Food trucks have been picking up steam for quite a while now. After all, the mobile restaurant is a great way to get started without many of the costs and capital associated with a brick and mortar business.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale's favorite barbecue truck is about to take root in a new, more permanent location. Blue Willy's Barbecue, is in the process of renovating its new space.
See also: Summer Restaurant Deals for Locals in Broward and Palm Beach
Owner Will Banks shut down the truck about four weeks back. Due to high customer demand, he was having a hard time keeping up in the small space the truck provided. He had been looking for a permanent space for about six months before he found the new location about six weeks ago.
"We decided to stop our catering and day-to-day operations while we finished renovating the space we're moving into," said Banks. "We're hoping to relaunch on July 15."
See also: Red Cow: Elliott Wolf, Owner of Coconuts, Foxy Brown, Tries his Hand at Barbecue
Banks plans to turn the spot into a traditional Texas-style barbecue joint with counter service, communal tables, food served directly on butchers paper, and meat sold by the pound.
"We're going for that old school style of barbecue, like what still goes on in old-style places in Texas," he said. "Barbecue places started off as butcher shops; they turned into restaurants, but never got away from counter service."
The new Blue Willy's Barbecue Market will be located at 1386 S. Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. It's about a mile north of Commercial on the east side of the street. Call 954-224-6120, or visit facebook.com/bluewillys.
Follow Sara Ventiera on Twitter, @saraventiera.
Follow @CleanPlateBPB