Local barbecue restaurant, Feedstore BBQ, which is operated by a longtime Southlake family, plans to continue growing its menu as the restaurant celebrates 25 years in business.
The Lafavers family own and operate the restaurant, which opened April 25, 2001.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the business, the Lafavers will host an event from 3-9 p.m. July 25 that will include live music from Justin Mason and steak and white brisket, or pork belly, prepared by the restaurant, said West Texas Lafavers, general manager at Feedstore BBQ. The Southlake barbecue team, which is made up of Carroll ISD students, will run the restaurant’s trailer during the event.
What’s on the menu
Feedstore BBQ’s menu includes barbecue sandwiches, country fried steak, meat plates, baked potatoes, Southern-style sides and salads. Mike Lafavers, the restaurant’s operator, said the restaurant is most known for its ribs, which have been shipped around the world, brisket and its custom-made sausage.
The restaurant’s sides, which include green beans, mashed potatoes and corn, are created from traditional family recipes, which has been passed down, Mike Lafavers said.
“These recipes were shared in small groups, by restaurant standards, but it was just the way that my parents grew up,” Mike Lafavers said.
Many of the family recipes would be brought out for reunions or weekly family dinners, he added.
“Everybody would be bringing their best dishes too, because you had to show off to the other family,” Mike Lafavers said.
Some context
Before the Lafavers family opened Feedstore BBQ, the building housed the Bailey Feed Store, which was operated by Earl Bailey. It eventually became Miller’s Grocery Store, Dee’s Hitchin’ Post and Southlake Feed & Tack.
The Lafavers family purchased the building in 1997 before remodeling the feed store and opening Feedstore BBQ in 2001.
Since opening, Mike Lafavers said the size of the restaurant has doubled. However, the family remains committed to its principles of consistency, which are inspired by William “Bill” Lafavers’ career working at Jack Daniels.
“We try real hard every day to be consistent with what we're doing,” Mike Lafavers said. “We want to be the best, and we try to consistently put out a great product.”
The impact
Additionally, the restaurant tries to be a part of not only the Southlake community, but gets involved in Grapevine and Colleyville too, Mike Lafavers said. Some of the community involvement has included helping out with concessions at Dragon Stadium or providing meals at White’s Chapel Methodist Church.
“We just feel a big need to be deeply involved in the community,” Mike Lafavers said. “We give back. We support the very things that support us.”
Looking ahead
In the near future, the restaurant plans to add a breakfast menu, with an emphasis on breakfast tacos, Mike Lafavers said. There will be a limited menu, which is expected to launch in August or September, he added.
“I'm trying to replicate that old school small town cafe type approach,” Mike Lafavers said.
Once the new breakfast menu launches, the restaurant plans to open from 6-10 a.m. for breakfast and reopen from 11 a.m. for normal lunch and dinner hours.
