BBQ restaurant owner needs advise

AA,

Tough call, family is pretty important! Good for you to think about it.

Ah, the life of a business man. Moving to Nebraska, what you don't know, and we certainly can't tell, is the "market" in that town.

Why isn't there a Q place there now?
What kind of restaurants ARE there?

Maybe a call to the local town council might help some.

I'm sure, while you offer a great product in Iowa, you'd be starting over in Neb. Can you afford that? Think of the first year in Iowa, starting out. Wouldn't this move to Neb be just like that, starting over?

I like the idea of the two highways, but if there aren't any stoplights to stop them, and the location of the restaurant isn't right....it might not be a great idea.

Thanks
Yes I would be starting over, but I need to be near my daughter during this stage in her life. I am tired of being a dad 4 weeks out of the year. I could do something else, but I love cooking and barbeque. Restaurant would be down town (2 major highwas to Omaha and they do have stop lights. This town is growing growing growing. I lived there for 5 years once and it has gained 2000 more people since. Omaha people are building and moving and large corporations are adding more jobs both blue collar and white. The down town location currently has a cafe. They have the usual...McD's. KFC, Taco Bell and a couple of Steak Houses. The Famous Dave's do a great business in Omaha (3). I do a great job in marketing and good food opinions travel fast. I take pride in many people have come in my restaurant from the south (including OKie) and were very pesimistic only to say they haven't had such good BBQ since leaving Okie......so I feel good about my cooking.

My desire is to limit my menu. Sandwhiches....sides...lighter menu and a heavy dinner platters. My ideal hours would be like Sund-Thurs...lunch only and Fri & Sat lunch and supper. I would like to get involved with catering too. I know there is money in catering as I have had a lot of requests. By the way (my beans are the best on the planet and I dont need a contest to tell me--my customers do). I think I can make enough money to be happy with. Like I say I also want to seel more packaged bulk items...meats and sides.
If I could do $400 in lunch business and $1000-$2000 on Friday -Sat night I would be happy.
I just am getting tired of it around her in small town. I miss Omaha and my daughter.
Any advise on scaled back menu would be nice. Also any advise on where to turn for help in learning more about the catering side of business would be great.
I am gearing up for the biggest event of my life. I will be one of 2 food vendors at a large outdoor country concert. 4pm to midnight...about 8ooo people...so should get a big learning experience.

AA: Since I am just getting ready to start out I can't tell you much, but I CAN tell you this: After just traveling through Texas, Memphis, St. Louis and KC, the guys in the old BBQ places in TX offer VERY limited menus. I mean brisket, ribs (beef/pork,) chicken, links, and a couple of sides -- and they don't really seem to give a damn about the sides either, cause most of them were quite poor. But there's always white bread and pickles/jalapenos and beans. The key, I think, is that the meat is unbelievably great. None of the good places (Cooper's in Llano, Kreuz, Smitty's and Black's in Lockhart, Louie Mueller's in Taylor) use sauce on the meat, but offer it on the side; one place (Kreuz Market) won't even give you sauce.

You go up to the pit to order just what you want. They cut it up on a big butcher block right in front of you. And they serve the meat on butcher paper, with rolls of paper towels on the tables as napkins.

It is a wild experience, and I am tempted to take an approach very close to that in my venture in NY. It sounds like you would enjoy the same approach yourself. There will be a ton of pics linked up here soon with my write up of the trip....

Thanks woodburner. I have thought about doing it that way. Yes, the key is having the best meat. Currently I do not sauce my meat before it is served. I have the sauces at the tables. The meat is most important and a good sauce to compliment. Some places have great meat and the sauce sucks. Thank God in reverse (poor meat) they have good sauce to cover it up!

I believe in doing things unusual. People love it! I want an easy menu. I remember a little place in Alabama. No menu. Ask to see one and he says "No menu", Ask what they have..."Ribs and bread!". The guy sells a ton of ribs. Simple: Make a few things but make them GREAT!

What do I have to lose? Can't succeed without trying. Right?

Boy...take a 3 day weekend and the "Pro Only" section is buzzin' Welcome Alan!

Having just read through this thread, I'd say:
1. Kudos for taking the steps to uproot yourself to provide your daughter with a quality relationship!

2. You say you're a "true BBQ purist". Given the fact you'll have no competition in that area, start with that which you do best. You can always add on, if you feel the need to, later on. A limited menu will save you valuable operating capital in terms of lowering equipment, storage and inventory costs.

Seems to me that great BBQ is like pizza or Chinese food...it will grab a foothold in any demographic.

Good luck Alan, and remember, you have a wealth of expertise to call upon from amongst the contributors to this forum. Don't be shy about hollering for advice.

You're right. I will keep it simple and make the best bbq I can. The rest should fall into place.

Off the subject....Could anyone give me advise as to sausage. I do not want to make my own links (would love to) so does anyone know where I can buy raw or smoked ones that BBQ restaurants serve so I can smoke or resmoke and serve at my place? I want a very good quality. Something with maybe a little kick to it.

Some of the best links I've had:
http://www.chsausage.com/products.html

thanks Top Chef...you must be on now. I have more time to spend here since I am laid up. Most time off I've had in 2 years from restaurant. Had knee surgery 10 days ago and emergency eye surgery 6 days ago......so you will see more of me here. I hope I can offer some advise. If anyone ever wants to chat one on one my Yahoo IM name is alanneila.

Top Chef
THANK YOU!!! I have never found a source or I have and they wont sell wholesale!!!!!

Foodservice suppliers dont supply good quality. Which of these from Chapel Hill do you recommend. I would like to only carry one, but maybe 2 like a reg and a HOT

I've tried "regular", "venison" & "turkey".
All have been fabulous.