From: Shannah J. Ahmed
Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2026 9:51 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Letter of Support for A&M BBQ
Dear City Council,
I write this letter in support of Kris and A&M BBQ. I have the pleasure of knowing Kris and his wife, Tyanna before they were A&M BBQ and I know every ounce of blood, sweat and tears they put into this business, from out of their house to a brick and mortar. Tyanna is a local from Sebastopol and wanted to provide this same sense of roots to her children. Their children go to local schools there and play supports in this same community. They give back to their community on many levels, be it donations, involvement within the community or local support. Let’s support local businesses not a franchise. A&M BBQ represents a small piece of the black community and provides a rich culture that is missing in Sonoma County.
A&M BBQ has brought an amazing food and culture to Sebastopol and Sonoma County. They care about the product they make, the people that work for them, their customers and they are hardworking. Do you know what time they get up in the morning to start their day to produce the level of high-quality food? The food is outstanding, they are welcoming and once you walk in the door, it feels like home. Kris and his employees welcome you with a warm smile and fill those bellies with food that hits the spot.
I know he has many customers that travel from afar, which helps sustain business for him but for the surrounding businesses/community as well. As those people are my friends and we will meet up and make a day of their visit to A&M BBQ and other local businesses. Their business is helping the economy around them as well as themselves.
Kris and his team understand and hear the concerns regarding smoke, air quality, and the traffic. Every weekend that I drive by A&M BBQ (whether I stop for food or just pass by), traffic has never once been an issue. The issue of smoke and air quality seems a bit farfetched, especially air quality. You can pull data about air quality to see otherwise. The smell of the smoke (cooking food), how could one not like that smell? It’s not like we are talking about a wildfire smoke smell, which we all have endured.
Work together to find a solution that benefits all. Please be patient and allow them reasonable time to find and transition to a new location and shut down the complainers and naysayers! I pray that you look for a solution and consider the business as a whole (Kris and his employees, and the customers) and the surrounding areas that will no longer receive the benefit of A&M BBQ bringing customers to this community. Support them in finding a new location that works for all involved.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Shannah J. Ahmed