Any recommendations for widely-available jarred brands? Mesquite is a no-no, hickory is okay. Oniony/garlicky is good. I don’t use it enough to merit making my own.
I can possibly help. May I ask what type of meat you are going with? Is this for smoked BBQ or just grilled meat? This could be a question with a lot of answers and it’s a cool topic 
Actually, broiled, baked or roasted meat, like pork chops or chicken parts.
I love Stubbs which i think is widely available, it has a vinegar-y kick and isn’t as sweet/gloppy as some are. I like it as a condiment too, just as is from the jar.
http://www.stubbsbbq.com/product/original/
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I have seen it in my market - I’ll give it a try too!!
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My new favorite combination for grilled chicken or pork:
It’s not really “making” your own sauce. You simply squirt some of each into a bowl, stir around, taste with your finger, adjust if necessary, and tada! All your friends think you’re an amazing cook. 
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+1+1 for Sweet Baby Rays … ORIGINAL!!! Costco sells it in a large size 2-pack, but most chain markets seem to have it in smaller sizes.
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Head Country Original if you can find it. My local Kroger affiliate sells it, but I don’t don’t know how widely available it is.
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Heinz 57 sauce with a splash of Worcestershire. Tangy, and just a little sweet without too much bite.
I think like others have said, sweet baby rays is some great sauce and a crowd pleaser. I’ve never seen a single person not enjoy it. It’s also a great base to tweak the sauce. There are so many ways to alter the taste to your liking, but you may not need to.
I’d start with that as a base and see what you think. Some ingredients you might like that I personally have messed with (leaving out the smokey ones and this is on top of a base sauce to impart more of a certain flavor)…honey, brown sugar, pineapple juice, mango, jalapeno, cayenne, cider vinegar, habanero, cherry juice, moonshine, garlic, different onions, black pepper, etc. What I’m getting at, is the base BBQ is kind of like a canvas, you can paint your own picture. If you want some basic BBQ sauce recipes we can help. It is easy and you can make a LOT. Then try experimenting with different batches from that large base. However, with the price of huge BBQ sauce jugs at costco and bjs, it might just be easier to start with those.
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Thanks for all the help! I see that Sweet Baby Ray’s has various styles. I got the Hickory Brown Sugar, and it’s my BBQ Goldilocks! I distributed some thinly sliced onion over Chinese eggplants sliced lengthwise, topped with sauce, and baked for an hour until the flesh was collapsed and caramelized. It was scrummy!
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Love that one. Glad you did too!
