“Female-owned barbecue spots are not common,” Olivia Landry, owner of Jordan Springs Market in Stephenson, Virginia, pointed out. She stepped into this smoky world and now customers can’t get enough of her barbecue.

Landry and her former business partner bought the market in 2008. “His family was from Texas and had a love of barbecue. I was in the hospitality business and have always had a love of great food and exemplary service. I took over the business myself in 2018.”

The store has been around since the 1920s, and people in the area feel a real connection to it. For decades it was known as Ellis’s Shopping Center. “At one time teen dances were held in the basement. People will come in now and tell me they met their partner here,” Landry said.

Jordan Springs Market has maintained this legacy as a community spot. “I knew a lot of people wanted a hub. People come in, grab a $1 coffee, sit at the table and just chat,” she said. The store has three fuel dispensers and offers traditional c-store staples, including a propane exchange.

Landry is all about the people. “My team, their families, our customers and the community support us. Every memorable recipe is made with the best of ingredients … and my ‘little market that could’ is going strong 17 years later because each ingredient matters. I’m proud of all that we have accomplished in my little gas station … and excited for all that is to come.”

Low and Slow

If you ask a serious pit master about the secret to great results, they will most likely say low and slow—and Landry emphasized the point. “You can’t cheat on smoking meats! I always say it is an art, not a science,” she said. “Get your smoker to temp, load the meats and shut it down for the night. We smoke at 225 degrees with locally sourced hickory and cherry wood on custom Bubba Grills. In the morning, we wrap the meats and finish the smoke for another six to eight hours.” 

She was also firm in saying that “good barbecue doesn’t need sauce.” Landry serves all sauces on the side and optional.

The most popular sandwich is the Brisket Grilled Cheese, which is made with toasted white bread, brisket, provolone cheese and the store’s Memphis BBQ sauce. Landry said, “I joke with people it’s either a grilled cheese sandwich with brisket or a brisket sandwich with cheese—either way, it’s delicious.”

Great sides make a barbecue plate great. Landry is all about attention to detail in this area, noting that her staff shreds the “cabbage for slaw and cooks our collard greens in our Carolina Vinegar Sauce with a secret smoky ingredient to give them awesome flavor.” 

Each Wednesday, Jordan Springs Market offers a $30 dinner that serves four. Customers can pick it up and take it home.

“I’m constantly running as a single mom with two boys playing baseball. A lot of my customers are running too. This deal helps families mid-week. I may not make huge profit on that meal, but they will return,” Landry said.

The program is also an opportunity for the staff to think outside the box. “It’s a chance for our kitchen team to be creative. They can create a new menu item and get feedback from our customers. It gives the team ownership within the business,” she explained. 

Assume the Best

Landry observed that customers tend to take their wallet out once per trip in the store. So, she and her staff work on a strategy of assumptive sales—assuming what the customer wants and needs. For example, Landry said when a customer orders a sandwich, she assumes they want the meal, not just the sandwich. “So, we list the side choices when they order a sandwich. Pick a side and they upgrade to a meal, turning an $8 sale into $14.”

She also doesn’t have the customer pay for the order until the food is ready. As customers wait, they stroll around the store and by the time she rings the customer up, “They have added two items to the ticket. If you ring them up immediately, the sale is done with no add-ons,” she said. 

Breakfast is served all day—and Landry uses her bacon as a marketing strategy. “We cook our bacon on the grill throughout the day. Customers smell it and want it!”

Landry also recommends using samples. “When a guest visits, unable to decide their lunch for the day, we offer them samples. If you buy a $14 meal and don’t enjoy it then you’ve spent your lunch money for the day and leave disappointed. If we let you sample, you order a meal that you’re sure to enjoy,” Landry said. “When you treat your guests that way, they are grateful, and a connection is made. It’s no longer just a transactional meal, but a relational one.”