My brother Garret and I own Big Belly Que in Chapel Hill, NC.   We provide Chapel Hill with its only truly wood smoked bbq, and the
Triangle with the best combination of delicious sides, delectable desserts, and beautifully smoked pork shoulder, chickens, housemade
sausages, bacon, and ham.  
    Since we began in October 2019, Garret and I have worked hard to make Big Belly succeed.   We've contended with surprise crippling
bills for starting up, delays for permitting Chapel Hill's first wood smoker in town, sixteen months of Covid, and (most of all) our location in a difficult-to-find and odd food hall.   We've made a lot of new friends along the way and learned to love being part of Chapel Hill's small
food business community.  Both of have thought about quitting - about finding jobs with regular hours and steady pay and health insurance - but have always felt the pull of making food we love on our own terms, and the constant hope that "things" would improve.  We've held
on, with the generously donated  help of our talented friend Jefe Lubiano and the increasing contributions of our young
dishwashers/sausage makers/ brunch helpers Fletcher and Noah.  
A few months ago we were offered the opportunity to move Big Belly into its own location -the attractive former yellow house behind Al's Burger Shack, smack in the middle of the bustling Midway area of Franklin St.  We could have  a bar with beer and wine, our own kitchen,
lots of pleasant outdoor seating.   It feels like a perfect fit.  The sooner it happens the sooner we can start thriving.  We'll be hiring kitchen
help and front of house help.  Steady pay could become a thing for us, and for more than just the two of us. 
    The owner of the "yellow house" has to finish up some construction before we can take it over.   Then we will encounter the costs of
moving the smoker, permitting, buying the all kitchen equipment, tables, chairs, painting, decorating.   I've saved a bit of money from
refinancing  my house but certainly don't have enough to make this happen.  We're stretched especially thin since we've been waiting
longer than we had hoped for the move to happen, and in the meantime regular business has slowed as it usually does in the summer.   On 
top of that we've had to close suddenly (7/7) thanks to the Blue Dogwood management failing to comply with the Health Department.
We need money to make this move happen.  Please help Big Belly Que to stay in business in Chapel Hill.  Otherwise Garret will have to
move away from his sister and nephews and friends, taking his considerable talents with him to chef for other people again.   I'll have to
become a teacher or a secretary.  My boys won't have a family business to inherit.  Yikes. 
    To thank anyone who donates we will offer 25% of the donation amount in Big Belly Que credit after we move.   Viva Big Belly!!