As we step into a new year, we can’t help but reflect on the challenges we’ve faced and the road ahead. The recent news with these uncontrollable fires in California has hit close to home, reminding us of the devastation we experienced when our headquarters and operations center was lost in an overnight fire in October. Our loss does not compare to entire neighborhoods lost in California, that is simply unimaginable and our hearts go out to all those affected on the other side of the country. We heard those same words, “there’s no water” and hearing that repeated on the news this past week is a heartbreak we can begin to understand. Let us echo this recommendation to each and every one of you – Consider taking a video walkthrough of your home or business to document your belongings. This simple step can be invaluable for insurance purposes in the future, and make the process much easier. (Wish we had done this!!)
As far as our progress goes… over the next week or two, the huge mountain of debris will be removed and there will be a deep void that we see across the parking lot. From decades-old memorabilia to essential tools for catering and restaurant operations, everything was gone from one day to the next. But the heart of what we do—the spirit of Piggie Park—has never burned out. 💛
We’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness and support from the vast majority of our customers who’ve stood by us during this phase. From the ashes, we’ve managed to set up temporary facilities to continue serving BBQ across our 8 restaurants (WE ARE OPEN!), but it hasn’t been without challenges. There have been tough decisions, long hours, and even a few missteps along the way. Yet, your encouragement, patience, and willingness to eat with us have made all the difference, along with the dedication of so many employees to roll with the changes from one week to the next.
For those who may not realize the full extent of the loss: our pits, which cooked BBQ for all 8 locations and whose fire had not gone out even one day for 32 years, are completely gone. In fact, the pits were all contained as they should, and the fire cooking the meats overnight never did go out until the building was destroyed to the point it was inaccessible.
We’ve temporarily shifted to a smoker setup, which comes with some of its own challenges. More of a concentrated smoke flavor might be a little different on a few menu items (pork skins, mostly), we’ve had to switch between a few different cuts of pork based on what we could handle in the smokers, but have that figured out now, and our capacity is significantly reduced so sometimes our restaurants run out by end of day.
We’re doing our best with what we have, but we ask for understanding as we work to rebuild the heart and soul of our operations. We are proud to have made progress at this point to having temporary procedures and capabilities to provide the menu you love and enjoy. ALL LOCATIONS ARE OPEN!
Also in the works right now is to build back our ability to ship BBQ and Hash nationwide, and are making space and building up the plan to add that back to our website by the end of January!
To those who’ve shared kind words and encouragement—thank you. To those who’ve expressed frustration in the last 2 months over a limited menu at times, or temporary changes, we hear you, and we’re doing everything we can to serve you better. Every day is a comeback for us, and we’re giving it our all.
The next generation of Piggie Park is on its way, and we can’t wait to build back stronger than ever, and invite you to eat with us now and in the days and months ahead! Thank you for being part of our journey!
