Reported by: Adam Marshall
WCPO-TVREADING, OH -- She makes drivers do a double-take, she's bringing in business and she's cheap.
Now Bar-Be (last name-Q) is gaining fans.
"My mail girl, she brought a bikini top and daisy duke cut-offs. She'll be wearing, Bar-Be will be wearing those next week," says Kenny Tessel, owner of KT's Barbecue in Reading.
After living in Los Angeles for 25 years and cooking for countless A-list celebrities, Tessel decided to come back home to the Tri-State and open a place of his own.
When business went down, he knew he had to heat things up.
"In these economic times, I need to get these people that are driving by to stop in my store and they have been, thanks to Bar-Be," Tessel says.
She definitely caught the attention of KT customer Susan Deing. "It was eye-catching that's for sure," says Deing, "My husband almost crashed his car. What can you say?"
While Bar-Be is not real, she is a piece of creative advertising that's working.
"It definitely worked. It brought us in," Deing says.
"She's been outside for three weeks," says Tessel, "I've had over 70 new customers come in this store just because of her and buy something."
Tessel says the mannequin has increased business by 30 percent, and he is really enjoying the extra attention.
"The fact that she's bringing in people, it's a crack-up. What can I tell you? It's a lot of fun...let Bar-Be bring them in and let my food bring them back," he says.
