Carl Junction restaurateur prepares for opening

Thomas plans to realize that dream in November with the opening of Dusty’s, a casual dining establishment that will specialize in barbecue “and a whole lot more.”

“I love barbecue, but not everyone wants barbecue every day,” Thomas said of the menu he’ll be serving at his new restaurant. “We want to have a nice, well-rounded menu. That includes grilled chicken and pork tenderloin. And my goal is to serve it in 10 minutes or less because we want to serve that business community that doesn’t have much more than an hour for lunch. It’ll be casual dining that’s fast.”

The menu is part of the dream Thomas has cultivated over the years working for his in-laws, Pat and Dee Dannelley — owners of The Butcher’s Block. Thomas grew up in the area and one of his first jobs was working part-time at the Butcher’s Block. That’s where he met his wife. Eventually he and his wife moved to California where Thomas worked for Lockheed Martin. The couple decided to move back to Missouri in 2004, and Thomas worked for the state as a light technician. The house they moved into is “about 500 feet from this building.”

“I drive by it every day,” he said. “Every time I think, ‘Man, I’d like to own a restaurant there.’”

The building in which his new restaurant will reside was formerly the home of Mulligan’s. Thomas is leasing the space from Gary Padgett, an investor from California who Thomas said purchased the building earlier this year. Thomas is currently working on renovations himself and plans on a soft opening Oct. 15, and a full opening Nov. 1.

“We’re shooting for that date, but everything is fluid right now,” Thomas said. “We’ve already remodeled the kitchen to make it more conducive to a quick-serve meal.”

Thomas also remodeled most of the west end of the space, cordoning off an area that he said will be used as a kind of banquet and party room. That area will seat about 70 patrons, while the main dining area will seat about 110. The banquet room, he said, will also feature a full bar, which will also be available to diners in the main area.

Thomas is no stranger to the restaurant business. Aside from his work at the Butcher’s Block, Thomas also began his own catering business, called Thomas Family Catering. He said he will serve as the head chef of the new restaurant and is excited to bring his years of experience and ideas to fruition.

“I want it to become a place that’s kind of old-time, family-oriented,” Thomas said. “When you walk in I want you to feel like you’ve been here for 50 years. I want you to come in here and make it your own. And I would really like it if this could become a restaurant that Carl Junction begins to think of as one of theirs.”

Though Thomas has used subcontractors for electrical and plumbing aspects of the renovations, he’s doing most of the work himself. He’s also paying for the renovations and start-up capital — about $80,000 he said — out-of-pocket. The menu will be modestly priced, he said, with lunch specials at around $6 and dinner specials beginning at $7 and working up to a little more than $10 for a full slab of ribs.

Thomas said the experience could have cost him quite a bit more had he not had the Dannelley’s walking him throughout the process.

“Pat and Dee have been invaluable,” Thomas said. “I’d say they’ve kept me from spending as much as 35 percent more than I actually did. Most of that is because Dee has been in the industry for so long that he knows all the movers and shakers in the area.”

Anyone interested in booking the banquet area for an event at Dusty’s, or for more information about the new restaurant, may call Thomas at (417) 624-0707.[[In-content Ad]]