BBQGuys
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Michael Hackley, Ladina Hackley |
| Headquarters | Baton Rouge , United States |
Key people | Michael Hackley (founder) |
| Products | Barbecue grills and related products |
| Owner | Brand Velocity Partners |
BBQGuys is a retailer specializing in barbecue grill products, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Established in 1998 by Air Force veteran Michael Hackley alongside his wife Ladina Hackley under the name Grill Store & More, the enterprise transitioned to the BBQGuys brand as it shifted focus toward online sales during the era of the dot-com bubble. In 2019, the United States Senate Committee recognized the company as Small Business of the Week. Ownership transferred to private equity firm Brand Velocity Partners at the end of 2020.
History
In 1998, Michael and Ladina Hackley founded Grill Store & More in Baton Rouge, drawing inspiration from a barbecue retailer located in Iowa. Initially operating without outside funding, the company encountered difficulties amid the dot-com bubble, leading Michael Hackley to collaborate with Corey Tisdale to create the e-commerce platform bbqguys.com. This digital pivot resulted in closing three brick-and-mortar locations within a year.
By 2003, operations were managed from their residences, and in 2004 they launched Shopperschoice.com. Between 2003 and 2016, Shopperschoice.com grew its workforce from five to 140 employees. The founders also initiated Blaze Outdoor Products, a manufacturer of grills, smokers, and related accessories. By 2019, BBQGuys had maintained a presence on the Inc. 5000 list for eleven consecutive years and unified its branding under BBQGuys.com.
In September 2019, the company expanded its Baton Rouge headquarters to incorporate an additional 50 customer service positions, indirectly generating 22 more jobs according to Louisiana Economic Development. Throughout the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, BBQGuys continued recruitment efforts while transitioning roughly 90% of its staff to remote work arrangements. Warehouse personnel remained on-site with enhanced health and safety protocols implemented.
2020 Brand Velocity acquisition
In August 2020, founder Michael Hackley sold BBQGuys to Brand Velocity Partners (BVP), a private equity firm that also acquired its affiliated company Blaze Outdoor.
Post-acquisition, BVP engaged NFL icons Archie Manning and his sons Cooper, Peyton, and Eli Manning, along with LaDainian Tomlinson and Steve Hutchinson, as strategic partners.
A national marketing campaign launched in March 2021 featured Eli and Archie Manning to elevate brand recognition and strengthen market presence.