T-R PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER Staff members at Beaman Grill-N-Pit pose for a photo before opening for business on Friday. Front row, from left: Penny Page, Deanna Wilson, owner/operator Mike Jackley and Eric Carnes. Back row: Mark Weiss, Chelsea Erickson, Sammy Moore. Not pictured: Kaylee Arloa Otto, Gina Pessolano, Savannah Moeller, Maggie Ward, Denise Overstake, Mychelle Klaas, Patricia Jackley, Rhonda Rego and Austin Rhodes.

BEAMAN — Through ups and downs of finding his way into restaurant ownership, Mike Jackley has stayed true to his passion for cooking.

The Beaman native took the leap as the owner/operator of Beaman Grill-N-Pit, a complete remodel of the old Beaman Tap at 201 Main St.

The family-oriented restaurant has been a big hit since opening regularly around the end of August, currently open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays as Jackley works to find extra kitchen/front-of-house staff before expanding hours.

“Technically, we weren’t ready to open when we did,” Jackley said. “But it’s a benefit to the community that was supporting us — we heard from people that just wanted something, a place to gather in Beaman, so we figured, ‘Let’s start here, let’s get started.'”

Jackley holds fond memories of the Beaman Tap.

Born and raised in the city near the Grundy-Marshall County line, Jackley remembers the building as a “staple of the community,” a crucial gathering place in the small town.

When the Tap’s owner/operator Elaine Thurman closed the bar in April 2020, it was a blow to Beaman – “people were devastated,” Jackley said.

Cooking was just a hobby for Jackley, who worked cooking jobs around Marshalltown while going to school but has spent the better part of two decades working higher-paying IT jobs.

Friends and family reminded him and encouraged him to pursue his passion, which started as small catering jobs for special events.

Eventually, Jackley realized this could be more than just a part-time gig, and he dove headfirst into transforming the Beaman Tap.

The original goal was to open by Memorial Day 2022.

“I bit off a lot more than I could chew,” Jackley said.

Most of the remodeling of the inside of the building was done by Jackley himself, including rearranging a refrigeration unit to the back of the building and various utility work.

Once the Grill-N-Pit opened, though, it’s a team effort with his small staff to make everything click. Jackley worked previous connections through his college-job days to put together a skeleton crew that could make the lunch hour rush manageable.

“It’s our team of individuals that make this happen, and the community supporting it,” Jackley said. “Without our staff, we wouldn’t be here.”

The new restaurant is about adding to the local food culture instead of trying to compete with it, Jackley added, noting that restaurants like That Place in Conrad and Landmark Bistro in Grundy Center have already established footholds with foods like steaks and tenderloins.

“If you want steaks, you should go to That Place,” Jackley said. “If you want barbecue, come see me.”

Pulled pork, brisket and tenderloins have been popular options from guests at the Grill-N-Pit thus far, though Jackley is looking for different ways to deliver his personal favorite, ribs, to customers.

That includes the “MikeRib,” a take on the famous McDonald’s sandwich that has received positive reviews.

As this journey pursuing his passion continues, Jackley isn’t ready to say that his restaurant dream has “come to fruition,” but the blood, sweat and tears that replaced his cushy IT roles have been worth it to get to this point.

“It’s been a ride,” Jackley said. “Our mission statement is, ‘We hope our food will make your soul smile,’ because we eat with our soul, our eyes, our heart. It brings our culture together. … We want this to be a spot where people in town can go to come together.”