Moonlite Bar-B-Q

Address: 2840 W. Parrish Ave

In 1963, Moonlite was a 14-year-old barbecue joint with 30 seats including stools at a counter. In February of that year, Hugh "Pappy" and Catherine Bosley bought the Moonlite for $50,000 from Sonnie & Sadie Bertram and J.C. & Betty Stinson. The Bosley's used the $5,000 profit from selling their house to make the down payment, moved in with Catherine's mother and entered the restaurant business with no experience, and little formal education. He was 48 and she 42, they had five children.

Pappy drove a cab for Veterans Cab Company, and worked at Fleischman's Distillery. Catherine was a foreman at Glenmore Distillery. It was Pappy's layoff from Fleischman's that caused them to re-examine their opportunities. The owners of Moonlite were ready to sell, as they were looking to retire. The restaurant had been around then for 14 years and was well known to the Bosley's being near Catherine's mother's house. Their five children grew up working next door to the Moonlite at the Big Dipper (a local hamburger joint).

Ken Bosley, one of the second-generation owners of the popular eatery, said three members of the family's third generation — Jeanie Bosley Heath, Patrick Bosley and Chris Bosley — now own shares of the family business. "We've been in business for 53 years," Ken Bosley said. "We're looking forward to the next 53." The second generation is still active in the business, but the Bosleys are looking to the future, he said.

Source: Moonlite Bar-B-Q About page: http://www.moonlite.com/About.html

Source: Messenger-Inquirer, Jan 21, 2016 B1