‘True to the craft.’ Authentic BBQ faves have kept Jazzy B’s afloat during pandemic

Often, the enticing smells of hickory-smoked barbecue and burgers first draw visitors into Jazzy B’s Diner, which has been a Lee’s Summit treasure for more than five years.

Entrepreneur Brandon Simpson, the restaurant’s owner, decided to start his own business when he was laid off during the economic downturn of the Great Recession.

Simpson first started with a food truck, using it to test his “flavor profile” to see if the food would be well-received.

“I opened up the restaurant six years later in Lee’s Summit.”

Simpson said he tries to cook everything with his own style, including menu favorites like burnt ends, crab cakes, crab balls, and shrimp or oyster-filled po’ boys.

“I’m true to the craft,” Simpson said. “I try to set myself apart. Everything I do tastes a little bit different, as I like to throw in a slider with what people are used to so they can expand their thought processes on what barbecue is supposed to be.”

Simpson said he aims for a comfortable family atmosphere.

“When you make a trip out here, it’s going to be an experience and that experience is what we try to make sure everyone has.”

When the pandemic struck, Jazzy B’s was able to survive by scaling down the menu, focusing on carry-out and creating specialty items.

“I didn’t drop off significantly because we rely on food and not alcohol sales,” Simpson said. “I made up for the drop we did have because of the support for small business and black-owned businesses. Even though my ideas for expansion fell flat in 2020, we’ve been taking it day-by-day and focusing on moving forwards instead of backward.”

In the new normal, Simpson explained his goal is to teach other people how to start a business and what it means to become an entrepreneur.

“I think we are at a spot where we can give people hope and begin to build the economy of small businesses, which is crucial right now,” Simpson said. “For young kids who want to become entrepreneurs, I try to help them understand what their possibilities are when it comes to owning and running their own business.”

Simpson said the Black Lives Matter movement has brought a positive impact on business and society.

“Jazzy B’s is an open-door, no-judgment place to have conversations, and people have come from all over to ask questions. My biggest thing is it took a lot of stuff to happen for those conversations to happen. I wish it didn’t, but it’s better late than never,” he said.

“Personally, it was very rough. I have mixed (biracial) kids and I had to have a conversation with them to get them to understand current events and not to become callous toward certain things that were going on.”

Lee’s Summit, he said, has embraced minority-owned businesses.

Simpson also said the city realizes the small guys are what helps to keep a community going.

“I chose Lee’s Summit because they support local businesses. They recognize that we are out here in the community being involved with everyone who comes through. When people come out to eat at Jazzy B’s, they make other stops around here, too.”

Jazzy B’s Diner is located at 1803 N.E. Colbern Road in Lee’s Summit. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit jazzybsdiner.com or on Facebook @JazzyBdiner.