Big's Place - The Gaskill Family Restaurant

Established in 2009

Richard M. Gaskill, Jr., was an entrepreneur & trailblazer on Virginia's Easern Shore. If you knew him, you probably called him Big Richard. If you knew him really well, you just called him "Big."

Big would get an idea for a business, then go about putting wheels into motion & involve his whole family in the endeavour. Everyone in the family brought a different talent to the overall success.

In 1965, Big and his family began the Wiggly Piggly grocery store in Exmore, VA. The Piggly Wiggly grocery chain, already established, contacted him and felt that name was too close to theirs & requested he change it. Through a local contest, the store was renamed Meatland with 4 locations on the Shore.

Among their many endeavours, the Gaskill family also began The Trawler Restaurant in Exmore in 1980, featuring famiy recipes from Granny, Barbara (Grandmom), Rockin' Rick & Steve Gaskill. The Trawler was "the place to be back in the day" and many, many great meals & memories were shared there.

After dreaming about it for years, Big's grandson, Richie, and his wife, Kelley approached Grandmom, Rockin' Rick and Steve Gaskill in 2008 with the idea of opening another Gaskill family restaurant. They were advised just how much work goes into a restaurant: you breathe it, eat it, sleep it, wake up to it, dream about it, plan for it and live it 24/7.

Through a lot of hard work and dedication from family and close friends, the dream became a reality. Things be