DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Fabianne Simmons is passionate about the food and the customers she serves.
“I’m here you know. To keep my mom out of nursing home is the reason why we are here. I have to fight for this,” she stated.
Simmons opened Backyard BBQ Pit in April 2007 — months after losing her father. And while taking care of her ailing mother.
UPDATE: Durham barbeque restaurant gets a big boost from community after fear of closing
“I prayed that night and God told me, go buy a restaurant the next day. I had my mom in the back of the car, and we rode around for hours and hours and hours,” she explained.
Until she stumbled across a location on N.C. 55 in Durham.
After an initial handshake agreement with the former owners, Simmons was officially in business.
She has been there since. However, then came pandemic.
UPDATE: Durham barbeque restaurant gets a big boost from community after fear of closing
“Our hours of operations changed. We went from working six days to five days,” Simmons said.
According to the National Restaurant Association, more than 90,000 restaurants closed during the pandemic. However, Backyard BBQ was able to hang on.
Simmons said she doesn’t know for how long.
“We have no walk-in cooler. No walk-in freezer. Right now, we have a temporary trailer that is provided by IFH, our food vendor, and that’s helped us out so much. But we have diesel that cost $500 a week,” explained Simmons.
UPDATE: Durham barbeque restaurant gets a big boost from community after fear of closing
Between the cost to replace the freezer, walk-in cooler, outdated equipment and rising food costs it has become financially draining.
“Everyone can’t afford high priced meals. So, we know that working man special is going to make them full and they are happy and it’s affordable,” Simmons stated.
It is the reason why she’s raising money to stay open.
“My employees I have to fight for. The ones that are still here and stood by my side,” she said.
Simmons said a big hurdle is insurance. She said insurance is not able to cover repairs.
As for as their goal, they hope to raise $50,000.
