Young’s Bar-B-Q has meant “lunch” to Monticello residents for decades.  The local restaurant has been chosen as Monticello’s “Best Bar-B-Q” for 7 years by the voters in the local newspaper, as well as having won “Best Lunch Buffet” and “Best Country Cooking” several times, along the way.
Sharon’s mom & dad, Ben & Cleo Young, sold Bar-B-Q out of their grocery store from 1954 until 1983.
In 1989, Sharon and her husband Billy Joe Hancock, re-opened “Young’s Bar-B-Q”. They ran their ”take out only” business in the back of the building, where Mr. Ben’s Bar-B-Q pit had remained.
In 1996, they moved the business into the front of the building, and opened a full service restaurant. In July of 2003, the business burned and closed for a brief time. But the Hancocks decided to close their laundromat operation, and moved the restaurant, complete with their famous buffet, into the newer building next door. After a complete remodeling process, and a new kitchen, “Young’s Bar-B-Q with Country Buffet” re-opened in October of that same year.
When most people think of Young’s, they think of it’s owner, and daily hostess, Sharon Hancock. She’s always there, with a “How are you doing, today?”, or her cheerful, “Ya’ll come back!” She’s open every weekday for lunch, as well as Sunday lunch buffet. They also serve catfish, fried shrimp, and BBQ ribs on Friday nights.
When I asked Sharon how she ended up in the restaurant business, she replied, “Well, I was 9 when we moved into the store………….”
She said that the best part of her job is pleasing folks. “Full people are happy people.”
Sharon was born and raised in Monticello, and graduated from Monticello High School.
“I’ve been married to Billy Joe all my life”, she added with a smile. Billy Joe served in the U.S. Army until 1962, and was stationed in Germany for a part of that time.
They have 2 sons, Mike, who works at the Pine Bluff Arsenal, and Steve, who is now part-owner of the restaurant, and handles the inventory and catering, as well as doing all of the B-B-Qing.
The Hancock’s have 3 grandchildren: Jake (age 17), Laura (age 14), and Somer (age 13).
Saron’s response to the usual “Get to know” type questions included:
Hobbies-Painting, especially Santa portraits and birdhouses. (Her Christmas present from her husband was painting classes.)
Pets-”He has pets. They’re all his”.
Restaurant-She smiled, no response was needed.Â
Favorite phrase-”‘Have a good day’ seems to say it all.”
TV show-Paula Dean’s Cooking Show, on the Food Network.
Favorite actor-Richard Gere.
Favorite movie-Sweet Home Alabama.
 Favorite music-Country.
Favorite author-James Patterson (mysteries).
Favorite sports teams-Billies, Pirates, Weevils.
In closing, Sharon considers herself a, ”Plain old, what you see is what you get” type of person, but that’s the kind of person, business, and cooking that keeps so many Monticello people coming back for lunch.Â
Thanks, Sharon Hancock, for sharing your One Monticello Life.
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