GRAY SMOKE BARBECUE Owners: Duane & Cynthia Gray Founded: March 2018
TOURISM
Clarksville Food Trucks Flourishing During COVID-19 By Dr. Lorneth Peters | TSBDC Executive Director The Coronavirus is rapidly changing spending habits, as consumer behaviors are settling into a new normal. According to Statista (2020), people are spending more money on sanitizers, household cleaning products, home entertainment products and services, less on clothing and casual dining. The impact of the pandemic on the retail and food industry has proven to be critical. During the first 22 days of March, the restaurant industry saw a $20 billion loss in revenue and this is expected to increase to over $100 billion by early fall. As consumer spending continues to shift, mobile business spaces are proven lucrative in Montgomery County. HISTORY OF FOOD TRUCKS Food trucks initially began in the 1870’s by Charles Goodnight and Walter Scott. Goodnight provided cooked food for cowboys and miners while Scott offered sandwiches, coffee and pies to office workers in the 1880’s. Both creators started a version of meal on wheels, which the 21st century has coined, food trucks. Over a century later, the food truck industry employs almost 30,000 employees and is a $2 billion dollar revenue per year business in the United States. The industry has grown by over 20% in one year and it outpacing the traditional commercial food service industry. The mission of food trucks in the 1870's is identical to the purpose of food trucks today, which is to meet the needs of a community. MOCO FOOD TRUCKS Montgomery County is home to numerous food trucks. For this edition, we’re highlighting five food trucks: Fat Boy Tacos, Gray Smoke Barbecue, 22 • CLARKSVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Linell’s, Off the Grill, and RIB UMM & SOUL LLC. FAT BOY TACOS Owners: Diana and Adrian Gonzales Founded: November 2018 What makes your food unique? We offer specific dishes with a Southern California Style. Our customer service and interacting with customers also provides a unique experience. What is your signature dish? Fat Boy Burrito. How has COVID affected the way you do business? Demand for our food outweighed food supply. Due to meat shortages, we became more creative by closing one extra day a week to ensure we had enough food supply to last each week. As we embrace a new normal, our sales continue to increase.
What makes your food unique? We use hickory wood for barbequing and spend hours ensuring our meat is cooked to perfection. What is your signature dish? Pull-pork plate, loaded fries, nachos &ribs. How has COVID affected the way you do business? Sales have increased and we are welcoming new customers on a daily basis. Our challenges have included meat shortages and skyrocketing prices of brisket. Also, we were opened a week without baby back ribs. Although we have experienced these unforeseen challenges, customers continue to be understanding and supportive. What advice would you give to those starting a business? Do your research before starting. Running a business is a not a 4 hour job but requires 16 hours a day attention. Remember to prepare for maintenance repairs, which may require a specialized mechanic. Contact Information: Facebook @Gray.Smoke.Barbecue Twitter: @gray.smoke.barbecue
What advice would you give to those starting a business? Stay positive, bring the energy and passion daily, be willing to hustle, and remember to adapt and overcome. Contact Information: Facebook: @fatboytacos2018 Instagram: @fatboy_tacos
LINELL’S FOOD TRUCK Owners: Ronald and Janice Price Founded: December 2019 What makes your food unique? We offer Mexican food with a touch of soul, unique recipes and savory flavors. What is your signature dish? Fried Birria Tacos.
