Emerging concept: FireFresh BBQ

Bruce Loeffler is building a fire in the Bluegrass State to smoke the competition: one barbecue franchise at a time.

 

Five years after opening the doors to Firehouse BBQ in his hometown of Louisville, Ky., Loeffler's concept, now called FireFresh BBQ, is seven stores strong and on the cusp of a franchise rollout.

 

Local marketing already has begun with radio and television spots, and investors and franchisees appear ready to move barbecue into a fast-casual marketplace that only has one major player: Shane's Rib Shack, a Raving Brands concept that has about two dozen locations throughout the South.

 

"If we were in the Kentucky Derby, we'd be running second coming into the homestretch," Loeffler said. "But we think we have a better horse."

 

Blaine Hurst, a former president and chief executive officer for Papa John's Pizza, is a FireFresh franchisee and leads a group of investors that approached Loeffler in late 2004 with the idea of major expansion. Two other Papa John's franchisees are part of the investment group, along with three Qdoba Mexican Grill franchisees. Hurst is feverishly working on company standards for operations, service and interior design.

"The goal is to have the concept franchise-able in the next 90 to 120 days," he said.

 

As much as Hurst would like to shift into rapid expansion mode, he said there's no real hurry. He envisions as many as four additional stores opening by the end of 2006 — most likely by the existing investors — and the success of those units will signal FireFresh's readiness for other markets.

 

 

In truth, all this progress and motion is surreal for Loeffler, whose first interest in barbecue was in experimenting and sharing food with friends. His roster of friends is about to get bigger.

 

As a child, Loeffler considered following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, who was a firefighter. But when his father arranged an opportunity for a 13-year-old Bruce to participate in a fire department rappelling exercise, the youngster discovered his fear of heights.

 

Looking to a more recent influence, Loeffler took his next cue from his father, who had been a cook in the army. Young Loeffler began learning his way around a kitchen and developed an affinity for grilling outdoors. His first "job" was official Loeffler family barbecue chef.

 

"Dad was brought up in the old school that if it ain't black, it ain't done," Loeffler said. "But I cooked something one time that he said wasn't done enough, and my mom just raved about it. She fired dad."

Years later, after serving in the Air Force, getting married and settling down in Louisville, Loeffler and a neighbor started smoking meats and experimenting with barbecue. The duo sold their barbecue at the annual neighborhood yard sale and later in the parking lot of a local hardware store.

 

Increasing demand led Loeffler, who at that point worked in the athletic department at the University of Louisville, to purchase some professional equipment. He approached a local restaurateur who was going out of business and bought his entire store. The first incarnation of his fast-casual brand was born, and with a nod toward his great-grandfather's legacy: Firehouse BBQ.

 

Word spread quickly about the food quality, and "it just took off," Loeffler said, so he hired managers to run the store while he worked at the university.

 

Loeffler developed recipes for his sauces and signature dishes, turning his university co-workers into taste-testers and fans. He even catered informal events for former Louisville football coach John L. Smith (now at Michigan State), current coach Bobby Petrino and basketball coach Rick Pitino.

 

"We tried all of his food, from his slaws to his potato salad and the pulled pork," said Rob Brawner, who worked with Loeffler at the university. "He listens to his customers, and that's the key."

 

When Loeffler's store managers resigned to pursue other employment opportunities, he committed to FireHouse full-time.

 

 

FireFresh BBQ's signature dish is Bama Ribs, a dish for which Loeffler created a sweet red sauce with a slight kick. While a full platter is $21.95, customers can get a solo serving for $6.49, well within the fast-casual price range. The ribs are a top seller, which is almost ironic considering they were created by accident.

 

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While trying to feed a horde of hungry friends with a few racks of ribs one weekend, Loeffler cut each rib and seared them on the grill. He then poured beer on them, and added a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce.

 

"I turned them over, and they really looked good," he said. They were a huge hit, and thus Bama Ribs were born.

 

That customers rave about the meatiness of Bama Ribs is no accident. FireFresh removes the ends of the rack, so all ribs served are center-cut.

 

"It's worth the extra buck or two to get that," Loeffler said.

 

Loeffler's FireFresh BBQ restaurant closely resembles a classic mom-and-pop BBQ joint. Tables are covered with checkered cloths, and bottled hot sauces serve as centerpieces. In tribute to its name, firefighter memorabilia adorns the walls. A franchise unit just a few miles away, however, resembles the modern, somewhat stark décor of a Qdoba or Moe's Southwest Grill.

 

That design quandary remains a primary consideration for FireFresh: What will future units look like?

 

"We're definitely moving toward the fast-casual look," Hurst said. He noted that it's tempting for anyone opening a barbecue restaurant to compete on long-established terms, but notes that most such establishments are either mom-and-pops or full-service casual concepts like Famous Dave's.

But FireFresh offers more in the way of smoked meats and also emphasizes its selection of fresh sides, he said, which differentiates it somewhat. A different look than its competitors will help further brand the chain.

 

"I think we need to be comfortable but a tad upscale from the traditional BBQ-themed restaurant," he said.

Hurst sees FireFresh as a combination of old and new — perhaps exposed brick and décor that recalls firehouses from the 1940s, combined with newer and cleaner amenities that are definitively fast casual. He believes none of the existing stores has hit the nail on the head yet, though.

 

"We're trying to do it at low cost so we can keep our entry dollars low," Hurst said. He noted FireFresh's marketing agency has organized focus groups "just to tweak (the restaurants). I believe in focus groups in that they tell you when you screw up. They just don't necessarily tell you when you do it right."

 

Loeffler said the average ticket price at FireFresh is about $6.50 for lunch and around $8 for dinner. Weekend diners spend even more. But one of the staples is service: classic order-at-the-counter-and-your-food-is-brought-out operation. Employees are friendly and helpful, and maintaining that standard will be a challenge as the chain grows.

 

Nevertheless, Hurst believes potential franchisees will line up by the thousands once all the kinks are worked out, which should be soon.

 

So Loeffler has no regrets about not rappelling down the side of that building when he was young, nor does he regret that he never fought a fire that didn't start inside a grill. "I smoke ribs and keep my feet on the ground," he said with a laugh.

 

And, he notes, once FireFresh BBQ truly catches fire, "There will be no stopping us."