MARTIN'S BAR-B-QUE JOINT: Update.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Update.

Yeah, Its been almost two weeks. I've had the time to post but I just didnt make the time to. Things went pretty well in the two weeks leading up to and the week of Christmas - far better than I expected! Last week we really didnt make all that much money but we didnt lose any either. Back in Oct. & Nov. Bo, Jackie, and anyone else who knew anything about the restaurant industry told me to get ready, to brace myself for how little money would come in the door. We saw a real dip in dine-in customers but a big pick up in take home meals and small (20-40) catering jobs.

Had it not been for the latter we would have been hurting! The picture of the "guys" above was taken this past weekend leading up to Christmas. Just gander at the yuletide joy on Bo's face.......isnt it just infectious? They needed a few days off so we were not open yesterday, which gave us all 3 days off. I'm lookin

g forward to getting back to work today though. late yesterday afternoon (about 5:30) Marteen and I went over to the Joint to fire up the pit and put tod

ays meat on and as I was firing that pit up I started to get excited about this week. Although going back over there at 3:00 this morning to add coals/wood is not fun!
Christmas for us was great - watching my little boy Wyatt open his gifts was the highlight of it all! He was more excited about the wrapping paper than the presents. Every year we cook breakfast on our family wood stove that has been in our family for over 80 years. That dang thing can still do it too! I inluded pics of that too.
Yesterday the Tennessean did an article on us. You can read it at:

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061226/COUNTY090101/612260311/1356/COUNTY09

This week should be pretty good. This Saturday night the music starts back up after taking a week off. I've had A LOT of folks tell me they were coming so if you come get ther early! I hope you all had a merry Christmas and I hope you all continue your joy with a happy Kwanzaa!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: Saw the article about you in yesterday's paper, can't wait to try you out. I grew up in Henderson TN, and like you, have been searching middle TN for good que for the past 20 years. Finally broke down and bought my own smoker over the summer. We are going to try coming in this Thursday night for supper.; Wednesday, 27 December, 2006
Anonymous said...: Patrick I am praying for you I work with your wife everyday and she is a work in progress. She is mean to me everyday I can only imagine how she treats you when she gets home. I have decided to include you on my prayer list at church both you and Wyatt and certainly in my prayers. When I visit your restaurant lunch will be on me for sure.

Peace out; Wednesday, 27 December, 2006
Anonymous said...: congrats on the article in the Tennessean!!!

Havent posted in a while but I keep coming back for the best ribs in middle Tennessee...

Keep up the good work!!

Michael; Thursday, 28 December, 2006
Anonymous said...: Hey, BIGHOSS!!

We stopped yesterday (I posted in Southern Culture on eGullet) but no smoke to be seen. We were on a 700-mile trip from the coast and thought we'd take a chance on a little detour, but nobody was there but someone in a purplish van pulling out of the parking lot.

We'll be back down that way a lot in Spring and Summer, so we're looking forward to that GOOOOOOOD pulled-pork sandwich (slaw on)!!; Monday, 01 January, 2007
Pat Martin said...: racheld i am soooo sorry i was not there for you. we are closed on sundays for church and titans games and closed on mondays for our weekly prep. please come back when you get time!!!!; Monday, 01 January, 2007

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What is this Blog???

You ever been sitting around cooking for your family and friends and been told the following: "Hoss, this is the best I've ever had in my dadgum life.....you have got to open up a place of your own". The thought crosses your mind to do just that, but for whatever reason you dont. Well I'm "that" guy that actually went through with it and did it. I had absolutely ZERO restaurant experience! I decided to start this blog about my own experience hoping that it may be of some use and help to others who might be interested in opening their own place.
I learned this craft almost 20 years ago cooking whole hogs on brick & cinder block pits at a couple of little BBQ Joints in Henderson, TN. I learned from old, lifelong career Pit-Masters, working with them as an apprentice during school off and on for four years. Over the course of that time I learned the old, time-honored craft of REAL pit barbecue. At Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint I am trying as hard as I can everyday to bring that time-honored authenticity to my customers.
As you read you'll see I've made some stupid decisions, and I've made some good decisions. If you are thinking of opening a restaurant, especially a BBQ Joint, read this blog! Maybe some of this info can be of use to you. At the very least you will be entertained because I pull no punches.
Now listen, this is my blog to not only help with information but my blog to freely rant about my day to day experiences. There is no real "bad language" on this blog but there might be some things said that are very "tongue in cheek". If you are easily offended and/or cant see the satire in my posts then please just leave the blog. It will save both of us the annoyance of each other. For those of you who do like satire and are looking for good information about this experience, then by all means enjoy!