Hamilton County Commissioner Jeff Eversole recognized Couch’s BBQ for 80 years of "top-quality service" to the Ooltewah community yesterday, presenting the restaurant with a certificate marking this major milestone.
 
“Eighty years of continuous service is a monumental achievement, and a testament to the hard work, consistency and community values that define Couch’s BBQ,” said Comm. Eversole. “Small businesses like this are the backbone of Hamilton County and District 10, and it’s an honor to recognize their lasting impact.”
 
Opened in March 1946 by Will and Agnes Couch as a small roadside barbecue diner on Lee Highway, Couch’s BBQ has long been a local treasure. Over the years, the business passed through family hands - Will and Agnes’s nephew, Howard Johns, managed daily operations, followed by Agnes’s sister Jessie Stiner, who perfected some of the region’s best pit-smoked ribs. In 1972, Jessie’s son, Kenny, began working full-time, mastering the slow-cooked hams over hickory logs in the brick pit. Kenny purchased the business in 1979, and today his daughter, Sarah Stiner, continues the tradition.
 
“For the past 80 years, Couch’s BBQ has been a true community gathering place,” said Sarah Stiner, third-generation owner. “I get up every day and come to work because I truly consider this restaurant part of our community. I’m deeply grateful for the incredible support from our customers, and without them, none of this would be possible.”
 
Located at 8307 Old Lee Highway, Couch’s BBQ has served generations of families traveling between Chattanooga and Cleveland, and even after the construction of I-75, its popularity has never waned. Patrons continue to enjoy barbecue cooked on the original brick pit, hand-turned and basted with the same recipe from 1946, along with homemade pies and ice-cold bottled drinks.
 
Couch’s BBQ is open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

"Stop by, take a seat and see why this local gem has been beloved for eight decades," officials said.