By James Dowd
Friday, February 5, 2010
Patrick Neely is all about family, and it’s a devotion to his own that led him to open a little barbecue place once upon a time.
A couple decades and a bustling restaurant and media empire later, Neely is being honored by the Society of Entrepreneurs. He will be formally inducted into the organization April 10.
“We’ve come a long way from a little building at 694 Madison where it all started,” Neely said. “Sometimes I look around and wonder why God has blessed me so much, but I’m always grateful. I always give thanks for everything I have.”
A native Memphian, Neely was a football standout at Melrose High School and went on to play at Austin Peay State University before a knee injury abruptly ended his aspirations of gridiron glory. He subsequently returned to the Bluff City contemplating other options, and took a job at a family restaurant.
While there, Neely’s entrepreneurial spirit started to take shape.
“I worked for my uncle awhile, and then I got an opportunity to enter a management training program at McDonald’s, so I accepted it,” Neely said. “I began to get an idea of what I wanted to do and I thought the experience would help, and it did. I eventually left McDonald’s and went out on my own with the idea that I could make a go of it.”
Coming from one of the area’s best-known barbecue families certainly helped, and it was that experience Neely drew on in his first venture. He and brothers Gaelin, Mark and Tony opened Neely’s Bar-B-Que — the small building on Madison with only a handful of tables and no pit in the beginning — but within two years had moved to a new location on Jefferson.
A couple years after that, the outfit expanded to include a new location in East Memphis, and by 2001 the company branched out and opened a restaurant in Nashville. Concession sites at FedExForum followed.
Next step: national exposure.
About three years ago execs from the Food Network came calling about a possible television pilot, and as a result of the charismatic interplay between Neely and wife Gina, the duo were tapped to host their own show.
“Down Home with the Neelys” has been a hit ever since. The two also host the popular “Road Tasted with the Neelys,” and their popularity keeps on climbing.
“I knew when I met Pat and Gina for the first time that they had that special something that would make them stars,” said Paula Deen, cookbook author and ubiquitous host of several shows on the network. “They have an energy and talent that makes people want to be with them.”
And that Neely energy is likely to generate even more expansive holdings in the coming years. A full line of merchandise is in the works, adding to the already popular barbecue sauce that’s available in stores and online. A rigorous filming schedule is also planned, along with plenty of personal appearances to satisfy fans who just can’t get enough of the Neely magic.
“Pat has worked hard for every ounce of success he’s gained and he deserves it,” said close friend and mentor Art Seessel, former chairman of Seessel’s Supermarkets. “From humble beginnings, he’s achieved local and national prominence, and he’s proof of what can happen with determination and a dream.”
– James Dowd: 529-2737
Patrick Neely
Age: 45
Business: Neely’s Bar-B-Que
Founded: 1988
Address: 670 Jefferson and 5700 Mt. Moriah in Memphis; 2292 Metro Center Blvd. in Nashville
Phone: 521-9798 (Jefferson); 795-4177 (Mt. Moriah); (615) 251-8895
Employees: More than 200 total involved in the food line and television series
Presence: Restaurants in Memphis and Nashville, concessions at FedExForum
Web site: neelysbbq.com

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