MCLENNAN COUNTY, Waco (KXXV) — Bill Collins, owner of Mama and Papa B's BBQ, says the temporary closure is his way of giving back to the community that supported his family business for 40 years.
- Bill Collins has closed his family's 40-year-old restaurant, Mama and Papa B's BBQ in Waco, as a form of protest until President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" passes
- The restaurant owner emphasizes that his action is about promoting unity rather than supporting specific policies in the bill, stating, "This is bigger than the bill."
- Collins remains confident about his business's future despite the temporary closure, noting the restaurant has been operating for 40 years and he doesn't see anything preventing it from continuing
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A Waco restaurant owner has temporarily closed his business to show support for President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" legislation, saying the sacrifice is worth it to promote unity.
Bill Collins and his family have owned Mama and Papa B's BBQ in downtown Waco for 40 years. They've decided to shut their doors until the bill passes through Congress.
"If it's a loss, we'll take the loss, because the community has been so good to us as a family, that we owe it to the community to give back, and this is the way that we're doing it," Collins said.
The restaurant owner says the closure is a form of protest meant to demonstrate solidarity with the president.
"We're doing it as a form of protest because we believe that following Trump, who is our president, although we don't agree with everything he may say or do, but we feel in this particular instance it's very important we show unity," Collins said.
The bill includes several new policies ranging from tax cuts to immigration enforcement. Collins clarified that his support isn't necessarily for the specific policies but rather for what he believes the bill represents.
"American people need to come together, put aside their political differences and come together in unity and show the world the United Nations are looking at what we're doing here, this is bigger than the bill," Collins said.
When asked if closing down might hurt his business, Collins dismissed those concerns.
"If it was going to hurt me, I wouldn't close down. But the economy has been good," Collins said.
Collins isn't worried about how long it might take for the bill to pass. He sees the temporary closure as a statement that could bring unity to the community and the country.
"We're all going to have to sacrifice something in order for this big beautiful bill to pass, but we're going to have to realize that and be willing to give up our part," Collins said.
The restaurant owner remains confident about his business's future despite the closure. He told 25 News that if the Big Beautiful Bill passes, he will reopen; if it does not, his doors will remain closed.
"My family has prospered in Waco, this is our way of giving back, that if we have to close a business to make a point, that business has been there for 40 years, and I don't see nothing that's going to prevent it from being there," Collins said.
After the Senate passed the bill to the House with some changes Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump is expecting the bill on his desk by the end of this week.
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