Crosstown Barbecue continues legacy

|tab|

In the 18 years Steve Wil-liams has operated Crosstown Barbecue, the owner/chef has been building on the restaurant's legacy. Now Williams is adding his own flavor.|ret||ret||tab|

Williams is doubling the size and seating of his 750-square-foot barbecue eatery at 1331 E. Division. He's also adding a much-needed parking lot.|ret||ret||tab|

The addition will increase his seating capacity to 43 now it's a struggle to fit 20.|ret||ret||tab|

"There is a market of people that we couldn't get that now we will," Williams said. "After 32 years, that's a good feeling. It's a long time coming."|ret||ret||tab|

|ret||ret||tab|

Up close and personal|ret||ret||tab|

Despite its close quarters and limited parking, Crosstown still found a way to build a strong customer base over the years, Williams said.|ret||ret||tab|

That legacy began when his father Jesse, an entrepreneur from Kansas City, took over the barbecue restaurant in 1970. It was formerly known as Pascal's Smokehouse, Williams said.|ret||ret||tab|

"My dad commuted from Kansas City he never lived in Springfield," Williams said, since he couldn't buy a house here back then because of his color. But his dad was determined to make it work, he said.|ret||ret||tab|

A weekly schedule for Jesse Williams began with a drive to Springfield to open Crosstown Tuesday morning. He would stay through Saturday selling his barbecue and then drive back to Kansas City to be with his family, Steve Williams said. Jesse Williams is now deceased, but his son still remembers the lessons learned.|ret||ret||tab|

"If he set his mind on something, that's what he wanted to do and he would not let anything stand in his way," Wil-liams said. "That's something that he has always taught me."|ret||ret||tab|

So in his father's honor Wil-liams is devoting a new historic theme to the restaurant.|ret||ret||tab|

He said the addition will have a wall of fame with photographs of people and customers that were influential in the creation and maintenance of the Cross-town legacy.|ret||ret||tab|

"The inside of the restaurant will be in a sense the history of how we got started all the trials and tribulations that we had to get through to get to this point," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Unique build|ret||ret||tab|

The project's general contractor, Ma-sonry Structures Inc., has distinctive plans for the construction.|ret||ret||tab|

"It will be done in a unique fashion," MSI's Ed Canning said, so that business can continue as usual. Canning said the outer walls will be constructed first, then the interior will be torn down. "It was designed to keep Steve in business as much as possible," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

However, Crosstown will be closed for about two weeks during the 90-day construction period that begins March 10.|ret||ret||tab|

Larry Houge of Security Design Group, the project engineer, said the 650-square-foot expansion will be on each side of the present structure and the 14-space parking lot will go behind it. Williams recently purchased the lot and demolished a residence there.|ret||ret||tab|

Williams said he is getting new kitchen equipment and a larger cooking area due to his increased catering business. Ca-tering has been growing every year, he said, and it's now at least 30 percent of his business.|ret||ret||tab|

The new structure also will feature a drive-up window.|ret||ret||tab|

He said total construction costs are $178,000 and another $34,000 will be spent on the kitchen equipment. The funds were acquired through a Small Business Administration loan.|ret||ret||tab|

Williams said customers may have a hard time recognizing Crosstown when all is done. "The only thing that will be the same is the food, the pit and me," he said.[[In-content Ad]]