Married couple Sherice and Steve Garner first began cooking barbecue as a ministry of The Daily Bread Church, but after being encouraged by their pastor, the Garners turned their hobby into a business. They opened a food truck in 2008 and eventually opened two storefronts: one on Kuykendahl Road in February 2015 and the other on Richey Road in March 2019.
“We started under a tent. We would set up our barbecue pit and put a couple of chairs out, and people would come and just try our food out,” Sherice said. “When we were able to get that trailer, ... [it] had our name on it, and that was really amazing.”
Sherice said SouthernQ specializes in East Texas barbecue, known for smoking meats for a long period of time over indirect heat. Steve said he smokes meat, such as brisket, ribs and sausage, for at least 15 hours. Sherice said the restaurant also blends the East Texas style with Cajun flavors while serving side dishes that are Garner family recipes, such as baked potatoes, mac and cheese, and potato salad.
“We’re sharing our family’s passion with all of the public. It’s really awesome,” Sherice said.
Last year was supposed to be a big year for growth for SouthernQ as the new location became profitable, Sherice said. However, when the coronavirus pandemic caused temporary shutdowns beginning in March, business came to a halt, and many catering events were canceled, she said.
The pandemic also caused the couple to close their original Kuykendahl location in April after business almost dried up entirely.
“It was a devastating start of the year, but because we were a small business and because we can change things quickly, ... we were able to implement the curbside service,” Sherice said.
SouthernQ now also offers pickup and delivery through third-party apps such as DoorDash and Grubhub. As 2021 begins, Sherice said they are hopeful for customers to return and more assistance to be given to help them survive.
“We want to build our team; we want more business,” Sherice said. “We just want to see this area thrive.”
SouthernQ BBQ and Catering
411 W. Richey Road, Houston
281-919-1238
www.southernqbbqcatering.com
Hours: Wed.-Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
