June Schulte and her husband, Paul, opened Old Tomball BBQ in 1984 in Tomball, but their foray into selling barbecue began nearly a decade before on the side of a road.

In 1977 the Schultes were in need of some additional income, so they started selling their homemade, original barbecue recipes on the side of a road, June said. After about a year of their roadside venture, the Schultes decided to open a storefront and did so in 1978 in the vicinity of Airline Road and West Road in Houston.

"We spent six years at the old location," June said. "But it got to be [too dangerous] to go outside in that neighborhood, so we moved to Tomball in 1984."

In 2000 the Schultes purchased the property the restaurant occupies off of Hwy. 249 outright and have made a number of renovations to improve the aesthetics of the property, though June said it is still very similar to the way it was 30 years ago.

"The parking lot moved from the front of the building to the side as a result of the expansion of Hwy. 249," she said. "There has been some painting and other renovations, but the main building is basically as it was."

Paul succumbed to cancer in 2000 and June continued to run the restaurant before selling it to her daughter and son-in-law Paula and Eugene Mattern in 2009.

"I turned it over five years ago to the kids," she said. "I felt it was time to retire."

Despite being retired, June still helps out at the restaurant, along with her friend and employee Maro Uriostetui, who also worked at the previous location. Uriostetui works all day at the restaurant and does all the cooking, which he has done for the past 36 years, June said.

"I have made too many friends here to go anywhere else," Uriostetui said.

The food served at Old Tomball BBQ is all original recipes created by both Paul and June. From the sauce to the seasonings to the meats and sides, all food items are prepared in house and made from scratch, June said. To this day, the meats are cooked in the same smoker the Schultes used when their business began on the side of a road. However, there is a new smoker that will be put in soon and they will retire their current smoker after 37 years, June said.

"The brisket is very good and is always very tender," she said. "Our fajitas are the best that you will find anywhere."

June said the brisket, ribs and fajitas are some of the more popular items among customers, but it is the stuffed baked potato that is the most popular. She said the restaurant sells more barbecue baked potatoes than any other item.

At Old Tomball BBQ there is a strong emphasis on providing good, quality barbecue to its patrons, but the patrons are the real driving force behind the restaurant.

"Everybody here is very customer-oriented," June said. "We understand that if you do not take care of the customer, you are not going to get very far."

The clientele at the restaurant is made up mostly of repeat and regular customers. There is a large contingent of customers that have been coming to the restaurant since they were children, and they now bring their own children to the restaurant, she said.

"I love this place, I like the business and I love the people," June said. "I have made a lot of friends here, and I don't have anybody telling me what to do."

Customer favorites:

• Fajitas: Beef or chicken fajitas can be ordered in either a quarter pound ($10.95), a half pound ($14.95) or a full pound ($26.95). Fajitas are served on a hot plate over a bed of grilled onions and come with tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese and a side of beans.
• Super Spud: The baked potato is stuffed with butter, cheese, bacon, sour cream and chives, and topped with chopped barbecue beef ($6.95).
• Sliced Brisket: Brisket can be ordered by the pound ($10.95), in a sandwich ($4.95) or on a plate with a choice of two sides ($7.95).
• Blackberry Cobbler: This popular dessert can be ordered by the slice ($2.50), by the pint ($4.95) or a whole cobbler ($27.95).

Old Tomball BBQ , 30042 Business 249, Tomball 281-351-0929, Hours: Sun.—Sat. 11 a.m.—9 p.m.