When your favorite lunch spot vanishes faster than venture capital funding, what’s a tech bro to do? For John Vink, the answer was simple: buy the entire restaurant.

In a plot twist that screams “peak Silicon Valley,” Vink, a former Apple and Google engineer, swooped in to rescue Armadillo Willy’s from the brink of culinary extinction. His mission? Preserve the sacred brisket sandwich that sustained him through countless coding sprints.

From Tech Titan to BBQ Savior

After the abrupt closure of three Armadillo Willy’s locations in late June, Vink wasn’t about to let his go-to lunch spot become another startup casualty. He negotiated a bankruptcy court sale and partnered with restaurant veteran Ousmane Barry to rebrand the restaurant as Empire Armadillo BBQ & Deli.

More Than Just Meat

This isn’t just another BBQ joint. Empire Armadillo blends Texas-style barbecue with New York deli vibes, offering everything from pit-smoked chicken to house-brined pastrami. Their bestsellers? The brisket plate and ribs, naturally. They’ve even thrown in a West Coast twist on Southern banana pudding that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance.

Spreading the BBQ Love

With plans to open a second location in South San Jose, Vink is proving that tech skills aren’t just for debugging code - they can also resurrect beloved local eateries. And judging by the grateful customers thanking him for keeping their favorite sandwich alive, he’s become something of a local hero.

So here’s to John Vink: turning restaurant resurrections into an art form, one brisket at a time.