Change seems to be a fact of life, yet in Texas some things remain the same, such as people’s love for Texas-style barbecue. As you drive from Houston to Waco, for example, you will see many roadside stands asking you to stop by and sample different forms of bbq or bar-b-q (the tastes vary as much as the spellings, and both are often inspired). In the cities, there are many restaurants, several of them large chains that compete with smaller, neighborhood businesses for the barbecue portion of individuals’ dining out budgets.

Survival can sometimes depend on the restaurant’s ability to identify and capitalize on “windows of opportunity.” Small businesses are presumed to be more flexible, having the ability to react more quickly to changes when they occur, but the risk is also greater for them than for large organizations, which can more easily absorb losses. Although there may be differences in scale, an important question for all organizations is whether they have the willingness and the ability to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Drexler’s World Famous Bar-B-Que is located in an area of Houston called the Third Ward—an economically disadvantaged neighborhood not far from downtown—and has been in the family “almost forever.”

The restaurant relocated in 2003 to a 13,000-square-foot location. It now features its traditional fare and more healthy menu items.

The restaurant’s history began in the late 1940s, when a great-uncle of the present owners operated the establishment as Burney’s BBQ. He died in the late 1950s, and an uncle of the present owners took the restaurant over and, because of a leasing arrangement with another popular barbecue restaurant in southwest Houston, changed the name of the restaurant to Green’s Barbecue. In the 1970s, 12-year-old James Drexler began working with his uncle and learned the secrets of the old family recipes for the barbecue beef, chicken, and sausage. He learned the business “from the ground up.” In 1982, when his uncle died, James and his mother took over the business, ended the leasing arrangement, and, in 1985, renamed it Drexler’s Bar-B-Que.

Drexler’s continues to be a “family affair,” but there has been increased specialization in tasks as the business has grown. James Drexler continues to do all the meat preparation; his mother, Eunice Scott, handles the other food preparation (the “standard fare” is potato salad, coleslaw, barbecue beans, and slices of white bread); and his sister, Virginia Scott, manages the “front operations”—customer orders and the cash register. There are only two or three other full-time employees, although sometimes during the summer a couple of nephews work part-time.

Drexler’s is a family business with strong underlying values. It is in the neighborhood and is of the neighborhood. Despite the success of the business and the increased patronage of individuals from other parts of the city (many of whom previously had few occasions to do more than drive through the Third Ward), the Drexlers have never considered moving from their original location. The current head of the family, Mrs. Scott, influences the culture of the organization, and the values underpinning it.

Her values of honesty, hard work, and treating people fairly and with respect—and her faith in God—permeate the atmosphere and operations of Drexler’s.

She moves through the restaurant inquiring about individual needs—equally for longtime customers and new ones—and always with a smile and warm greeting for all. She is there every day the restaurant is open and holds the same set of high standards for herself as she does for others who work in the restaurant.

Values also get played out in the way in which Drexler’s Bar-B-Que “gives back to” the surrounding African-American community. For many years, Drexler’s has sponsored a softball team and a local Boy Scout troop. Youths from the neighborhood have opportunities to go camping and visit a local amusement park because the family believes that a business is obligated to aggressively seek out opportunities to help others.

In some ways it would appear that Drexler’s is not very flexible or adaptable. The restaurant closes at 6:00 p.m., and is not open Sundays and Mondays. The menu has remained the same for many years. Drexler’s has always been well known in Houston’s African-American community, especially in the southwest portion of the city. Regular customers have frequented the restaurant for many years, and a successful catering business has also developed.

Business has improved every year. During the early 1990s, the business had grown to a point where the small, somewhat ramshackle, restaurant could no longer meet the demand—there simply were not enough tables or space. So the decision was made in 1994 to close the business for six months, raze the building, and rebuild a new and modern restaurant (with additional space attached for future expansion into related, and unrelated, businesses by other family members). It was a good decision—upon reopening, business doubled.

Eunice Scott has two sons, James and Clyde Drexler.

James is the co-owner of the restaurant, and Clyde is an ex-NBA player. Clyde was popular in the city, having played collegiate basketball at the University of Houston. He had been a very successful member of the Portland and Houston NBA teams, playing on several all-star teams, in two NBA championships, and on the original Dream Team that sent NBA players to the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Since his retirement from basketball, Clyde has become more involved in the day-to-day operations of the restaurant. The restaurant is adorned with memorabilia from his playing days with the University of Houston Cougars, the Portland Trailblazers, and the Houston Rockets.

Questions

1. What role do values play in how Drexler’s Bar-BQue interacts with its neighbors and customers?

2. Is Drexler’s an effective organization? Why?

3. Apply the systems model to illustrate how Drexler’s Bar-B-Que operates within its environment.