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One of the oldest Black-owned restaurants in Cleveland, Whitmore’s Bar-B-Q has been owned and operated by the same family since 1942. And twin brothers Virgil and Vance Whitmore are keeping the name (and their Polish Boy sandwiches) going strong.
The eatery was started by their grandfather (who had a passion for cooking), their parents worked there and at age 14, the twins were inducted to learn the ropes. They note that as a Black business, “some doors won’t always be open for you,” but their motto is to maintain a consistent product and theycall their legacy “a badge of honor.”
– Eve Lederman, The 100 Companies