Business: Q-BBQ
Address: 103 S. Main St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-637-6400; www.q-bbq.com
Regional Operations Manager: Ian Thompson, 37, of Mount Prospect
Years in business: 13
What does your business do? “We wanted to bring regional barbecue to the Chicago suburbs. That was the original thought. … We’re owned by a local group of childhood friends. One wanted to open a barbecue restaurant,” Thompson said. “Once they realized they had a great product, they wanted to grow.”
How many locations do you have? “La Grange is our original location. Naperville is our second. And we have Oak Park.”
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How’s the business going? “Good. We are blessed to be a part of all the communities we are in. … Profit margins are very small. You have to be mindful of who you hire, who you serve and why we’re here, which is for our customers. We’re here to sell rock-solid food and sell it with a smile.”
What sets you apart when it comes to barbecue? “What sets us apart is our attention to quality. It’s at the forefront of every discussion in every location. My background is in high-end dining. I tell everybody, if it’s wrong, don’t sell it. … And I’d say our customer service. We try to bring that Southern flair. Home hospitality.”
What does your job entail? “Wearing as many hats as possible. I ran the La Grange location this morning, took orders, put out fires. This afternoon, I sit down and talk to you. This evening, I’ll play accountant. Some days I can be a cook. Whatever the job calls for. Whatever is best for the company. … Wear many hats.”
Is this a good location? “Amazing. It’s the foot traffic. It’s downtown Naperville. … It’s a family area. It fits our brand. You can come in with the kids. It’s more than kid-friendly. Most of our staff, there are a lot of moms and dads working. … This morning in La Grange, a mom had two kids running around. I told them if they’re good, they’ll each get a free cookie on me. They did.”
How long have you worked for Q-BBQ? “Three years. I had worked in barbecue for a while. I worked at Chicago Q for a long time.”
What makes a good barbecue? “Caring. It all comes down to caring. Slow and low. A nice rub. Good meat. And respect for your customers, your colleagues.”
What wood do you use? “Hickory. Anybody can argue what the best is. For us, it imparts a good smoked flavor but also maintains a good cinder and a good heat. … We get it from a local company, easy to work with.”
Is it pork only? “No, we offer beef, too. … Our sausage is one of our new favorite items, the two Texas spicy links. It’s the perfect balance. It’s not just spicy, it’s the flavor. Everybody loves it. A very good sausage. … Sauce is very important, but I’m a firm believer the meat has to stand on its own.”
When are you busy? “Lunch is very busy, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. the dining room will fill up. For dinner, we usually get a rush starting around 6:30 for to-go, and in-house will start around 7 p.m. It’s wild. So, it’s really two hours a day we are absolutely busy. Outside of that, it’s steady.
“Weekends are always busy, but the time depends on what’s going on in the area. … We get crazy busy for Naper Nights. Every time there’s a concert, we’re packed.”
What are your hours? “We’re open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.”
How did you get into barbecue? “I was a chef. … I like barbecue. I like Southern food. What appeals to me the most is the history. … Working the smoker, if you’ve never done it, is very relaxing. You’re not rushed. You can’t hurry. You need patience.”
Is barbecue one of the most American foods? “Barbecue. Fried chicken. Cheeseburgers.”
Do you sell much take-out? “We do a lot. … We also offer catering, delivery.”
How often do you eat BBQ? “We have to try it every day. It’s part of the job.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Stick with it. Reread your business plan. Don’t give up. The most important thing to understand is that you don’t know everything. You need a team around you to grow your business successfully. And listen to them. A lot of the good ideas we come up as a company starts from somebody mentioning what happened to them. It may be as simple as the way the restaurant is laid out. Small things.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at [email protected].