Of Butchers and Families and Honor
Late Monday afternoon, Ray and I headed east on the first leg of our journey home from Oklahoma and Texas. While I typed away in the backseat, Ray looked for a place to eat supper. We like to find local places, so Ray took the next exit when he saw a sign for David’s Burgers.
Around the walls were giant posters of family photos. This looked like our kind of place. Two smiling managers — Ray and Joey — took our order at the counter. A friendly waitress brought around a giant stainless steel bowl filled with fresh cut french fries, plopping them on the red and white checked paper in the center of the table. When she delivered our $6.60 grilled steak burgers with onions, mushrooms, and fries, we thought they were yummy.
As we prepared to leave, Ray and Joey sat chatting in a booth. “Are you co-managers? I asked. Joey said that he was a local manager and Ray was corporate. “Give us a shout out on social media,” Ray requested. I thought a second or two, and said, “I’ll do a blog post about you. Can I take your picture?”
These smiles you see are the same ones we saw from the time we walked up to the counter to order until they asked us to stop in next time as we headed out the door. Here are Ray and Joey in front of the meat case that welcomes you at the entrance.
And here they are by the stacks of potatoes beside the front door.
Now they shake hands in front of one of those many giant family pictures.
And, now for the story behind the pictures — David Alan Bubbas started David’s Burgers as a tribute to his father, David Bubbas Sr., who became a master butcher when he was sixteen years old. David Bubbas Sr. started his career in the meat industry when he began working for Johnny Jacobs Meat Market in North Little Rock at age five. He was managing a restaurant when he was nineteen. David Bubbas Sr. has had a career in the restaurant business for more than five decades. According to the sign at the entrance, David Bubbas Sr. is “The Butcher Boy.”
Each day David’s Burgers hand cuts U.S. Choice Chuck and grinds it into burger for that day. Thus the old-fashioned meat cooler at the entrance.
David Alan is carrying on the butcher tradition of his father. Here are some more family photos.
And here are David Alan Bubbas with his son and his father David Bubbas Sr.
I think Ray and I will be looking for David’s Burgers the next time we are in Little Rock. I’m a softee when it comes to family businesses and butchers. I spent happy times with my Uncle Ronnie in the butcher department of my Daddy Leland’s grocery store. Daddy put up stock in the aisles, Mama Sue checked people out on the cash register, my brother sacked groceries, and Uncle Ronnie ground hamburger in the butcher department.
The Bubbas family have fine ambassadors in Ray and Joey. David Bubbas Sr. is blessed to have a son who honors him. When you bless a father, God blesses you, too.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,
for this is right.
Honor your father and mother
(which is the first commandment with a promise),
so that it may be well with you,
and that you may live long on the earth.
Ephesians 6:1-2