09/22/2022
Good evening everyone!
I normally try not to make two posts in a day but I think this is important information that needs to be shared. This post will serve as an open letter, from me to my customers. Please read to the end if you have time.
First things first, if you would like to brush up on the history of DB’s and how we got our start you can read about that in the “About” section of our page. There is some good information in there that will provide a little insight into the business. This post will pick up where that left off and provide some more details about DBs Barbecue.
Secondly, I’ll start by apologizing to all of the DBs customers who I have let down over the past months. I am still learning a lot about business and myself through this process, and I’d say this “process” has been more of a baptism by fire than a process. When DBs was open on a regular basis we developed a very loyal customer base. So loyal to the point that I would get worried if we didn’t see certain customers in a day. If you’re reading this, you know who you are and please accept my apology for letting you down.
Third, I’d like to explain a little bit about my life outside of DBs Barbecue as most people in the Jackson area won’t see me at my “second life”. I double time as the General Manager of D’Ladiums Cape’s Legendary Sports Bar in downtown Cape Girardeau, right across from Houck Stadium. It’s a title that I’ve had officially for a little over 4 months now but a job that I’ve considered my full-time job for about a year. Luckily this job is mostly done between the hours of 6pm and 1am so when DBs was open regularly I could be at both places when they were open. The hours were tough but doable for something that I loved so much. However, if you’ve been with us since day 1 you’ll know that DBs has gone from being open 5 days a week, down to almost nothing. This transition is mostly do in-part to the fact that there are only so many hours in a day. As the covid regulations began to subside, Brandon transitioned back to his full-time job in the early springtime this year. Getting my feet under me as the sole operator of the business was a daunting task but I believed I could do it. With the help of my amazing parents, who have sacrificed so much of their lives to be here on the days we are open, I was able to keep the business running as much as possible.
At the beginning of the summer I held out hope. I thought that once I got the responsibilities of my new positions (at the bar and at DBs) under my belt that both jobs would eventually go back to normal. It has been a few months of experimentation now and the results are conclusive: it’s not possible. The hours that I keep at my full-time job make it impossible for me to keep a concrete schedule at DBs, something that is needed to run a successful restaurant. The long and early hours of barbecue, and the late nights of the bar are an unhealthy and disagreeable combination.
I promise that this isn’t the end of DBs, even though it may seem like it is. This is just the start of a new DBs and I hope that you all can grow and adapt with me as I learn how to create a life for myself as an entrepreneur.
Barbecue is, and will always be, a passion of mine. I love the way that food brings people together. It brings families together during the Holidays, it brings friends together at weddings, and nothing makes me happier than being able to make someone else happy with my food.
As I stated before, DB’s Barbecue isn’t going anywhere. Starting today, DB’s Barbecue will strictly be a catering company. As I am able, we will open the drive-thru and I promise that as long as you are following on Facebook you will know when we are open. Since we are open less I promise to always give you my all and deliver the best possible barbecue that I know how.
Before I end this post I want to take the time to acknowledge a few people who have made this all possible. First and foremost I want to thank God for blessing me with this opportunity, and all the family and friends who have supported me along the way. I see His handiwork every day in my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today without God. While the business may not have turned out how I imagined, the things that I learned along the way were exactly what I was asking God for in prayer. Secondly, I’d like to thank Ken Jones for providing Brandon and I the means to pursue our dream. He is the definition of a Godsend and there are no words that I could put into writing that would properly express my gratitude for everything he has done for me. Last but certainly not least, I want to thank my parents. They have sacrificed more than anyone will ever know to help me run this business. Frankly, it wouldn’t be the business that you see today without their help. They’ve been with me every step of the way. I owe them the world. If you’re reading this post and then see my parents out in public, give them a hug for me and maybe buy them a couple drinks if the situation seems right. They deserve it.
Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to read this long post. This was me trying to keep it short… I’m very excited to see what the next years of business will look like for DB’s Barbecue and I can’t wait to take you all with me on this journey!!
Many Thanks,
Dave Knost
