BRYAN, Texas — On a Tuesday afternoon one Bryan couple was seen laughing, reminiscing about the weekend while sitting in a booth inside the city's popular barbecue restaurant: Fargo's Pit BBQ.
"It was so much fun we gotta go back!," Carolyn Andrews said to her husband, Mike. Joining them was Fargo's owner and pitmaster Alan Caldwell.
"What am I missing here?," Caldwell said with his signature smile.
For 10 minutes, one could forget that the exchange was between a business owner and customers. It felt more like a lifelong friendship.
"It feels that way every time we come in here," Carolyn Andrews told KAGS News. "You feel like you're family, not a customer."
Nestled alongside Texas Ave. is Fargo's Pit BBQ. The current location, which was formerly a Chinese restaurant, has an array of customers from local elected officials to longtime couples like the Andrews.
Along with the classic chandeliers are football jerseys and tons of articles highlighting the restaurant including several from Europe. A search online and on their website will show even more features from Southern Living and Texas Monthly.
"It's an honor for sure," Caldwell said when asked about what it's like to be featured in mediums both near and far. "It's an honor. It's a blessing, and it's a nice conversation piece too, y'know? Don't mind showing it to everybody that comes though."
When asked to see his woodfire offset pit, however, the answer was the same each time: no.
While a great pitmaster will never reveal the secrets behind their craft, Caldwell did say their methods haven't changed in the more than 20 years that they've been open.
"Early in the morning, late at night," Caldwell said. "That's it. That's what works."
March 15 marked Caldwell and his wife, Belender Wells, 24th year of operation. When the two started Fargo's Pit BBQ, they just had the goal of owning their own property and being able to take care of themselves.
During their time, they've faced challenges that restaurant owners typically will encounter as their business grows, but also unexpected ones, like the COVID-19 pandemic that tested how restaurants would be able to adapt to change and overcome adversity.
In the case of Fargo's Pit BBQ however, they were fortunate to get extra support from the community so they wouldn't find themselves at risk of having to close their doors.
"We've just been blessed in so many ways with the customer support," Wells said. "During the pandemic, we had people coming and over tipping and just saying that we want you guys. Remember that we want to make sure you guys stay in business."
In a March 2022 report from the National Restaurant Association, it was revealed that although Texas is one of the states with the highest proportion of restaurants owned by minorities, 41% of restaurant firms are owned by minorities. Additionally, in all states that provided data, the restaurant industry has a higher rate of minority business ownership than the overall private sector.
"A restaurant is hard work. It is not an easy industry," Wells said. "So you have to have your heart poured into it and your staff poured into it -- number one because a lot of people start and they don't realize that it's going to take everything you've got and some. It's not for everybody."
There are also some barriers that restaurant owners need to overcome when starting out. Wells mentioned economic disadvantages, cultural disadvantages, educational disadvantages, and also a product that is well-received by the consumers and customers--the people that make reopening a restaurant's doors the next day possible.
"Alan does that very well," Wells said while smiling at the pitmaster.
"Belender does that very well," Caldwell remarked shortly afterwards as they both laughed.
Although more eyes and mouths have been attracted into the world of BBQ, it's ultimately still a small slice of the greater restaurant industry, which relies on customers and notability to bring in business. Like all other restaurants, Fargo's Pit BBQ wants to be known as a great place with great people that serves an exceptional meal.
"We do appreciate everybody and we just continue to try to get everybody to come on back through," Caldwell said. "You know, we got some love for 'em, so come on by."
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