Keeping the Fire Alive
At Ware’s Bar-B-Q, we believe great food brings people together. From family gatherings to everyday meals, shared moments around the table often become the memories that stay with us for a lifetime. We’re honored to be part of those stories and grateful that our customers continue to welcome us into their lives.
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Ware’s Bar-B-Q is built on a foundation of loyalty, vision, and dedication - from the generations who came before us to the team who carries that legacy forward today. We’re proud of who we are, what we serve, and the community that has made it all possible.
Owners, Joe & Christy Holaway
The OG, Blaine Burrell
Ware’s first opened its doors in 1958, started by brothers Buck and Dudley Ware. It began as a small town restaurant serving a variety of southern favorites but quickly became known for one thing: their now-legendary recipes for barbecue sauce and Brunswick Stew. So while southern cooking brought people in, BBQ is what set Ware’s apart from the rest.
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About twenty years after Ware's Restaurant opened, the business expanded with the opening of a canning plant right next door. There, another set of Ware brothers, Joe and Johnny Ware, took over operations. They built an impressive following by producing and shipping Ware's famous barbecue, Brunswick Stew, and signature barbecue sauces across multiple states.
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By the early 1980s, a young cook named Blaine Burrell joined the team and quickly became an integral part of the Ware’s story. Even after the closure of the original restaurant and canning plant, Blaine remained at the helm, working tirelessly to keep the dream alive. To this day, alongside his son-in-law, you’ll still find him in the kitchen, faithfully preparing the same beloved recipes he was entrusted with so long ago.
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In 2021, Blaine’s stepdaughter, Christy Holaway, and her husband, Joe Holaway, found themselves in an incredible position to purchase Ware's Bar-B-Q. Christy’s childhood is filled with memories of watching her mother work as a waitress at the original Ware’s Restaurant. She fondly recalls helping her stepfather at the canning plant—tricked into wiping down, date-stamping, and labeling jars for a quarter per case, all under the guise of “babysitting.” She and her sister would sneak into the main office, stapling anything within reach and pretending to be in charge. Those moments remind her that Ware’s has always been more than just a business—it’s held a special place in her heart from the very beginning. Now, everything had come full circle.
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Since 1958, we’ve proudly served the same recipe that’s been passed down through generations, never compromising on the authentic flavor that built our reputation. As a family-owned and operated establishment from day one, we put care, pride, and an unwavering commitment to tradition into every plate we serve.
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Today, Ware’s Bar-B-Q is more popular than ever, carrying on the Ware brothers’ legacy and reminding us why it has been an icon in our community for over sixty years.
