Last gasp for Last Chance BBQ?

VERMILION — For Brian Debrason Sr., his downtown Vermilion restaurant's name — Your Last Chance BBQ & More — contains several hidden meanings he's now revealing. For starters, Brian, who's married to his wife, Kristyn, often hollered the phrase at their three children: Brian Jr., Hailey and Ryder. They live in Wakeman. "I'm always yelling at my kids that, 'This is your last chance to eat. If you want it, come and get it.' And then, one day, I said, 'That's it. That's the name of my restaurant,'" Brian said. His eatery features this specific branding, which dates back to 2021 upon opening at 5693 Liberty Ave. (U.S. 6) across from Ritter Public Library. He runs the restaurant with his family, including a cousin, Amanda Williams. Secondly, his menu frequently rotates, and homemade dishes often sell out. This includes Spanish delicacies like pastelillos, or fried pastries filled with beef, along with Cubanos, a Cuban-styled sub; smoked meatloaf; barbecue offerings; pizzas; and many other appetizing options. "If we don't have the item anymore, that means you missed your last chance to have it," Brian said. "But I eventually bring the items back. I just like to change it up to keep things fresh." Thirdly, however, a final interpretation of the company's title comes with some concerns. "This might be our last chance to serve our customers," Brian said. "Our first year was amazing, but last year was really bad. The economy hit us really hard, and it was a struggle. We didn't have employees." It's why Brian views 2023 as a truly pivotal period for his business. "We are in the last year of our lease," he said. "I'm just really hoping for some better times." Last Chance, which closes during wintertime, recently reopened for the new season. Brian also took out a loan to expand, buying a food truck so he can travel to festivals, weddings and other events during spring and summer. "I plan on putting it into serious overdrive," Brian said. "There are a lot of places, for me, to go in the food truck to expand the business with the potential to show a good profit. I'm just trying to maximize everything I can do." What Brian won't do: raise his menu prices to keep up with inflation. "We know we are lower than most places, and we are struggling to turn a profit, but it's hard for us to charge $20 a meal because we know people can't afford it," he said. "We are blue-collar. We work for everything we have. We do it for our customers." A passion for cooking, community Brian expressed a certain confidence about Last Chance's prospects, in large part, due to his product. "I've always had a real, true passion for smoking meats," Brian said. "I would be that guy getting up at 3-4 a.m., fire up the smoker and start smoking meats for the night. I know, with this opportunity, I can do something great." He's equally enthusiastic about grilling as he is about giving back. Last Chance often sponsors many events to support several causes in and around Vermilion. Most notably, this past holiday season, he transformed his site into a winter wonderland. Known as Santa, A Storybook Christmas event, on Dec. 10, children and their families could visit his business, meet with Santa and the Grinch, win trivia prizes, enjoy hot chocolate and get into the holiday spirit. "Brian had a lot to bring to the chamber's Christmas committee. He has heart and passion and understands the importance of tradition, family and community," chamber executive director Sandra Coe said. "He brought his traditions to our community by adding more than 40,000 lights to his business," she added. "He gives back to the community by supporting Toys for Tots and being a drop-off location. These items will stay in our Vermilion community to help those who may be less fortunate." Virginia, Brian's late mother, instilled this kindhearted essence into him. "I lost my mom 10 years ago, and she inspired me to do a lot of things I do know," Brian said. "I just want people to be proud of what we do and the food we serve. People should know that we put our blood, sweat and tears into this place." Brian appreciates anyone who would support Last Chance. They can visit from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. The business does close at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. "All I want is for us to be a successful business and have a positive reputation doing it," he said. "At the end of the day, when I drive home at night, the most rewarding thing, to me, is feeling satisfied that we fed our food to people, they are happy and know they appreciate what we do."