Despite working in real estate, Layne Mayfield and his wife, Kristin, never expected to become business owners themselves. That was until November 2021 when they purchased BBQ Outfitters from its previous owner Bob Carroll and made the move from Dallas to Northwest Austin.

Like most Texans, Mayfield recalls the childhood memories of hard work and delicious food from watching his dad man the grill.

“I remember my dad waking me up at like 5 a.m. on Saturdays because it was time to fire up the smoker and get the brisket on,” Mayfield said. “It was just the fun excitement of what’s this going to turn into is what got into my blood early.”

What they offer

The store is full of all the grilling equipment one can imagine—from grills and smokers to patio furniture and more.


While some changes have been made, the couple said they still wanted to keep the atmosphere that made people love the store for 24 years before they bought it.

“We wanted something we could build off so the BBQ Outfitters that people have known is hopefully still what they experience when they come here today,” Mayfield said.

Mayfield said he and the BBQ Outfitters staff take joy in being part of people’s grilling journey.

“We love when people come in that don’t know what they’re doing because our goal is that we’re able to give them that confidence,” Mayfield said.


Staying local

To stay connected with the community, the store hosts demo days. Customers can stop by the store for a snack and a tutorial featuring different equipment every Saturday.

“The goal is anytime you show up on a Saturday, starting at 11 a.m., there’s something with smoke rolling out of it or a fire going,” Mayfield said. “We’re not only giving you great food to try but we’re showing you how [the equipment] works.”

Despite people visiting BBQ Outfitters for its abundance of outdoor equipment, Layne said the service factor of the store is the true star of the show.


“You don’t want people to buy from you because they think everything’s going to go right,” Mayfield said. “You want people to buy from you in case something doesn't go right, because they have confidence that you're there to help fix the problem.”