RIPON (NBC 26) — In Ripon, J's BBQ means something different to each person that walks through the door.
For co-owners Jen Rintelmann and Susan Marshall, their restaurant is named after Susan's 19 year old son Jadon who suffered a stroke at birth, resulting in his development of cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Marshall says Jadon's perseverance is a driving factor in what fueled the creation of the business.
"The inspiration behind J's BBQ is not stopping, and not slowing down when roadblocks present themselves," Marshall said.
And slowing down is not in Jen, Susan, or Jadon's vocabulary, as they launched their own homemade sauces and dry rubs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"People were saying hey we want to get your sauces and your dry rubs in a larger volume, how can we do that," Rintelmann said. "And ultimately we decided well we should probably start packing this."
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And now co owner Jen Rintelmann says after years of selling local, J's BBQ sauces and dry rubs are now reaching the national market.
"To take that a step further and going to California and Arizona, and Alabama, to be able to have the opportunity to say could I have Kentucky white or J's original BBQ with that? And for the answer to potentially be yes, is mind blowing," Rintelmann said.
Camille Coller frequents J's BBQ and says it's incredible to see Ripon represented in such a way.
I'm really excited for them," Coller said. "I think they have worked very hard to build their product, and quality. Their sauces have a great flavor profile."
As J's BBQ expands its reach across the country the owners say they will never lose sight of the inspiration Jadon gave them.
Proving that the sky is always the limit.
