The owner of a local barbecue business is ready to expand after nearly a century of operations.

John and Cook’s Real Pit Bar-B-Que has been serving Lawton, Oklahoma, for 82 years. The fifth generation owner, Lonzo Gaines, is looking to expand across Oklahoma by franchising their special meats and unique sauces.

A huge step in the expansion of the family business was the addition of the food trailer in 2016.

“I have loved their barbecue my entire life,” said Mary Sellers, a frequent customer, and an optician in Lawton. “So when they got a food truck and they were able to get out into the community with their delicious food, I knew I would get amazing service and food no matter where they were.”

Gaines is not stopping there. His next step is to franchise the business.

Gaines has been working on it for a while. He wants to make sure each piece of meat is served to the satisfaction of not only his customers but his family legacy.

“Only God knows what is going to happen,” Gaines stated. “If it works out it will be a beautiful thing. As long as they stick to the formula we have.”

One of the original formulas Gaines is the barbecue sauce, Old Faithful. On top of the original formula, Gaines has added two new mixes and a third is on its way, thus expanding the business once again.

The first barbecue sauce he created took three years to perfect. The Lena was named after his granddaughter.

“She’s sweet and sassy with a little tang to it,” said Gaines.

The second one is the hot sauce and the third is still in the works.

“Once I have it to a certain point, the customers will give me their opinion, and then I will decide if it goes on the table or not,” said Gaines.

With the future of franchising on the horizon, Gaines wants to ensure his customers in Lawton that their product will always remain the same as it has since 1936.