Everett and Jones Barbeque

Directions to restaurants link http://www.everettandjones.com/the-restaurants.html

The 1979 cover story on barbeque in New West magazine, written by noted food and travel author Charlie Haas proclaimed Everett and Jones Barbeque the best barbeque in California. Photos taken at the Fruitvale and Berkeley E&J BBQ restaurants.

The Everett and Jones Barbeque Story

Dorothy Turner Everett a divorced mother raising eight daughters and one son opened her first restaurant in 1973 out of a sense of need. With $700 dollars that she had saved, a sign bought by Cora “THE ANGEL,” her best friend, fifty dollars to make a till (also from Cora) and a week’s line of credit from Harry Mock of Fair Deal Market, Dorothy went into the barbeque business heavily dependent upon the Lord. An old condemned building on the corner of 92nd Avenue and East 14th Street in Oakland, in much need of repair and next door to the East Bay Dragon’s motorcycle club, was rented and the whole family joined in the repairs.

The Everett’s decided to name the new restaurant Everett and Jones Barbeque, Annie was the only daughter married at the time to James Jones a later partner in the business, continuing a tradition of keeping it all in the family that continues today.
      With little money for advertising, the family depended on word of mouth for customers. The family passed out fliers and gave out free samples to local bars and businesses. Slowly the business began to grow. The long hours and low pay (sometimes no pay) began to pay off. In 1974 the family opened their second restaurant at 1955 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, California and in 1975; the family opened their third restaurant at 2676 Fruitvale Avenue in Oakland.

While celebrating the third anniversary of their first restaurant, tragedy struck. The unattended wood burning pit caught on fire and burned the restaurant beyond repair. Standing in front of the burning building, still in their party dresses, the family hugged each other and cried. A year later in 1977 the family opened a new restaurant one block away from the original location at 9101 East 14th Street. The stage had been set and on May 28, 2013 the Everett and Jones Barbeque family will be celebrating four decades of growth and prosperity.

From the beginning, the family business and its recipes has received the kind of critical acclaim that a press agent would kill for. In May 1979, the first of many critical acclaim honors were bestowed on the family by local and national newspapers, magazines and food critics. The 1979 cover story on barbecue in New West magazine, written by noted food and travel author Charlie Haas proclaimed Everett and Jones Barbeque the best barbeque in California. He went on to say “When I die, if I have been very good, I will be consigned for eternity to a branch of Everett & Jones’ Barbeque. This demi-chain sets the standard against which other East bay ‘que must be judged-against which all other ‘que must be judged. The rib-and-link combo, a good-sized meal, cost $4.79. These may be the six least elaborately appointed restaurants of any kind in California. They are also six of the best.”

A new chapter in the continuing Everett and Jones Barbeque story began in 1982 when the family bottled its “Everett and Jones Super Q” barbecue sauce. The sauce was sold in 12 ounce and half gallon sizes in Safeway, Lucky’s, Price Club, Macy’s and other food outlets throughout Northern California.  Today “Everett and Jones Super Q” barbecue sauce is sold at Whole Foods Markets, Safeway, Lucky's and over 300 retail food stores throughout California, nationally and in Europe.

In October of 2007, while cooking food to take over to her best friend of forty eight years Cora "THE ANGEL," whose daughter Terrie had suddenly died four days earlier, Dorothy collapsed and died. Dorothy Turner Everett said "I thought that I would never earn more than $2.00 dollars an hour. With nine children I always believed that God would make a way for us. I had a dream. I wanted to build something that my children could fall back on. He answered my prayers."

Today, Dorothy's nine children are at the helm of the business, and many of her 29 grandchildren are moving into positions of leadership to see the business into the future.  The stage had been set and on May 28, 2013 the Everett and Jones Barbeque family will be celebrating four decades of growth and prosperity. Dorothy Turner Everett's vision and hard work had given her the means to provide for her growing family. Dorothy's legacy will live on!

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The Everett and Jones Barbeque Story