Today we’d like to introduce you to Aimee Mestad.
Hi Aimee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Rochester, Minnesota. My parents met in North Carolina while they were Marines and decided to relocate our family to Brunswick County after a few brutal winters up north. I’ve lived here for so much of my life I like to think I’m a local. I graduated South Brunswick High School in 2009 and spent a few semesters studying at Brunswick Community College. College wasn’t for me; I decided to focus on working instead. I’ve worked in food service since I was old enough to get a work permit in NC, I also have worked in retail and the medical field, but food always calls me to come back. After I accepted the cashier position at Simply Barbecue in 2017, I found out that the owner was looking to retire and sell the business; my husband and I worked to purchase it so we could work together once he was out of the army, finally we have completed the ownership transition as of March 2023.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was not smooth sailing at all; our first loan application was denied, so we had to meet with Dennis (original BBQ owner) and figure out financing that worked for both of us; at this point, Dennis had retired and moved to Florida while I was running the business. We had a lot on our plate, and it would’ve been so easy to say forget it, but we wanted this so bad. A lot of our struggles in recent years are pretty typical; staffing, supply chain issues, & my husband’s (not) favorite thing- equipment breaking down. When I started working at Simply Barbecue, I had never worked in the actual kitchen of a restaurant, ran a business, or even smoked a brisket before.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Simply Barbecue?
We specialize in hickory smoked pulled pork, beef brisket, and St Louis-style ribs, homemade sides & apple crisp dessert. Everything is made on-site and slow-cooked to perfection. Simply Barbecue is set apart by not only the tasty food we serve but our customer service we provide. I love to cook for celebrations; we get customers celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations, sometimes also funeral services; it means so much to us to be a part of these important events in their lives. Simply Barbecue gives veterans and first responders 10% off every single day, which is something we love to offer to those who serve us selflessly.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love so many things about North Carolina; we get the best of both worlds with mountains and beaches. I love being able to work by the beach especially; I enjoy the ebb and flow of tourist seasons, I work a lot in the summer, but I get to enjoy a little more downtime with my family in the off-season. I think the only thing I don’t like about it is the traffic.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplybarbecue/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplyBarbecue/
Image Credits
Wesley Mintz
Aimee Mestad
Megan Deitz
