Humans of Fredmo – What’s Up with The Pig

If you have been hungry and in search of a tasty meal, you have most likely have found yourself at The Pig BBQ located in Fredericktown, Missouri. The Pig is a great restaurant for many reasons. It offers many efficient services like free delivery and curbside order/pick-up along with a dine-in area. But ultimately The Pig is a locally owned restaurant that always puts the Fredericktown community first.

The Pig was established in 1948 by Norman Seib and the same traditions and recipes that he started have been kept with each new owner and each new decade. The restaurant was opened to serve the Fredericktown community delicious barbeque meals and soon became a local hangout for everyone to go to on their lunch break. Now, not only is The Pig a great place for everyone to hang out during lunch, but it is a great place to eat with anyone at any time of the day. The business was kept alive by many great owners, but for about the past four decades, the same family has kept it running and thriving.

Marcie and Leroy Baker were the first in this family to acquire the restaurant in 1975 and stayed dedicated to the business for many years. However, in 2015 Leroy sadly passed away, leaving Marcie to operate the business on her own with help from her daughter Deborah, and her husband Darrell Bell. In the same year, Deborah and Darrell decided it was best to buy the business and relieve Marcie of the intensity the prosperous business brought.

Fast forward to 2022, not only are the owners hard at work, but so are their kids. Deborah and Darrell are parents to three students in the Fredericktown school district. Their oldest daughter, Sydney Bell, is a junior this year and is currently serving at The Pig alongside her younger sister Rebecca Bell who is a freshman. In addition, they have a younger brother, Landon Bell who is in 5th grade and helps out wherever he can.

Even though The pig wouldn’t be possible without the amazing owners, the hardworking employees are truly the heart of the business. The Pig is an asset to our community because it supplies jobs to everyone, especially students. Many of our Fredericktown high school students choose to work there because The Pig works around their hectic schedules and offers competitive pay.

“Deborah is very helpful and fun to talk to. She runs the show and helps move things along when the tickets build-up, she trains, fills positions, runs deliveries, and more!” -Allie moon (12)

“I work there because Darrell and Deborah put the safety of their workers first. I also have a lot of regulars that love to see me and always tip well.” – Payton Heady (11)

“The Pig Barbecue is a great place to work for first time experience in the kitchen or restaurant in general, they will always help you out and our very nice people.”-  Kaylee Wagner (10)

There are numerous reasons why The Pig is a blessing to our community. They are always looking for a way to help wherever and whenever they can. They offer multiple scholarships to FHS graduating seniors, free meals to those in need, and when Fredericktown experiences devastation, The Pig steps up to help. For example, when the destructive tornado hit Fredericktown on October 24, 2021, The Pig’s ongoing philanthropy—that any first responder eats for free at their restaurant—extended to the linemen and tree trimmers for the hard work they put in to restore the town. This kindness and sort of charity should not be overlooked when you think about how great The Pig is.

There aren’t very many restaurants in the small town of Fredericktown but I can easily say with confidence that The Pig BBQ is one of the best restaurants Fredericktown has. Not only does The Pig feed Fredericktown it also serves numerous people coming from all over the map. If you haven’t tried The Pig I definitely recommended you do!