Jeremy Harmel of Jeremy Harmel State Farm Insurance smiles for a photo on Friday at JW’s Barbecue after ordering a sandwich named after him, the “Harm” El Sandwich.

JACKSONVILLE – JW’s Barbecue in Jacksonville, which opened its doors in October of 2020, has garnered national attention as one of the best barbecue places in East Texas as mentioned in a June article by global news outlet CNN.

JW’s owner Jonathan Wilson, who grew up in Jacksonville and graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1996, said the idea of owning a restaurant started in his backyard in Arkansas.

“Most of my life after graduating UT Tyler was spent doing religious higher education and then religious nonprofit in Arkansas. Living in Arkansas for so long, I couldn’t find brisket like I grew up on at Stacy’s here in Jacksonville,” Wilson said. “So, like most who get into this line of business, I started in my backyard. Soon I would start doing small catering gigs for local organizations in Conway, Arkansas where we lived.”

Wilson said after a move home and a leap of faith, the restaurant became a reality.

“In 2018, I took a corporate leadership job here in Texas. In late 2019, I left there due to organizational restructuring. My wife and I prayed about what would be next and God opened the doors for us to open JW’s,” he said. “Stacy’s, a popular barbecue place here in Jacksonville, had closed in 2018 after 30 years and there was a void in Jacksonville of a brick and mortar barbecue restaurant.”

“My wife, Johnna, knew my passion for barbecue and she supported me as I chased this dream. Our desire was for this to be a ministry opportunity for us. I say we are in the people business but use smoke and meat to reach them,” Wilson added.

Wilson said the reception from the community since opening has been amazing.

“The city of Jacksonville and the surrounding communities have showed overwhelming support. You never know what will happen when opening a business and especially a restaurant. Will they hate it, like it, love it, come back again…,” he said. “We are very grateful that people are willing to spend their money and their time with us. We hope everyone who visits feels like they are at home.”

“It’s truly humbling to look and see a line with every demographic in line…together,” Wilson said. “That’s one of the best things about barbecue; it brings people together, no matter their differences.”

Wilson admitted he was shocked when he saw the CNN article.

“My first thought was shock. I was traveling out of town for a conference when Stephen Joseph of Riverport in Jefferson texted me the link,” he said. “I read the article and got to the regional lists and couldn’t believe what I read. Just to be mentioned with all the best in Texas is huge.”

“When we opened, we had three goals; serve good food on a consistent basis, have bathrooms as clean as Buc-ee’s, and have excellent customer service. For us to be mentioned gives validation that we have met these goals; it’s a testament of the hard work our team has done,” Wilson said.

JW’s was mentioned alongside Stanley’s Famous Bar-B-Q in Tyler; something Wilson still finds hard to believe.

“It feels great but also undeserving. After only being open for less than two years and to be counted as a worthy stop with the legendary Stanley’s is such an honor,” he said. “We all strive to be able to have a legacy and sustainability like Stanley’s. They have set the bar not just here in East Texas, but nationally for all of us to reach.”

The barbecue restaurant dons a large map on the wall where guest are encouraged to “pin” where they traveled from along with leaving a message and signature on the walls.

“We want guests to sign our walls and to place a pin on the map. Guests have visited from all over the world and almost every state in the U.S.,” Wilson said. “When you look at the map, to see where everyone is from it is mind boggling. Who would have thought that a small town in East Texas would have visitors from so many places? That’s the charm of a small Texas town and why Jacksonville is on the move.”

Wilson says he knows the expectations are high and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We are a young restaurant and are always trying to improve. With articles being written, we know the expectations will be greater but we look forward to exceeding those,” he said. “We are still learning and growing, but we are so grateful for all the support. We truly love what we do and love our town.”

“We never thought we would end up back in Jacksonville, but God had different plans. Sometimes those plans are taking a passion and turning it into a full-time gig,” Wilson said.

JW’s Barbecue also offers catering services outside of normal business hours and is located at 1015 East Rusk Street.

For more information, visit www.jwsbbq.com.

Texas Monthly Barbecue Editor Daniel Vaughn recommended the following East Texas restaurants when he was interviewed for a CNN article:

• Stanley’s in Tyler
• Joseph’s Riverpor Bar-B-Q in Jefferson
• Sunbird Barbecue (food truck) in Longview
• JW’s Barbecue in Jacksonville
• Bodacious Barbecue in Hallsville