John Rivers

ORLANDO, Fla. — John Rivers opened a second location of 4 Rivers Smokehouse, whose ribbon cutting ceremony was held April 18. The new addition is bigger than the original, but don't expect the queues to be any shorter.

People are still forming long lines to get a taste of what started in Rivers' garage as a fund raiser for a child with cancer. Rivers needed a new place to continue cooking and giving back to the community when his wife kicked him out of that garage due to the messes that the barbecues were leaving behind.

"Oct. 26 of 2009 we opened the doors ... the lines started that day, and we're very blessed that the line has never stopped," said Rivers.

One could attribute the long lines to the place being too small, but that doesn't seem to be it in either the customers's or Rivers' eyes. Rivers credits the success of his restaurants to the quality of the food and the level of customer service his employees give.

"Barbecue's not my favorite, but this sis different for some reason," said Bridgett Hagen, one of the many customers in line at 4 Rivers Smokehouse. "The food is actually really good and the people are really nice."

The barbecue sauce and brisket — which took four years and 18 years to perfect, respectively — are what Rivers feels set his barbecue apart from all the others.

About the customer service Rivers said, "everybody pitches in and because it's such a small place ... it really creates that teamwork ... that ultimately emanates down to the customer."

Rivers also spoke business and what he sees in store the restaurant's future as of now. Rivers said that his goal is to eventually own 24 locations — non-franchised — throughout the country. He eventually hopes to be able to open two locations per year.

In the short-term, Rivers already has a space leased for a third location in Longwood, Fla.

Information on Rivers and 4 Rivers Smokehouse can be found on the website, http://www.4rsmokehouse.com/ and on the company's Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/4RSmokehouse.