09/11/2026
What started as one man’s dream has become a Columbus tradition. ❤️
In 1975, Jim Morpeth traded a career in computer programming and systems analysis for a dream of building a business of his own. He opened the first Country's Barbecue - Columbus on Mercury Drive, serving barbecue the old-fashioned way and creating a place that felt like home.
More than 50 years later, Country’s has grown to three Columbus locations, each with a personality all its own, while remaining a local favorite for generations of families.
Stories like Jim’s are part of what makes Columbus special: people willing to take a chance, build something here and become part of the fabric of our community.
Which Country’s is your Country’s? 👇 Tell us your favorite in the comments!
He was a computer programmer with a dream of owning his own business. So in 1975, Jim Morpeth borrowed $17,000 and opened a barbecue restaurant in Columbus.
Country’s Barbecue opened on Mercury Drive on March 17, 1975.
Morpeth had been working as a systems analyst when he got the idea. Columbus already had plenty of barbecue, but he believed there was room for a full-service restaurant built around it.
More than 50 years later, the original Country’s is still serving Columbus.
The One to Try
Start with the chopped pork sandwich, piled onto a soft bun with house-made barbecue sauce and pickles.
The barbecue is still cooked over real hickory and oak, without gas or electric heat doing the smoking. Even the Brunswick stew is made from scratch in a process that takes two days.
From Computer Screens to Barbecue Pits
Country’s eventually expanded around Columbus, but one of its most interesting locations came in 1988.
The family bought an old Greyhound bus station from the 1930s on Broadway and transformed it into a barbecue diner.
The building had once welcomed travelers and soldiers passing through Columbus, and today pieces of that history remain part of the restaurant. There’s even an old Greyhound bus that kids can climb aboard and pretend to drive.
A programmer took a $17,000 chance on barbecue in 1975. Columbus is still eating it more than half a century later.
Columbus people, which Country’s location is your favorite?
