Food has been bringing people together for years, and Brealon Hervey knew that when he began Social Que BBQ. Hervey sparked an interest in barbecuing and experimenting with new recipes, and social media allowed him to kick-start his business.
“I’ve always been interested in barbecuing and being an entrepreneur has always been something in my mind as well,” Hervey said. “I've been feeding the family by trying different meals and ways to cook things. I started barbecuing, then I was introduced to smoking.”
Hervey began posting the food he made on social media, and after a while, people began encouraging him to sell what he makes. He decided to invest in the idea and purchased a large quantity of products and some more grills. He began selling sample sizes of plates in September 2017.
From that moment on, Social Que BBQ kept growing. On May 23 of this year, Hervey was able to open a storefront where customers can sit down and enjoy their meals in what Hervey described as a calm, relaxed, family environment.
“You come in and get a product we put our hearts into,” Hervey said. “You get to see those people that dine in when they bite into the food; you get to see their face when they're happy.”
Hervey explained how rewarding it is to get to witness the facial expressions of customers biting into the food he prepares for them for the first time. He also explained how this experience is so good, it still doesn’t feel like reality.
“It's always a joy to experience something like that, but for me, it's still unreal. I don't even believe what's going on right now,” Hervey said.
Giving back to the local community and his employees through food and opening a storefront has been an incredible experience for Hervey, but the growth doesn’t stop there. Ensuring there are still more goals and dreams to strive for is important to Hervey.
“I think my favorite part is making people happy and being able to have something that you call your own,” Hervey said. “Even though you're there, you still have goals and dreams to go to the next level, and to be able to help people in their journey, making payroll and stuff like that all are exciting things as well.”
The mission statement of Social Que BBQ is “Bridging the gap of social classes with great barbeque and communication.” Being able to talk to people in order to see what they want, and then being able to provide that and sometimes exceed expectations is what Social Que BBQ is all about.
Hervey was able to find his passion and put in the work to create the business he has today. Social Que BBQ offers dine-in, as well as catering options. Hervey caught a glimpse of his dreams and is continuing to strive to reach them.
“Consistency is key. If you love it, that shows up in the end product,” Hervey said.
For more information, please visit socialquebbq.com.