A Brief History Lesson

BBQ west was opened December 6, 2000. The small "Mom and Pop" style restaurant had only created about six jobs in Ouachita Parish. The checkbook had one hundred eleven dollars and eleven cents ($111.11) in it. We have wondered since if this amount was a good luck charm. Shortly after opening, BBQ west had to expand by adding a banquet room which was also used for storage.

In early 2003, BBQ west added a second banquet room which has doubled our original occupancy. Later in the year, outgrowing the current facilities once again, the decision was made to open a second store. The land and outer building were leased on the corner of North 7th Street diagonal to the West Monroe Football Stadium. Money was borrowed from a local bank to buy operating capital, equipment, and to cover construction expenses. Two local construction companies worked on the second store during 2002-2003. BBQ west #2 opened its doors for business on Super Bowl Sunday in 2004. This restaurant is only a couple of miles from the original store. This closeness caused concern. BBQ west #1 worried about losing some of its customers to BBQ west #2. Happily, the new store invited its customers from east and south West Monroe while the original store gets most of its customers from the west and north.

Due to popular demand and the request of our Monroe customers, blueprints have been drawn up for a BBQ west #3. The location will be on North 165 next to the Waffle House. The opening date is expected to be early 2005.

BBQ west has had an impact on the local community through its numerous donations, jobs, and generosity. BBQ west has been nominated by the Chamber of Commerce as one of the fastest growing businesses in the West Monroe/Monroe area. In 2002, our business was nominated for the "2001 Rivertown Award of Excellence". In 2003, BBQ west won the "People's Choice Award" by an overwhelming margin. So far in 2004, BBQ west has been nominated again for the Chamber of Commerce's "2003 Rivertown Award of Excellence".