Brand Champion: John Lockett

John Lockett spent 23 years serving in the United States Air Force before pursuing his dream of owning a business. After visiting the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location in Meridian, MS where he was stationed as the Commander, 248th Air Traffic Control Squadron, John was sold and opened his first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location in D’Iberville, MS in the summer of 2013. Today, John also owns locations in Gulfport, MS and Daphne, AL with plans to open his fourth in Mobile, AL in May.

“Both Mississippi and Alabama love barbecue – our smoked Texas-style flavor and family friendly environment is a hit,” said John.  “When researching, I knew Dickey’s Barbecue would be a hit down here plus it offered a great model that was well branded with the right systems in place.”

John appreciates that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is still family-owned and is excited to have Mr. Dickey in his stores.

“I love having Mr. Dickey in town, it’s great to have the founder in your town, and I take a level of pride showing off my locations,” said John. “Dickey’s Barbecue provided me an opportunity that may not have been possible otherwise to make the transition from the military to business owner.”

John does more than just sell great barbecue. He knows how important it is to be involved in the community by providing to local initiatives and creating partnerships with the local community. This has helped in the success of his store and specifically his caterings.  

“Every time we do a catering we try and knock it out of the park,” said Lockett. “That’s one of the key ways to keep people coming back. We also know the importance of building relationships within the community, particularly with our schools, churches and industry partners to help make our community just a bit better tomorrow than it is today.”