‘Like an old friend’: Patrons, owners celebrate 100 years of Bryan barbecue at Martin’s Place

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - A Bryan family-owned mainstay barbecue joint has been in business for a century now, using many of the same cooking methods that it opened with.

Steve Kapchinskie took over his family’s business Martin’s Place Barbecue when he was just 18 years old. Now, the family is celebrating 100 years in business.

“We’re just plain and simple. You know, [nothing] fancy. We don’t even have a computer in here,” Kapchinskie said.

Martin’s Place is one of the oldest family-run barbecue restaurants in the entire State of Texas. Now onto the third generation of Kapchinskie ownership, he said they just stick to what they know.

“The main thing is [we] try to keep prices reasonable and treat people right and give them what they want, and keep it- keep it simple,” explained Kapchinskie.

While the world has changed a great deal in the last 100 years, how the Kapchinskies’ cook hasn’t. In fact, Martin’s Place has used the same pit since 1939.

“We cook over the coals and there’s no electronics, or no thermostats. I’m the thermostat,” Kapchinskie declared. “I control everything. I turn every piece of meat, and I sweat with it. I’ve been doing that since I was 18.”

Customers were quick to say the barbecue staple is like coming home to an old friend.

“It’s just so comforting to know that I can come back and it’s still here, and I can walk in and it’s just like it was 40-50 years ago,” gleamed Bob Caster, a Lee County resident and 1991 Texas A&M grad.

Will Hoke of Giddings, Texas shared Caster’s sentiment, “I’ve been coming here since 1987 when I was a freshman in the Aggie band. It’s kind of like an old friend. Every time you come back, nothing much changes... You have the best barbecue in town, and you have the whole familiar feeling like it was when I was here as a student. It’s just a great place. I always feel like you’re kind of coming home a little bit when you come here.”

Staying in business for so long is no easy feat.

“I believe it’s a great landmark,” Johnny Lister of College Station offered. “It lets people know that you can’t have a successful business and stay in that business and be consecutive. It speaks volumes.”

Kapchinskie told KBTX he may pass the business onto his son and daughter to continue the legacy if they want to but he isn’t hanging up his apron just yet.

“No regrets,” added Kapchinskie. “I’m glad that I kept my grandfather’s dream going and my dad’s dream going. I think they’d be proud that they’ve made it 100 years. When I first took over, I didn’t have thought about 100 years. Now I look back, ‘aww God, I’m here. Yeah, it’s 50 years later.’”