“A Leap of Faith”: Steve’s Old Cabin BBQ Off To Successful Start

JERSEYVILLE/DELHI - Steve’s Old Cabin BBQ recently marked its 4-month anniversary, and the restaurant has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback so far. Steve Helfer, co-founder and co-owner along with his wife Laurie, described it as a family-owned and family-oriented barbecue restaurant without any gimmicks or distractions - just high-quality food.

“We don’t have a lot of TV, a lot of media going on in the building to distract people,” Steve said. “It used to be a bar - we don’t serve alcohol, so it’s very family-oriented. We don’t have the slot machines that everybody has, so people feel comfortable bringing their families, even their kids.

“The environment, I think, is a big thing - people get to come and sit down with their friends and family and actually interact with each other and have a nice meal, and just enjoy each other’s company rather than have a lot of the distractions you have a lot of other places.”

Steve’s Old Cabin BBQ is located at 29150 Cabin Lane - while technically in Delhi, the business has a Jerseyville address and is just off Old US Highway 67. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m.

When asked if there’s a secret to good barbecue or good business, Steve said there are always secrets to good barbecue - but mostly, he just tries to “cook food that tastes good” and “keep prices as reasonable as I can.”

So far, Steve said feedback has been extremely positive from the local community and beyond as word spreads of the restaurant’s reputation.

“The response from the community has been absolutely overwhelming,” he said. “It’s more than just the local community - we’ve got people from Carlinville, from Staunton, from all over the place just by word of mouth. It’s just amazing to see how far and wide it’s traveling already.”

Steve said he and his wife have been barbecuing and selling food at local events for a number of years, and had always wanted to start their own restaurant. They spent years looking for a building to no avail before the doors of opportunity finally opened at their current location. Steve attributed the restaurant’s success to the faith his family has put into it.

“Our family took a leap of faith and faith in God that he was going to make this a success,” Steve said. “We kind of dedicated the business, the building, and everything about it to God and I would say that’s got to be the main factor in the success that we’re having.”

To learn more about Steve’s Old Cabin BBQ, visit their Facebook page.

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