OCALA, Fla. – Rashad Jones opened his first restaurant last year in Ocala — Big Lee’s - Serious About BBQ — and he already has ambitious plans to expand across the country.
Big Lee’s is at 2611 SW 19th Avenue and serves meats such as brisket, pulled pork, ribs and burnt ends fresh from the pit. It also serves sides such as fries, coleslaw and fried okra.
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Jones took to his brand’s Facebook page and website last month to announce he was franchising. The initial investment to open a location will be roughly $350,000.
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Big Lee’s was founded in 2014 by Rashad Jones and his wife, Patrice Jones. The man behind the name of the restaurant is Patrice’s uncle, who helped show Rashad the way around the smoker.
“Uncle Leon was my source of inspiration to start cooking BBQ after I had his BBQ for the first time on November 24th of 2011,” Rashad Jones said in a statement to News 6. “He never taught me how to cook BBQ though. I’m 100% self taught. He gave me the spark, I fanned that spark into a flame and now that flame has become an inferno of passion for BBQ, hospitality and serving our community.”
According to Rashad, Big Lee’s started out with one food trailer, later adding four food trucks from 2018 to 2022 before his Ocala restaurant opened July 4, 2023.
His journey continued as he was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” and won two competition shows. He was even named the “Master of ‘Cue” when he won the “BBQ Brawl” in 2022.
“The key is to stay incredibly persistent when it comes to pursuing your dreams. Don’t quit, never give up and you can live your dreams and turn them into realities,” he said in a Facebook post.
To learn more about franchising or to check out the full menu, click here.
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