Goldies BBQ, which is looking for a new location, is famous for its food and its appreciation for law enforcement, military, and Christian values

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

Charles Bibens prefers giving credit than taking credit.

He will never boast about his barbecuing skills. 

Sure, he appreciates that so many others say Goldies Texas Style BBQ is incredible, but that is for others to say.

Besides, it is his wife Goldie with the touch.

“It’s not about me. She’s the one with the golden taste buds,” Charles said. “These are her recipes. She just tells me how to cook them. I just like seeing people enjoy the food.”

Charles and family have been creating delicious dishes for more than two decades, including 15 years at a location in east Vancouver. 

But now that location, once decorated with Goldies signs and tributes to military, law enforcement, and a commitment to God, is being refurbished, preparing for a new restaurant.

Tough times hit Goldies. The cost of doing business went up, and then a misunderstanding, as Bibens described it, with the landlord led to the business having to move out of its location.

The hope, though, is that Goldies BBQ is just on pause. The plan is this is not a permanent shutdown of a popular restaurant with a passionate following.

“I would love to get it going again,” Bibens said.

Right now, Bibens and family have friends looking for an affordable new site for Goldies BBQ. He also said he is open-minded to investors. Bibens acknowledges he has never been a great businessman. He just loves cooking his wife’s recipes and sharing those creations with Clark County.

“A lot of people say, ‘This is how my grandmother used to do it,’ That’s their way of thanking us,” Bibens said. “And they love the atmosphere.”

The restaurant, which used to be located at 15640 NE Fourth Plain Blvd., was decorated with pictures of members of law enforcement and military, as well as local high school athletes. And there were spiritual messages, as well.

“We try to glorify God by having Christian quotes and Christian music playing,” Bibens said.

Packing it all up last month was difficult.

“That was the tough part,” Bibens said. “It’s more like a family than a business to me.”

In fact, the Bibens had just about everyone in their family work at the restaurant at one time or another. 

Goldies BBQ, as we have known it through the years, is no more. But that does not mean Goldies is done forever. Bibens is 68 and he said he still wants to cook his wife’s recipes.

He believes in the food, but just as important, he believes in the people of Clark County.

“You have a Christ-centered business, with military and law enforcement appreciation, you can take that (anywhere) and with this food, I think it would flourish,” he said.

Note: This is not the first time Goldies has been hit with tough times. Clark County Today profiled the restaurant on how it came out of the pandemic, using love, food, and community to get through those days: https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/business/business-profile-goldies-bbq-keeps-the-faith-keeps-preparing-delicious-food/