From a Car Wash Awning to a San Antonio Staple

Back in 1999, Stanley set up a folding table and two chairs under the awning of a car wash — right next to the vacuum cleaner. He didn’t have a plan. He had a smoker, a six-foot table, and a fire to do something that felt right. People laughed. Asked what he thought he was doing. But Stanley kept showing up, serving sandwiches, and building something real.

By 2010, Stanley had upgraded from his car wash setup to his first brick-and-mortar location—a tiny, 400-square-foot building that barely had room for a couple of tables. One afternoon, a woman walked in with balloons and declared she was having her birthday party there. She pushed two tables together, and ten ladies followed. Just like that, the place was packed. The line stretched outside. That’s when it was clear: this wasn’t just working, it was becoming something special.

Today, Big Bib has two locations, and the reputation didn’t come from buzz or marketing. It came one plate at a time, one regular at a time, all built on doing things the right way.