Apr 28, 2024
on the road in Idaho….

“Wow, that sure smells good! We should check it out for our last night here.”

(Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.)

Every small town we’ve visited throughout the southwest, seems to have put their initial, in white, high on a hill or mountain side, overlooking the community. 

“K” above Kanab, UT; “P” above Page, AZ; “S” above Silver City, NM, for a few examples.

On one of the Red Cliffs that surround the city of St. George, UT is giant, white “D”.

For tourists like us, this just didn’t make any sense. Until you read into some of the history of the area.

In the mid-1800s, Brigham Young sent a group of Mormon pioneers, including settlers from the Southern United States, to the area to establish a colony.

These settlers sought to cultivate cotton and other crops in an effort to become self-sufficient, inspired by the agrarian lifestyle of the South, from whence they had come. The settlers' efforts to grow cotton in the desert landscape earned the area the nickname "Utah's Dixie," a nod to the Southern United States.

Over time, the term "Dixie" became ingrained in the local culture and history, symbolizing the pioneer spirit, perseverance, and determination of the early settlers. As the region evolved and the community expanded, the name "Dixie" continued to hold significance, ultimately becoming synonymous with the resilient and enterprising nature of the St. George area.

Hence the “D” high above the center of the town. There is a “Dixie State University” and a “Dixie High School”.

Given this “southern” proclivity, it should come as no surprise that smack downtown sits a very popular BBQ restaurant – Pica Rica BBQ. We had found it by accident, simply when walking a back alley to our car. The smell emanating from 2 large smokers was incredibly good. 

Naturally, we had to check them out.

When I looked them tup o be certain they would be open, they stated their hours as, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM – (unless sold out) – 5 days a week.

So, we hustled to get there by 6:00 pm, hoping they still had food.

Good thing we did, but not because of the possible scarcity. A long line had formed, and it looked to be getting longer. 

We entered the queue and at the same time tried to figure out how their system to order worked. Fortunately for us, a young, local father was standing in front us and was happy to explain.

You order by weight, he said. Brisket, ribs, turkey, sausage etc. The price on the board was per half/pound, but that did not mean that was the minimum.

OK – fairly simple. Oh – and you do that at ‘station number 1’.

Then at station number 2, you can order your sides. Coleslaw, mac and cheese, a few other items.

Then on to station number 3, where you chose your sauces and drinks before the last and final station which was the cashier who took your payment.

During this entire experience, cheerful staff interacted with you in the line – to make sure you understood the process. The ordering of the brisket itself was fantastic. A huge brisket was uncovered, then sliced in front of you – to your specifications. Same for the ribs and other meats.

While proceeding through the other stations, your platter of food was moved to sections under heat lamps, so it would not go cold.

Was the food good?

This writer proclaims the brisket the best he has tasted. Tender, juicy, with just the right amount of spice. The ribs fell off the bone.

At the end, staff came around and cleared your table. No demand to find a bin yourself and hope (pray) you didn’t spill any scraps or place items in the wrong container.

At the end, they invited us to walk out the back and see the smokers in action. 

Which we did. The young fellow overseeing everything told us they smoke the briskets for 16-18 hours. He expected to be on site until at least 2:00 AM that night. Loads of split wood was stacked on one end. When it gets hot, (which it does in this city) they have a fine water spraying system to help the attendant keep cool – as well as guests who preferred to eat outside.

All in all – an amazing experience.

What can you learn about this?

For starters – you need to be sure you offer an excellent product. Quality is one thing that you can ill afford to offer, because nothing kills you faster than a bad reputation on that.

This place was hopping – with most being locals. They were not relying on tourists like us, even though this is a destination for them. This means they will do well during the off season too.

They had created an amazingly quick and efficient method of taking orders and delivering their product. Long lines or not, it all moved quickly. There was joviality within the line-up itself and everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves and the food. 

This is important because good food alone – does not and will not, make a restaurant. The entire ambiance and experience are what gets people to come back.

The lesson for you is this. 

Many entrepreneurs are under the illusion that if they could just invent the next, best product, one that people really could use, they will make a killing. The opposite is usually the case. If no other business is doing what you are thinking of doing, it is more likely because it does not work.

Better to take an existing market – one in which there are lots of competitors and then figure out how you can make the experience better for the customer. And be the Premium vendor.

Until next week, 

Stay healthy and focus on profit! 

 - Hugh 
The “Profit Accelerator” Expert

P.S. Do you have a burning question, challenge or business issue you’d like an answer to? Look no further. Click here and ask me anything you’d like, and I’ll get back to within 24 hours – no cost to you. 

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