Aces of Trades: Farmer and salesman opened his own barbecue business in 2011
ZANESVILLE – It took a while, but he found his career.
“I was the youngest of four siblings,” said Dave Dailey. “I grew up on a farm and we had lots of chores. I developed a good work ethic and responsibilities at a young age. Growing up I always wanted to farm like my dad. I ended up farming with him until 1980. I never thought I’d be doing what I’m doing today.”
Today, Dailey owns and operates Grillin’ Dave-Style, serving dry rubbed, local wood-smoked barbecue.
“I started by catering small private parties for friends,” he recalled, “and we always ended up in discussion that I should open a shop and do this full time. So in 2011 I bought a barbecue trailer and set up in the old K-Mart parking lot on Maple Avenue. It turns out people really liked my food. Then in 2012 we opened our current location on Linden Avenue.”
Dailey, now 67, grew up in Adamsville and graduated from Tri Valley High School in 1974.
“Before I started Grillin,'” he said, “my father and I owned and operated Dailey Fence and Supply from 1980 to 2010. We were a distributor of equine and livestock fence and equipment in a multi-state area. The business also allowed me to travel from coast to coast in the winter months selling products at equine events. During that time, we also had a hay and cattle operation on the family farm that I ran in my spare time.
“I started selling barbeque equipment while running the fencing business,” he added, “and that initially piqued my interest in barbecue. I also volunteered in the Muskingum County Cattleman’s Steak Trailer, where I helped organize events, assembled equipment, and prepared food to raise money for them.
“I found that people loved good barbecue," he noted. “In all my experience in sales and business, I’ve found that when people enjoy good food, they have a greater happiness with this product than with anything else I’ve ever sold. And experiencing the joy that good food brings to my customers has in return brought me great joy as well.”
His sister, Michelle Robison, is “really proud of what David has created and accomplished here in Zanesville.”
“David enjoys what he does,” added Robison. “He truly cares about the quality of his food and the service. He takes pride in being hardworking, determined, driven, and focused to provide our community with a great hometown business.”
“As a business owner,” her brother responded, “I get the opportunity to work with individuals who become like family to me. Being able to help someone out who might just need a chance in life, helps me more than I would have ever thought possible. Grillin’ has become what it is today because of the many staff members throughout the years who’ve put their heart into the product that each customer gets to enjoy.
“I’ve seen and done many things in my life,” he summed. “I wouldn’t change a thing. ”
Grillin’ Dave-Style Cookin’ & Catering is located at 1612 Linden Ave. For more information, call 740-452-3808 or log on www.barbequerestaurantzanesville.com.
Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at trnews@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com.
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Catering small parties became a full-time business for Dave Dailey
