David Hintz, who has spent the past couple of years catering and competing with his 30-foot barbecue trailer, plans to open a restaurant inside the Metro Market within the next few weeks.

“I’ve been involved in barbecue competitions for the past 10 years,” said Hintz, 39. Since opening his Pork County Barbeque business, “I have catered as far away as Wisconsin, and I’ve gone as far as Texas for competition.”

The Des Moines native operates the business alone, but his wife, Melissa, helps with the advertising and he also has “an army of part-timers and volunteers,” he said. “A lot of people like to help just to learn about barbecue.”

Hintz plans to build a couple of smokers inside the mall at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Woodland Avenue. “We do slow, slow, slow cooking, and we do more than pork,” he said, listing beef, salmon, catfish and chicken as other options. “We make our own sauce, but it’s not ready for sale yet. We’re working with some people on packaging.”

In another change for the 11-month-old market, co-owner Michael Kiernan said the original Art In The Market Gallery & Coffee House is being replaced by a similar coffeehouse owned and operated by the Metro Market.

“This will be more of a coffeehouse with a very limited menu, including upscale desserts,” said Kiernan, who also serves on the Des Moines City Council. The to-be-named venue will sell Java Joes coffee and also carry fine arts and collectibles.