SPENCER – Last summer, residents in the Leicester area might have noticed cute black sheep signs popping up all over the area announcing the grand opening of Black Sheep Bah-Bah-Q & Kitchen.
Owned and operated by the Flynn family, the company features a wide variety of smoked meats and BBQ favorites.
Following their first summer in Leicester near Cumberland Farms, Black Sheep Bah-Bah-Q’s 13,000-pound mobile food trailer has found a new home at 401 Main Street in Spencer, in the lot of the former Spencer Veterinary Hospital.
The story behind the local BBQ, or Bah-Bah-Q, is a unique and unexpected story full of twists and turns. Initially, Jennifer and Patrick wanted to purchase the Olympia Theater in Worcester with the dream of opening a restaurant that featured live music and entertainment; however, the deal for the 1,000-seat theater fell through. At first, they were disappointed, but once COVID-19 struck, they were thankful to not be a fledging restaurant trying to open when the world was in lockdown.
Jennifer and Patrick came across the massive food trailer by “accident” during a drive in New Hampshire, where the industrial kitchen on wheels was for sale by the side of the road. They won the trailer in the auction in fall of 2020, but that was just the start of their work as they spent a year remodeling, updating, and beautifying the vehicle. In the meantime, Patrick taught himself how to smoke meats, joking that it took him 10,000 pounds of meat to finally perfect his technique.
“It’s a lot of work. It’s exhausting, but it’s ours,” Jennifer said about owning a small business and running the trailer.
When Jennifer and Patrick first opened a mobile food truck, they knew the business would focus on quality food, but they were surprised by the connections they made with regulars and the stories they would hear from customers.
“We had no idea it would be about the people,” Patrick said.
Black Sheep Bah-Bah-Q is quickly expanding with the addition of a second, smaller, and more maneuverable food truck. Besides pick up, drop off, and catering options, Black Sheep’s smoked meats are also retailed at Paxton Marketplace and Howe’s Country Store in Holden.
Jennifer and Patrick are so excited about the growth of the company and the plans that they have in store, but they need help to get there. They are actively hiring and looking for new employees to help expand their operations. Currently, the three-person team at Black Sheep run every aspect of the company, which makes it impossible to be in two places at once.
Ultimately, they would like to open the second half of their menu, which features a variety of non-BBQ options to cater to a wider range of customers. Running a mobile food truck is hard work that is not for the faint of heart, but Jennifer, Patrick and Jordan take pride in their business and in the food that they craft.
“We cook 100% of the food on the truck. I don’t know any other food truck that does that,” Patrick said.
To check out their menu or email for open job positions, click here. Black Sheep Bah-Bah-Q will be open this weekend on Friday (11 AM to 8 PM), Saturday (12 PM to 9 PM) and Sunday (12 PM to 6 PM).
