Resort Town Standouts: Profile of Willow Market/Primos BBQ
By Pat Altvater
The pandemic affected many businesses, those in resort towns especially, so we thought it would be interesting to profile some resort town businesses within Michigan that survived, reinvented, and came out even stronger. This is the first in a series of articles that will highlight those businesses that were able to adapt and thrive, in a new business dynamic, through these uncertain times. 
In Cadillac, Michigan, we found a standout business, with two names –Willow Market and Primos BBQ. Watch my interview with Jason Towers to hear his success story as well as why his business has two names.
To Watch the Full Interview with Jason Towers at the Willow watch the Video Here: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/692836418.
Jason and his cousin purchased a food truck and started Primos because of public demand for their BBQ, that they had previously just been making for their families. But the word spread and so the cousins started Primos as a side gig. The business became popular. When Jason and his partner realized they needed a stand-alone location, they purchased a building on the west side of Cadillac along, M-115. The business was no longer a side gig.
They received a liquor license, parked the food truck outside the building and opened their doors to the public. They became very popular with travelers northbound through Cadillac, as well as, those heading back home downstate. They soon found it necessary to add a second smoker to fill the growing demand.
Shortly thereafter, they received an offer to purchase their building, which they happily sold as they were hoping to locate closer to the center of Cadillac.
Willow Market, an upscale grocery and beer/wine store with a seasonal garden shop became available and the cousins knew it was perfect for them. It was nearer downtown Cadillac and provided a steady clientele from the nearby hospital and retail businesses.
The partners sold the M-115 location and moved into their new building, just as the COVID lockdown became a reality.
Here are several things you can learn from this reinvention story by watching the video:
- Start your business because the public wants what you’ve got. Jason and his partner started Primos BBQ with a food truck because of public demand for their BBQ.
- When you realize things aren’t ideal, shift right away. Their market analysis helped streamline the Willow Market business to offer the opportunity to expand the most profitable segments. Local food specialties, craft beers, wines and delicious barbeque became the focus as the business continued to grow.
- Always be thinking of how to help others and stay relevant when the environment changes. When the Covid lockdown hit, they managed to figure out what the public, as well as their fellow business owners needed so they could stay in business and be open during that time.
- Continually innovate. In 2022 they opened an event venue, “The Greenhouse” in The Willow’s former greenhouse space. On the weekends “The Greenhouse” offers live entertainment, craft beers on tap and has become a popular entertainment option for locals, as well as Up North travelers.
Even through difficult times, Primos BBQ, the Willow Market and the new Greenhouse space have thrived. Stop by their location at 916 S. Mitchell St, Cadillac, MI 49601; you won’t be sorry you did.
