#005: From the Nursing World to West Texas BBQ in San Diego – Coop’s BBQ - a podcast by Shawn Walchef

Brad Cooper (@CoopsBBQ) of Coops BBQ  Website: http://coopsbbq.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoopsBBQ/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/coopsbbq/ Ole Hickory Pits: www.olehickorypits.com/ Weber Grills: www.weber.com/US/en/grills Del Mar BBQ Championship: http://arlie-que.com/event_detail.php?event=10200 San Diego Reader Article on Coops West Texas BBQ: https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/feast/2012/sep/04/coops-west-texas-bbq-still-going-strong/ San Diego Eater Article on Brad Cooper of Coops BBQ: https://sandiego.eater.com/2016/6/13/11881166/coops-west-texas-bbq-san-diego-barbecue-week-lifers Coop's BBQ on Yelp's 2016 Top 100 Places to Eat: https://www.yelpblog.com/2016/02/yelps-top-100-places-to-eat-in-the-us-for-2016-fast-track-to-a-food-coma - Brad Cooper, Owner of Coops West Texas BBQ located in Lemon Grove, San Diego - Congrats to Fern's BBQ for taking 1st place in recent Backyard BBQ Competition: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUdQ8ValaiY/ - Beef Jerky from Valley Farm Market is a MUST TRY: www.valleyfarmmarkets.com/ - Sam's BBQ in Texas with great rib tips: http://www.samsbbq.com/ - Coop moved back to Texas in'96 and was around BBQ and soul food because his Dad was running a BBQ shop - Coop moved back to San Diego around'98 and brought his love for BBQ back to SD and started trying as much BBQ as he could - Coop tried Phil's BBQ and saw an opportunity for himself: http://philsbbq.net/ - Coop started to notice the lack of good BBQ in San Diego, especially Texas style BBQ - Before BBQ, Coop was a nurse for about 11 years - Coop's has a"Big Boy Smoker"that is black&red that sits outside the restaurant - BBQ started out as a passion/hobby for Coops then it turned into real idea to start a business - The first Coop's BBQ started in 2010 - In Southern California, a good BBQ spot becomes a"destination location"- Coop's BBQ is doing very well on Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/coops-west-texas-bbq-lemon-grove-2 - Your regulars can help the business go around -"You can never get content in this business, you can ALWAYS strive to be better"-"Complacency kills in the BBQ business"- In the past 6 years, BBQ has really improved in San Diego - Understanding why Texas BBQ doesn't have tons of BBQ sauce smothered all over - Texas BBQ has sauce on the SIDE - Ole Hickory Pits at Valley Farm Market BBQ Shack - When opening a second location, the quality of the food can’t change and should strive to be the same experience no matter which location - McDonalds does a great job at having the same product no matter which location - Coop announcing to Facebook that Da Chicken Coop is closing: https://www.facebook.com/CoopsBBQ/videos/1349045275134347/ - As a business owner, you realize there are no days off - Turnover is crazy in most restaurants with younger kids working - kids expecting things to come to them without working hard for it - Millennials and the majority of their work ethics -"If you wouldn't eat it, don't put it out!"- People eat and buy with their eyes - Cali Comfort BBQ tried everything, even executive chefs, no chef needed now that they have Gene Goycochea - What do you do when you have to close down a new business venture? - New things on the horizon for Coop's BBQ - BBQ/Mexican food infusion spot coming soon? - Smoked chicken rolled tacos and tortas - A big rule in business"DON'T RUSH IT"-"Senor Coops"- chicken&waffles&southern fried fish - The importance of having a good landlord when owning a business - Restaurants can have such great impacts on communities - Benefit for the Lemon Grove Little League Baseball Team at Coop's BBQ: https://www.facebook.com/events/267228573381228/ - Owning a successful business isn’t the rainbows and butterflies that everyone thinks it is, it is a daily grind - Coop's employees know that when they walk in the door for their shift, that's when the show starts! - On Yelp,

Further episodes of Digital Hospitality: A Cali BBQ Media Podcast

Further podcasts by Shawn Walchef

Website of Shawn Walchef