Enjoy Mouthwatering BBQ Dishes at Our Restaurant

I am saddened to announce the passing of my father and mother, Dave and Dianne Smalley. As a young child, experiencing my parents taking care of our business taught me the value of hard work. In 1978, they moved to Salinas to help my grandfather, S.O., operate Smalley’s Roundup Restaurant. In 1985, my father and mother took over the business when S.O. passed away. I would often visit the restaurant with my mother and see my father cooking ribs in the back of the kitchen. He gave me a job when I was 13, and I learned how to prep food, mostly salads. I watched my father operate a kitchen and joke around with the staff. Later on, I got to know all the staff, and they became my second family, my second home. When I was older, I bussed tables, then worked with my mother hosting at the front of the house. She taught me how to answer the phone for take-out and reservations. She instilled in me valuable customer service skills that aren’t as widely practiced today. They ran their business like it was a family, and at the end of the day it was. Dad greeted people at the back door and sometimes gave them a job right there on the spot. We still employ some of those wonderful people. Back then was a different time, a different era. We lost an era, but more importantly, we lost our family who helped make Smalley’s what it is today. Together, dad and mom helped build a business that has operated in Salinas for over 49 years. Since our purchase of the business in 2005, my husband, Jeff and I have continued to operate Smalley’s with the same passion for our food and commitment to our customers. This coming year, on Halloween day, it will be our 50th anniversary; it's hard to believe. Mom and dad, you will be missed. Thank you for leaving such a wonderful legacy. ~Melanie