Bill Ellis

Bill Ellis Barbecue is located in Wilson, North Carolina. Considered to be the Microsoft of Barbecue in North Carolina, Bills has nearly 40 large trucks to carry Bill Ellis famous pork barbecue all over the country. While Bills has catered as far away as Palm Springs, CA, it also has a restaurant for locals in Wilson. Bill Ellis was born in Wilson... County, North Carolina on April 25, 1933. Through his late childhood, Bill sometimes had to work three jobs to help support his family. Because of these many years of self discipline while assisting his family through difficult times, he instilled within himself many values which have followed him throughout his life. He not only learned the value of a dollar; he also learned the value of an opportunity. During his teenage years, Bill developed a love for go-cart and micro-midget racing. He was working as an electrician for a local electrical company during the week and racing micro-midgets on the weekends. One night, Bill crashed his midget during a race and almost lost his right arm. This presented him an unexpected, but long dreamed of opportunity: to open his own business. In 1963 there was a rather small hotdog stand on a street corner of what was then the outskirts of Wilson. Booths and bar stools seating 26 people made up the small dining room, while curb service was offered as an added convenience for customers. William (Bill) Lawrence Ellis was just twenty-nine years old and was opening up his first business. Up until now he had worked on his fathers farm, served in the army stationed in Europe, and worked at a barbecue and chicken restaurant in another part of town. This hotdog stand was his own, though. His first business! At the end of his first day he had taken in thirty-six dollars. From there it just grew, not by luck but by hard work. Eighteen hours a day Bill was giving people what they want: good food and fair prices. Everything about the food was important to Bill. The type of potatoes, the coleslaw, and the barbecue were so important that Bill ...Read More