Fat and Sassy Barbecue is pork with an attitude
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
Dean and Dona Swingle didn't just wake up one morning and decide to move from Garden City to Peabody and open a restaurant with a catchy name for roast pork.
Their arrival in town two years ago was a bit more circuitous than that.
The couple began by looking online for a house that would be about half way between their families in Kansas City and Garden City.
On a Department of Housing and Urban Development web site they saw the former "DeForest home" on Walnut Street. A short time later, on a trip from Garden City to Kansas City, they took a detour through Peabody and looked at the house they had seen on the HUD web site.
"We fell in love with it," said Dona. "And the location was right. It was just what we were looking for."
They bought the house and began doing the work required to make it their own. Dean's brother Denis Brown spent time doing renovation on the home's interior and exterior. Landscaping of course, was a must following the 2005 ice storm.
With much of that kind of work behind them this spring, the Swingles decided to launch their barbecue business. They both chuckled when asked if being in the food service industry was something they had always had a secret yearning to do.
"Good grief, no," said Dean. "But we wanted to open some kind of business that would fit in with Peabody's needs. Something that would do well.
"Many of the people we talked to felt Peabody needed another choice in eating establishments. We decided to give a try," he added.
"We have friends in western Kansas who have a successful barbecue business," Dona added. "They are well-known in the western one-third of the state — Webb's Food Crew and Barbecue. They operate out of concession-style trailers and seem to enjoy it. They have developed a good following over the years."
The Swingles started out a month or so ago with a trailer and plans to buy the former Standard gas station at 111 West Ninth Street from Greg and Beth Sprague. They finalized the purchase of the building more quickly than they anticipated and are now busy getting the interior ready for their opening on Wednesday.
"We still have lots to do," said Dean. "And we plan to continue to use the trailer. We will be at the park on July Fourth."
The west end of the building will house the dining area with future expansion available into what were formerly the gas station service bays if additional seating is needed.
Dean's sister, Dena Crouch of Salina and his sons Tim, Pete, and John Swingle from Kansas City have been helping transform the building from gas station to restaurant.
The Swingles purchased the booths from Kathy's Diner (formerly the Dari Creme) before the building was demolished in May.
"That will get us started. We are going to paint the floors brick red and get the booths installed in a few days," Dean said. "We haven't thought much about the rest of the decor. I suppose we will find something to hang up on the walls."
The Swingles have been pleased with the reception to Fat and Sassy Barbecue. They have enjoyed serving customers from Marion, Marion County Lake, Florence, Canton, and Burns as well as Newton, McPherson, and of course, Peabody.
"We also have been surprised at the number of social events going on that we have prepared food for," said Dean. "It's not so much catering for a group as just having someone call and say, 'hey, we're having a reunion and need barbecue, beans, and coleslaw for 40.' I'm surprised at the number of 'Texas Hold'em' parties, reunions, family gatherings, and private parties that go on around here."
The Swingles boast a meat marinade recipe that has been in Dean's family for several generations.
"The rest of it they just kept trying out on all of us," said Single's sister Dena. "I'd show up at a family event with my cooler when I thought something was a hit."
"But doing it commercially is different from doing it at home," said Dean.
"We're learning," added Dona. "And we appreciate feedback."
Currently Fat and Sassy Barbecue is open from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
