The Bar-B-Q Place

It all started one day almost 30 years ago. I was working at my parents Video Store & I looked out across the parking lot at the big old Oak Tree that stood at the edge of the parking lot. I thought to myself how cool it would be to have a BBQ Concession Trailer setup under that Big Oak Tree. I had a vision I guess. I could see it. I knew nothing about how the make BBQ or even about how to go about trying to start something like my own business. Nor did I even have a way to get the money to start such a business. I was just a 14 year old kid with big dreams.

Fast forward 20 years thru a few different jobs & lots of different types of BBQ. In 2006 that dream came true. I bought my BBQ Concession Trailer & set it up under that same old Oak tree. It set there under that Oak Tree for six years & I built my business from the ground up one customer at a time.

It all started with great BBQ. I have been able to travel all over the USA & I always loved stopping by any BBQ Joint anytime I saw one. I quickly found out that not all BBQ was created equal. I’ve had some great BBQ, but I have also eaten my fair share of bad BBQ too. So I knew there was a big difference in the quality of BBQ.

I could not find any BBQ that I really liked here in Fayetteville, so one day a buddy of mine had an old smoker that he had replaced with a new one & he asked if I wanted his old one. I of course said yes. I loaded it up & stopped by the meat market. I remember asking the butcher for that big piece of meat that they used for smoking. I did not know what it was; all I knew is that it was big. He gave me a pork shoulder & I brought it home. I smoked it in the smoker that next day with a chunk of Hickory I had in a stack of Firewood. I’ve been hooked on BBQ from that day on!!!

Over the years I perfected my own rub, sauces & technique to what it is today. I remember the day that I landed on my rub recipe. It was like the clouds parted that day. Once I had the rub I then moved on the technique. I was self taught when it comes to my BBQ. I did not have that mentor to teach me their secrets. It was just a lot of trial & error for me. I just wanted that perfect BBQ. Then once I perfected my technique I then moved on the sauces. I knew by then that great BBQ did not need any sauce, but that a great sauce complements great BBQ perfectly. With my Rub, my Sauce & my Technique I knew I had something great to work with. So after giving away a lot of free BBQ to my friends & family and them telling me that it was the Best BBQ around. I decided I was ready to open THE BAR-B-Q PLACE. So I did in the Fall of 2006. Serving up Great BBQ was my only goal. I wanted to hear my customers say it was the best!!!

Then in the summer of 2011 after six years, thousands of customers & selling few thousands of pounds BBQ out of that little trailer I was really out growing it. Business wise & really could not do anymore. It was time to take the next step. I needed a Small Restaurant. There was this little building that I had always kept an eye on right down the road. Over the years I had seen it slowly fall apart. One day I noticed that the business that had been in here for seventeen years finally moved out & across the street. I then noticed that some work was being done on the old place. So one day on my way to the BBQ trailer I thought I would just stop and ask what was going on. Well the owner was there & said that he was fixing the place up to rent out. I knew right then this would be the new home of THE BAR-B-Q PLACE. I told him to stop the work he was doing & that I would make it into the place I had envisioned for THE BAR-Q PLACE. So I have slowly made this little old building that I have driven by all my life into the place you see today. This is my vision. I hope you enjoy it. I know I do.

-Gary Alderson, Owner