By Crystal McGough, Editor
CLAY – Barbecue Stop founders Cliff and Debbie Mortimer announced in May on the business’ Facebook page that they were considering retirement and looking for someone to learn Cliff’s recipes and continue their legacy.
Jeremy and Jennifer Hawkins, new owners of Barbecue Stop in Clay
Barbecue Stop has been a staple of the Clay community for the last decade, touted by many as the best barbecue around, and boasting award-winning competition-style barbecue that has won over 250 awards from cities across the northeastern United States, including the prestigious title of “Bama’s Best Beef” from the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association in 2017.
Fans of Barbecue Stop can now rest at ease as new owners have been announced for the popular local dining and carry-out establishment.
Jeremy and Jennifer Hawkins, both originally from South Carolina, moved to the Birmingham area in late 2021 and fell in love with both the area and the people. The couple has been dreaming of owning a restaurant since their two sons were babies, and the door for that dream to come true opened when the couple discovered the Mortimers’ Facebook post about their planned retirement.
“This business transaction has been divine intervention in every way,” Jennifer said. “We had been trying to open a stop-and-go restaurant in the area for over a year, but we kept encountering obstacles that sent us back to the drawing board. The Mortimers had a few deals that didn’t work out, too. And then we met them, and everything aligned in a supernatural way. It’s God’s timing. Always.”
Jeremy has been an amateur pitmaster since he attended the Medical University of South Carolina in the early 2000s.
“Charleston has some of the best barbecue in the country, and we lived in Texas for a decade after that, so we know good barbecue,” he said.
The couple was thrilled when they discovered Barbecue Stop less than a mile from their new home in Alabama. Little did they know at the time that they would one day own it.
The Hawkins family: (left to right) Jackson, Jennifer, Jonathan and Jeremy.
In addition to his pitmaster skills, Jeremy is a cardiovascular perfusionist and Army veteran with an MBA who brings extensive management and leadership experience to the table. Jennifer, an author, editor, and former nurse, is also the designated cook for their extended family’s holiday gatherings, so she knows well how to run a kitchen and cater to large groups.
The Hawkins’ oldest son, Jonathan, is a recent graduate of Hewitt-Trussville High School, and will be attending UAB in the fall to study neuroscience, while their youngest, Jackson, will start seventh grade at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School in August.
“Family is the most important thing in the world to us, and we are dedicated to building a legacy both as a family and within our community,” Jennifer said. “We will work hard to earn the groundwork that has already been laid for us by Cliff and Debbie.”
The Hawkins family says they are committed to continuing the established recipes of the Mortimer family.
“As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” they said.
They do plan to run new specials of off-menu items, and they’ll be adding a top-secret new dessert that comes straight from the Hawkins family cookbook, so stay tuned for that.
Barbecue Stop is located at 6633 Old Springville Road in Clay. Current hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The new restaurant phone number is (205) 683-9513.
