SAN ANTONIO — A south-side restaurant which became a community hub has closed its doors for good.
Snoga Bar-B-Cue and Catering, off Goliad Road near I-37, saw had long lines on Sunday as some waited for over an hour for their home cooking on the restaurant's last day.
Many memories and meals shared at Snoga kept customers like Nancy and Sam Kolodziej coming back for 44 years.
“It’s good home cooking,” Sam Kolodziej said over a plate of turkey and dressing, although the chicken and dumplings were his favorite meal.
Alva Stanush and her parents, Alvin and Bernice Snoga, have served the south-side community for decades. Stanush is the oldest sister of nine children. Although the turkey and dressing were the main draw, Alva’s brother, Gary Snoga, the main cook, served up brisket, sausage ribs and tons of meat.
“We’ve been here for everybody. The churches, the clubs. We’ve given a lot of kids their first jobs who have come back to visit us today with tears in their eyes,” Stanush said.
"You name it, we've done it," she added.
Howard Snoga was among the family members who also had tears in their eyes.
“This is something that, we were born and raised in this and it’s over with today. It’s a great feeling but it hurts,” Snoga said.
Stanush and her siblings took over operations after their parents both passed away. Alvin V. Snoga died in 2018.
“It’s a little heartbreaking. (It's) tough, family business. It’s a legacy on the south side. You know, it’s just a real, real sentimental (time) for our family,” Snoga said.
Snoga feels part of the restaurant’s legacy is helping the community in different ways, the way their parents raised them.
“We’re down-to-earth people, just regular people that love to serve people and take care of them,” Snoga said.
The crowds they saw inside the restaurant made Stanush feel like her family’s hard work paid off.
“We’re so overwhelmed. We can’t believe that this is our sendoff,” Stanush said.
Many customers say they cannot express enough gratitude for the work they’ve done over the years.
“Thank you for your support, your good food, they were pleasant people to be around. We’re going to miss you,” the Kolodziejs said.
Although there were many requests for a recipe book, Stanush said the family is going to take time off. Many of the Snoga family still live within 10 to 15 miles of the restaurant.