In fact this unusual confluence of culinary passion, entrepreneurial energy and patriotic fervor came about as the result of unforeseen events. Back in 2001 Newton and Kraus might have been content to stay where they were — Newton was a regional vice president for Outback Steakhouse, and Kraus an executive for Under Armour — had it not been for the most ground-shattering instance of mass violence ever perpetrated on American soil: the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Kraus happened to be in New York City that day, and he saw those Twin Towers go down in flames. “That day changed both our lives,” Newton said.

They began talking about building a restaurant with the express purpose of giving back to the ones who had themselves first given so much: all those first-responders and emergency, police and military personnel who served so bravely through the 9/11 aftermath. “Mission means putting yourself secondary to the good of others, even if it costs you your life,” Newton said. “Now, BBQ is not a life-or-death situation, but we are committed to our mission to serve.” Indeed, in view of the calamity that eventually brought them to where they are currently, their company contributed some $1.6 million to police, fire and military charities last year.

Today there are roughly 50 Mission BBQs, all of them corporate-owned, and mostly in the South. But the concept, which first opened in a 3,200-square-foot space in the Baltimore suburb of Glen Burnie on Sept. 11, 2011, did not catch on right away. “I joke that we were six years to an overnight success,” Newton says. With confidence in their concept and its mission, however, the partners persevered, and success came in time. “We believed that the barbecue space was similar to the steak house space, which had proliferated around the country,” Newton said. Like Mission BBQ, the steak house trend had started out “very independent and very regional.” And barbecue joints and steak houses are both “based on a common business model that emphasizes a great piece of protein and a great side.”

At the outset, Kraus and Newton had spent a year touring barbecue joints around the country, gathering tips on everything from rotating briskets to applying rubs. The food at the Mission BBQ restaurants, whether pulled pork, salmon, brisket or sausage, is slow roasted and served on a plate (two meats for $8.99) or in a sandwich (between $6.49 and $8.29). The Southern-style sides include green beans and bacon, baked beans and a selection of sauces at every table, representing various regional barbecue flavors. “We have no freezers or microwaves and keep the cookers running all day,” said Newton.

The Glen Burnie–based company’s commitment to American patriotism is no mere lip service. At noon in every one of these restaurants, the national anthem is played, with diners asked to stand and pay their respects. The facilities are decorated with military memorabilia and artifacts and with photographs of local servicemen and veterans, as well as with items honoring police officers, firefighters and emergency responders. These values are a personal and family matter too: Kraus’ older son, Andy, is a Marine, and his younger son, Alex, is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.

“We always say that if these walls could talk, they would have a lot of stories to tell,” Newton said. Indeed, the first thing many military members and veterans do upon entering the restaurant is to approach the walls, “look for their branch of service and see if there is anyone [listed] up there they knew,” said Charles Hollis, who served 27 years in the Marines and is a frequent patron of the Mission BBQ in Columbia, Md. “That sort of thing matters. It shows that these people running the organization care.”

Newton and Kraus say they are looking to open about 20 restaurants per year. “We can do that because we have an infrastructure of proven and successful multiunit restaurateurs that came on early with the intention of growing out an area,” Newton said. This, he says, is the way the company wants to continue growing — by finding and training the best managers and operators. “Before we go into Las Vegas or Seattle or New York City, we want to make sure that we have a veteran operator that’s successful and proven,” Newton said. “Once we have that person, that’s when get real serious about site selection.”

Though the majority of Mission BBQ units are located on the East Coast, Newton says the company is open to expansion in the Midwest and West regions, and to additional Southern locations. There are no specific space requirements — Mission BBQs can measure anywhere from 3,500 to 6,500 square feet, and they operate in suburban and urban areas alike. “We just want to be in great neighborhoods with great people,” said Newton. “We’ll go wherever there are people who love barbecue [and] love America and her heroes.”

Leasing inquiries may be directed to Karen Bremer, president and CEO of Property Consulting & Solutions, 3000 Gulf to Bay Blvd., Ste. 601, Clearwater, FL 33759. She can be reached by phone at (727) 726-0700 or (813) 335-5345, or by email at kbremer@propertyconsultingsolutions.com.