G Brand BBQ’s success has led to a second location.
Owner Fred Gretsch opened another restaurant on Hog Mountain Road in Watkinsville in March, joining the original in Crawford, which opened in 2018.
“It did immeasurably more than I could have ever thought,” he said. “It’s just been a blessing. The community has supported it so well.”
And it hasn’t just been the local community. Over the years, Gretsch has seen people come from far and wide to try G Brand’s barbecue.
“It’s become such a destination for people traveling through Crawford,” he said. “It’s pretty common for us to get people that will drive an hour just to come to us.”
Expansion to Watkinsville comes as a result of the “huge number” of Oconee County residents that often make the trip to Crawford for G Brand BBQ, Gretsch said.
While added expansion is something the Savannah native has thought about, for now, Gretsch and the rest of his G Brand staff are focused on ensuring the long-term sustainability of the new location.
“We're gonna get this one in Watkinsville leveled out, and then we'll decide which way we go from there,” Gretsch said. “It takes the right mix, it’s got to be the right location and the time’s got to be right.”
Gretsch said catering services, which are heavily emphasized at his restaurant in Crawford, will provide a similar balance to the new location. G Brand strives to provide strong menu variety at both locations, including several beef, chicken and pork dishes.
Although catering to large events is a key tenet of the restaurant’s operation, pleasing the everyday customer remains a priority.
“Times are tough financially, prices keep escalating and our food costs are going up, too,” he said. “But we try to find ways to offer specials so the common man can come in and get a meal that’s very reasonably priced and still very satisfying.”