California Dickey's Barbecue Pit Owners Give Back in Many Ways

By: Dickey's Barbecue Pit® | 0 Shares 91 Reads

Local Owners Use Restaurant As Platform To Serve Community After Turning In Shield

PLEASANTON and LIVERMORE, Calif., Jan. 4, 2011 // PRNewswire // -- Texas-based Dickey's Barbecue, the largest barbecue chain in the country, has been making strides in the Bay area for over a year and a half now.

Dickey's first opened in Livermore in late 2009.

Shortly following the success of their first location, Owners Paul DeJoy and Gary Cooper opened another restaurant in Pleasanton.

Both owners are retirees of the Fremont Police Department.

DeJoy spent the majority of his career with the force as a traffic police officer and Cooper in the Investigations Division as a Detective and Crime Scene Investigator.

"With a combined service of nearly 60 years in the police force, when it came to retire we weren't ready to retire to the sofa," Warren said, laughing. "After looking at Dickey's business opportunity we realized there was a real shortage of good barbecue in California."

That need, according to Cooper, was the best of both worlds-- fitting their desire to serve and their love of hot pit-smoked meats.

"We have served the public for 30 years. We are still serving them today by offering them delicious barbecue," Cooper said.

Although dedicated to the area, the owners' need to protect has reached far beyond our country's borders.

DeJoy served in Vietnam in the Navy on the USS Kitty Hawk and Cooper served with the Army in Vicenza Italy.

The owners ensure their Dickey's is also very involved with the local communities.

In October their Pleasanton location hosted a tea party, while both locations host numerous fundraisers for several schools and youth groups.

"Paul and I both live in the area and have for many years. We are proud to bring great food to our hometown." Cooper said.

Dickey's encourages all franchise owners to engrain themselves in the surrounding community.

"We want to give the franchisees a foundation for success with a strong business model and ongoing support, but then we leave it in their hands to make their Dickey's a community staple," President Roland Dickey Jr. said.

Dickey's is a national brand, but each restaurant is locally owned.

The first Dickey's Barbecue opened in 1941 in Dallas, TX.

The original location is still open for business and Dickey's Barbecue is still owned and operated by the Dickey Family.

Dickey's only began franchising in 1994. Today, there are 139 locations in 33 states.

Even today, Dickey's still slow smokes all of their signature meats overnight in every restaurant.

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue