That's so freakin' cool! Good for you, bro!
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Restaurant or Trailer?
- Thread starter Fishfire
- Start date
That's so freakin' cool! Good for you, bro!
jbrink01
is One Chatty Farker
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2006
- Location
- Washington, Missouri
Boshizzle,
I felt your initial comments were demeaning, even if not intended that way. My response was not well thought out and for that I apologize to everyone that had to get drug into this little p*ssing match. I did basically what Pigboy did. In 2005 we bought a $5000 offset that we paid for with the proceeds of cooking on 4 brinkmann's on a flatbed. We now have a 1800 square foot shop, a $30k vending trailer w/ FEC500, a TON of catering stuff, a second FEC 500, the original offset, and 2 late model pick-ups, a competition toy hauler with FEC100, UDS and TG-300. We have paid cash as we went and kept very little for ourselves up to now. We have worked many long hard hours to get where we are so I get pretty darn defensive pretty quickly. My apologies for not stating my position more eloguently last night. That's my story...........
I felt your initial comments were demeaning, even if not intended that way. My response was not well thought out and for that I apologize to everyone that had to get drug into this little p*ssing match. I did basically what Pigboy did. In 2005 we bought a $5000 offset that we paid for with the proceeds of cooking on 4 brinkmann's on a flatbed. We now have a 1800 square foot shop, a $30k vending trailer w/ FEC500, a TON of catering stuff, a second FEC 500, the original offset, and 2 late model pick-ups, a competition toy hauler with FEC100, UDS and TG-300. We have paid cash as we went and kept very little for ourselves up to now. We have worked many long hard hours to get where we are so I get pretty darn defensive pretty quickly. My apologies for not stating my position more eloguently last night. That's my story...........
My apologies to you too, bro for any misunderstandings. I respect what you have accomplished and can only wish that I could be 1/10 as successful as you. People like you are my heroes.
JS-TX
is One Chatty Farker
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
I applaud those who can make a decent profit working in BBQ, especially working a trailer/catering business. I've seen plenty of food trucks in SA, but I'm having a hard time picturing a trailer setup. Anybody got any pics? Thanks.
LoL
The minute I read "leveraged" I was wondering if you had a business degree :thumb:
Even though BO is being a *little* abrasive
with his opinion I agree with him for the most part. IF you are serious about starting a barbecue business then leverage it out. If having that low rate loan is scary to you then you could always RENT it out and use the cash flow to save for a trailer to eventually pay with CASH Also while you are renting it out have a clause to store your UDS there, or whatever smoker(s) you need stored at the moment lol THEN smoke on location and SELL YOUR BBQ to the tenant. win/win/win
PS to Boshizzle: oh its spelled geniuses by the way :shocked:
haha... just giving you a hard time :heh:
h20loo
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2008
- Location
- waterloo ontario
If I were you .... I'd get on the phone to BBQ Bubba and talk to him about restaurants and trailers. He seems to have done both and the two plus years I've followed Lockharts they have had their first anniversary. Seems like alot of money has floated down that stream.
Lots of brethren like Bubba but he just came to mind
Good luck
Lots of brethren like Bubba but he just came to mind
Good luck
Cook
Babbling Farker
Oh it wasn't ignored...it's just that the responses were edited out of this thread.
h20loo
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2008
- Location
- waterloo ontario
here's something up your alley....
Lancaster Tavern to become smokin’ hot barbecue restaurant
rec-lancaster tavern-21 Chris Corrigan, owner of Hog Tails BarBQue restaurant, has purchased the Lancaster Tavern and will turn it into a 600-seat smokehouse restaurant. Mathew McCarthy/Record staff
WATERLOO — Chris Corrigan is a firm believer in fate.
For the past six months, the master of “meat, smoke and fire” had been searching for a second location to handle the overflow crowds at his tiny Hog Tails BarBQue restaurant on Laurelwood Drive in Waterloo.
One day while sitting around with wife, Cathy, and their real estate agent, Cathy blurted out, “What about the Lancaster Tavern?”
“I said, let’s call the owner. The rest is history,” Corrigan recalled Wednesday with a laugh.
It just so happened that Mike Kelly was looking to retire after owning the landmark Bridgeport-area bar for the past 20 years.
The Corrigans are the new owners of the venerable and colourful nightspot, which served its first drinks to thirsty patrons in 1840 when it was constructed as a railroad hotel. A price for the transaction was not disclosed.
They plan to rename it the Lancaster Smokehouse where it will serve up smoky, southern-style barbecue food such as ribs, pulled pork, Texas beef brisket and Louisiana po’ boys.
Chris said he plans to do some renovations, especially to the ground floor of the spacious 7,500-square-foot tavern, which can seat up to 600 people. They are gutting and renovating the kitchen, which hasn’t been active in a number of years.
But otherwise they plan to leave much of it as it is, including the wood-panelled second floor, decorated by a previous owner in a nautical theme complete with a ship’s anchor, wheel and port holes. Outside, a boat suspended in mid-air welcomes visitors to the Lanc and the S.S. Ocean Queen lounge.
“We thought the wonderful history and tradition of this place, coupled with our vision, would be a pretty exciting thing moving forward,” Chris said.
The upper floor has hosted Dixieland jazz concerts every Saturday afternoon since 1978. Corrigan plans to keep the jazz tradition going, but will also book blues acts, which fit more closely with his barbecue-style menu.
“In barbecue, blues is the thing,” he said.
Corrigan’s journey to barbecue king and restaurateur started in something completely different — the office supply business. His father, Bill, owned K-W Office Supply from 1963 until his death in 1980.
Corrigan, who had worked for his father, revived the business in 1992. A few years later, while developing a software program for his business with a company in Dallas, he travelled to Texas and was taken out for some southern-style barbecue meals.
Even though he didn’t know a brisket from a back rib, he was hooked.
“I’ve always been involved in food,” he said, noting that his grandmother specialized in Pennsylvania Dutch food.
He ended up buying a barbecue smoker in Houston and began competing on the barbecue circuit in the U.S., eventually winning the Kansas City BBQ Society Grand Championship in 2004.
As the owner of an office business, he had the luxury of being able to take time off to travel to competitions, he said.
In 2007, he sold his office supply business and began catering pig roasts, barbecues and weddings.
He moved the business to its current location on Laurelwood Drive in northwest Waterloo in 2009, and planned to keep it as a catering operation until daughter Shannon, a graduate of the food and beverage program at Conestoga College, suggested he convert it to a restaurant.
Called the Hog Tails BarBQue, the 1,000-square-foot eatery seats only 30 people, not nearly enough room since word spread of Corrigan’s smoky creations, cooked “low and slow” for up to 12 hours and served by a staff of 20. Sometimes the wait is an hour to 90 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights, he said.
“Demand is so great at the existing restaurant, we’ve outgrown it,” Corrigan said.
The Corrigans thought about calling their new location the Hog Tails as well, “but everyone in town knows it as the Lanc,” he said.
“We don’t want to lose the history,” said Cathy.
Although the Corrigans have already begun renovating the building, Kelly will continue to operate it until the end of the month. The tavern will remain open except for some days when heavy renovations are taking place.
A grand opening is planned in December.
The sad part of restaurants is they quite often end up serving "restaurant food" and I'm sure the joy of cooking would soon disappear if the bean counters won't let you put your personal stamp on the food. This guy won a Grand Champion but his restaurant food wouldn't get the call in a backyard comp in my neighborhood.
For background- We are in a 500,000 pop tricity, with three universities and 3 colleges
Lancaster Tavern to become smokin’ hot barbecue restaurant
WATERLOO — Chris Corrigan is a firm believer in fate.
For the past six months, the master of “meat, smoke and fire” had been searching for a second location to handle the overflow crowds at his tiny Hog Tails BarBQue restaurant on Laurelwood Drive in Waterloo.
One day while sitting around with wife, Cathy, and their real estate agent, Cathy blurted out, “What about the Lancaster Tavern?”
“I said, let’s call the owner. The rest is history,” Corrigan recalled Wednesday with a laugh.
It just so happened that Mike Kelly was looking to retire after owning the landmark Bridgeport-area bar for the past 20 years.
The Corrigans are the new owners of the venerable and colourful nightspot, which served its first drinks to thirsty patrons in 1840 when it was constructed as a railroad hotel. A price for the transaction was not disclosed.
They plan to rename it the Lancaster Smokehouse where it will serve up smoky, southern-style barbecue food such as ribs, pulled pork, Texas beef brisket and Louisiana po’ boys.
Chris said he plans to do some renovations, especially to the ground floor of the spacious 7,500-square-foot tavern, which can seat up to 600 people. They are gutting and renovating the kitchen, which hasn’t been active in a number of years.
But otherwise they plan to leave much of it as it is, including the wood-panelled second floor, decorated by a previous owner in a nautical theme complete with a ship’s anchor, wheel and port holes. Outside, a boat suspended in mid-air welcomes visitors to the Lanc and the S.S. Ocean Queen lounge.
“We thought the wonderful history and tradition of this place, coupled with our vision, would be a pretty exciting thing moving forward,” Chris said.
The upper floor has hosted Dixieland jazz concerts every Saturday afternoon since 1978. Corrigan plans to keep the jazz tradition going, but will also book blues acts, which fit more closely with his barbecue-style menu.
“In barbecue, blues is the thing,” he said.
Corrigan’s journey to barbecue king and restaurateur started in something completely different — the office supply business. His father, Bill, owned K-W Office Supply from 1963 until his death in 1980.
Corrigan, who had worked for his father, revived the business in 1992. A few years later, while developing a software program for his business with a company in Dallas, he travelled to Texas and was taken out for some southern-style barbecue meals.
Even though he didn’t know a brisket from a back rib, he was hooked.
“I’ve always been involved in food,” he said, noting that his grandmother specialized in Pennsylvania Dutch food.
He ended up buying a barbecue smoker in Houston and began competing on the barbecue circuit in the U.S., eventually winning the Kansas City BBQ Society Grand Championship in 2004.
As the owner of an office business, he had the luxury of being able to take time off to travel to competitions, he said.
In 2007, he sold his office supply business and began catering pig roasts, barbecues and weddings.
He moved the business to its current location on Laurelwood Drive in northwest Waterloo in 2009, and planned to keep it as a catering operation until daughter Shannon, a graduate of the food and beverage program at Conestoga College, suggested he convert it to a restaurant.
Called the Hog Tails BarBQue, the 1,000-square-foot eatery seats only 30 people, not nearly enough room since word spread of Corrigan’s smoky creations, cooked “low and slow” for up to 12 hours and served by a staff of 20. Sometimes the wait is an hour to 90 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights, he said.
“Demand is so great at the existing restaurant, we’ve outgrown it,” Corrigan said.
The Corrigans thought about calling their new location the Hog Tails as well, “but everyone in town knows it as the Lanc,” he said.
“We don’t want to lose the history,” said Cathy.
Although the Corrigans have already begun renovating the building, Kelly will continue to operate it until the end of the month. The tavern will remain open except for some days when heavy renovations are taking place.
A grand opening is planned in December.
The sad part of restaurants is they quite often end up serving "restaurant food" and I'm sure the joy of cooking would soon disappear if the bean counters won't let you put your personal stamp on the food. This guy won a Grand Champion but his restaurant food wouldn't get the call in a backyard comp in my neighborhood.
For background- We are in a 500,000 pop tricity, with three universities and 3 colleges
Last edited:
JS-TX
is One Chatty Farker
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
- Location
- San Antonio, TX
Nice article, thanks. I think even the food you eat at good BBQ restaurants is quite different than BBQ comp. Q. I bet many would find BBQ comp. food over the top if it was served at a restaurant. I bet most BBQ lovers haven't tasted BBQ comp. food either, so nothing is lost anyway.
SouthernMagicBBQ
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Location
- Montevallo, Al
AMEN, AMEN,,,,a restaurant can become a money pit in a hurry. Lease the property, buy a good trailer. Owe no one.
