David’s BBQ finds new ownership 

(From left) David's BBQ new owner Ken Townsley and former owner of 36 years Brian Hood. Photo by Lillian Hamman
(From left) David's BBQ new owner Ken Townsley and former owner of 36 years Brian Hood.
Photo by Lillian Hamman

Local Gainesville eatery David’s BBQ & Catering Co. underwent a changing of the ownership guard last year, transitioning from previous owner Brian Hood to Gainesville local Ken Townsley.  

Hood and Townsley finalized the sale on Nov. 12, marking Hood’s retirement after 36 years at the helm of David’s BBQ operations.  

“Ken’s keeping everything all the same as it was, keeping the David’s tradition that’s been going on from the 70s till now,” Hood said. “We’re handing it off to the next generation, it was time. It’s bittersweet, but it’s okay.” 

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The two family owned and operated storefronts at 5121 NW 39th Ave. and 521 NE 23rd Ave. will still be just that, with Townsley working every day in the kitchen at the 39th Avenue location and his wife Andrea—a UF graduate—running the accounting side of things in her spare time from homeschooling their six kids. 

“[Hood] is still in here every day,” Townsley said. “He’s still got his David’s shirt and just comes in and hangs out for a little while and literally all the customers come in here and know him.” 

David Reber originally founded the restaurant in 1978 as David’s Real Pit BBQ on NW 23rd Avenue. Reber cooked with a mission to serve up quality BBQ at an affordable price in order to give back to the community supporting his business. 

Hood aimed to continue that mission when he bought David’s in 1988. He moved the restaurant to its longstanding storefront on 39th Avenue.  

David's BBQ on 39th Avenue in Gainesville. Photo by Lillian Hamman
Photo by Lillian Hamman David’s BBQ on 39th Avenue in Gainesville.

At that time, there was only one two-lane road out front and bringing in $200 on Hood’s first day seemed out of reach. But working alongside his son Jeremy, Hood eventually grew the business and added the NE 23rd Avenue storefront in 2012. 

“It’s just like one big family,” Hood said. “Generations of people eat here, grandma, grandpa, grandkids, the whole thing. That’s probably the best part, it’s a big family.” 

Townsley said he’d already been looking for a couple of years to find a restaurant to buy when the “perfect” opportunity for David’s popped up online. The Archer resident was working at Papa John’s in Ocala and ready to run his own business closer to home. 

“My wife grew up right down the street and went to Buchholz,” he said. “I wanted to buy a restaurant that was already going and already good and had a good reputation, I didn’t want to build something from nothing. That’s hard.” 

Even with 30 years of experience in the food industry, Townsley said learning a new concept with BBQ and keeping up with the catering side of things has been a challenge.  

But he said Hood has still been coming in during the transition to help him learn the ropes to carry on the David’s legacy and flavors craved by customers for decades. 

“[Hood] is still in here every day,” Townsley said. “He’s still got his David’s shirt and just comes in and hangs out for a little while and literally all the customers come in here and know him.” 

Other than a few cosmetic updates, such as new lighting and plans for UF Gator-themed dining room decorations, he doesn’t plan to change anything. He does hope to add another location someday closer to Newberry in order to share David’s BBQ with more of the growing community and keep his hungry family members satisfied. 

“I just work all the time. I like to work, like to take care of customers,” he said. “I just love Gainesville. My family is here, my kids are going to grow up in this restaurant. [My daughter] is already asking when she can come.” 

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