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Local couple buys BBQ business

LAUREL — A Laurel couple has taken on a new business endeavor.

Longtime Plainview residents, Dale and Cheryl Bailey first started selling their Baileyz BBQ sauce at Bailey’s Drive Inn back in 1999. The couple sold it as a refrigerated product to customers and served it at the restaurant. Bailey’s Drive Inn closed in 2003; but many of Bailey’s friends and family wanted their bbq sauce, so the couple would make it as gifts at Christmas time. Over the years, the couple decided to start making and selling their bbq sauce to retailers.

“In 2013, we started selling commercially. We sold mainly to grocery stores and specialty shops in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota,” said Cheryl Bailey. “Through travels, Facebook, Etsy, and Amazon we have sold our bbq sauce in about every state retail.”

Around the first part of June, the couple decided to sell their business.

The Bailey’s contacted Scott and Christy Taylor of Laurel who jumped at the opportunity to purchase Baileyz BBQ sauce. “When Dale and Cheryl contacted us and told us that they were going to be closing shop, I knew that we wanted to visit with them about purchasing their recipes,” said Scott Taylor. “The Baileys put too many years into a great product to just watch it fade away and we did not want to see this Nebraska product disappear.”

The Taylor’s own T&H Meat Co and Fine Spirits, Knuckleheadz bar, and Smokin T’s Catering in Laurel.

“T&H takes a lot of pride in carrying Nebraska products; we carry approximately 30 products,” said Taylor. “Baileyz BBQ sauce was one of the Great Nebraska products that we carry. In fact, it was our number one selling bbq sauce. At Knuckleheadz Bar, Baileyz BBQ sauce is on every table and people love it.”

The couple plans to continue making Baileyz Original BBQ sauce, Baileyz Spicy Honey BBQ sauce, and Baileyz BBQ Rub. In addition to making the classics,

Christy and the Knuckleheadz chefs are working to create new sauces and dressings such as blue cheese dressing and thousand island dressing.

Taylor said his chef’s make another delicious bbq sauce and a rich and creamy alfredo sauce. The new sauces and dressings will be available for purchase in the future.

Baileyz BBQ sauce and rub and the new sauces will be made in the commercial kitchen at Knuckleheadz bar in Laurel.

Now that Baileyz BBQ sauce is under new management, the Taylor’s said they have no intentions of changing the name or anything at this time. “Our thoughts are if it is not broken, why fix it,” said Taylor. “Dale and Cheryl have done an amazing job of marketing and distributing their products.”

When the Taylor’s took over the business, they were not expecting the difficulties of finding bottles, jars, lids, and boxes.

“Due to COVID-19, those items are very difficult to find,” said Taylor. Once the couple receives their order of bottles and jars, their focus will be making, bottling, and distributing the sauce to a lot of the same stores that have always carried the sauce and hopefully numerous other retail locations. Taylor said T&H and Knuckleheadz will always have Baileyz BBQ sauce on hand.

As for if the couple will distribute the sauce to other states, the Taylor’s said they will see what happens in the future. “We do not want to sacrifice the excellent quality of this sauce by trying to grow too fast.”

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