“THE MAN AT THE EMPLOYMENT OFFICE HAD TWO JOB OFFERS,”
Wilber Shirley tells me as he looks across the dining room. “One, a clerk at the Western Auto. The other, at Griffin’s Barbecue.
“I went to work for Mr. Griffin in 1949 and except for a year of combat in Korea, I stayed with him until 1963.
“I probably would never have left Mr. Griffin’s, but a friend kept after me about starting our own place. He eventually convinced me, put up the money and in 1963 we opened up Highway 70 Barbecue. Six months later he decided the barbecue business was not for him, and that’s how Wilber’s was born. (Image 114)
Image 114: Wilber’s Barbecue 4172 US 70 E • Goldsboro, NC 27534 • (919)778-5218
“That just goes to show, if you don’t love what you do, don’t do it. A barbecue joint is a lot like a newborn baby every day. You always have to be here to attend to it. I’m seventy-five and I’m still coming to work. I’m a blessed man.
“Looking back, the best part of all of this is being in a position to help people out. We had a boy from a broken home work here. We helped him go to college. After he graduated, he came back to town to teach school. He recently retired as a principal. To this day he comes back to help us out every weekend.”
Wilber’s is almost as much an intimate den as it is a barbecue joint. You can really get a good idea of what the man is all about just by looking at the knotty pine walls. There is the Democratic Party memorabilia, not the least of which is a large portrait of Franklin Roosevelt. There is even a letter of accommodation from the Party. (Image 115)
Image 115
“When Bill Clinton was running for president the first time, he stopped by here. I have never seen anyone quite like him. We’ve had a lot of politicians come through and work a floor, but he spent almost as much time back in the kitchen talking with the cooks and waitresses. He really is a man of the people.”
You can’t miss the framed pictures and uniforms from all the branches of the United States Armed Forces. Wilber is a proud veteran, having put in a year of combat duty in Korea.
On the lighter side, Wilber is very active member of the North Carolina State University Wolfpack Club. “We used to travel to the ACC tournament every year. I sent my daughters there, and I don’t think they attended one basketball game. Go figure.”
EASTERN CAROLINA VINEGAR-BASED SAUCE (SIMILAR TO WILBER’S)
Image 116
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. It is ready to use. You might mix a little with your pork or chicken, but have it on the table so individuals can add to their tastes.