The Parking Lot of Brisket Dreams
Before we had the electric atmosphere of our George Street North restaurant in Peterborough, or our lakeside food truck in Curve Lake, we had a humble corner. That corner was the Sobeys parking lot in the gorgeous town of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, and it was the birthplace of our mobile food truck, The Back 40 Smoke Box.
Setting up our mobile smoker in the corner of that lot on cold, crisp mornings, we watched the smoke rise against the Kawartha sky, knowing that in 16 hours, we would be slicing into the most tender brisket sandwiches Fenelon Falls had ever tasted.
A Masterclass in Community Hospitality
Our days in Fenelon Falls were an absolute whirlwind of community support. Shoppers would walk into Sobeys for groceries and walk out with a heavy-loaded pulled pork bun. Here are some of the incredible memories and milestones we built on that corner lot:
| The Smoke Box Memory | The Story | The Pitmaster Lesson |
|---|---|---|
| The Sobeys Parking Lot Lineups | Lineups stretching across the lot for our brisket buns | Learned to slice and serve wood-smoked meats with blazing speed without compromising quality |
| The Sobeys Grocery Synergy | Shoppers using our Sweet Whiskey Heat glazes to cook at home | Taught us the incredible value of offering retail craft bottles for our patrons to take home |
| Cold-Weather Smoking | Tending fires in deep Ontario winter mornings | Mastered oxygen drafts and airflow regulation in sub-zero temperatures, perfecting our offset combustion |
Honoring Our Roots
Those Sobeys parking lot days shaped the entire philosophy of The Back 40 Smoke House. They taught us that authentic slow-and-low BBQ isn't just about the food—it's about the warmth of connecting with people, sharing hot meals on cold days, and putting smile-inducing flavors first. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone in Fenelon Falls who bought a sandwich, cheered us on, and helped our small family farm launch this incredible journey!