Joey’s Smokin BBQ - Coeur d'
Alene Idaho
People talk a lot about
hybrids these days. From
hybrid gas/electric and SUV
crossover vehicles, to
hybrid fuels such as
bio-diesel, the term isn’t
just science anymore. Now,
restaurateurs such as Joey
Maggiore and Randy Folk,
have taken the hybrid
concept one step further --
into food.
Maggiore and Folk, owners of
the new Joey’s Smokin BBQ in
Coeur d’Alene, have blended
traditional southern-style
barbecue with a modern
“dine-in or take-out”
eatery.
“It’s not fast food, but it
is quality food quick,” says
local owner Folk.
The atmosphere is
comfortable and casual, but
with an interior design
concept that is more elegant
and mature than what you’d
expect from a quick service
oriented establishment.
The design, the atmosphere
and, of course, the quality
of the food are what
attracted Randy to the
business in the first place.
While managing the private
golf course for Lacosta
resort and Spa he walked
into a Joey’s Smokin BBQ for
lunch.
“I loved the simplicity and
the new age barbecue
concept,” he said. “I liked
that it strayed from the
traditional wagon wheel
décor, and I wanted to be
doing something that didn’t
require a jacket and tie
everyday.” |
Joey’s was a perfect fit;
and, although the jacket and
tie have been replaced by a
button down shirt and
flip-flop sandals in the
warmer months, there’s a
great deal of credibility
and professionalism to go
along with Randy Folk’s
casual demeanor.
The restaurant was founded
by Italian chef and
restaurateur Joey Maggiore
after he and his wife
traveled throughout the
south sampling traditional
barbecue restaurants and
recipes. After years of
running Italian bistros and
restaurants with his family,
Joey decided a change of
pace was in order. Joey’s
Smokin BBQ was the result of
his crossover into American
food, a re-creation of the
bistro style restaurant
serving traditional American
barbecue fare.
The restaurant opened in
January, 2005 with its first
location in Carlsbad,
California .Two more chains
have since opened up in the
San Diego area. Four more
franchises are scheduled to
open in Southern California
under father and son team
Bill and Luke Walton, of the
L.A. Lakers.
When Randy became a partner,
Joey’s Smokin BBQ had only
been in business for two
weeks. About a year later,
Randy decided to open the
fourth chain in Coeur d’
Alene as a part of the
Riverstone development off
Northwest Boulevard. |
Randy Folk spent most of his
professional life in the golf
business; and, as director of
sales for Cobra Golf Company, he
was provided with lots of travel
time. It was during his travels
that Randy had the opportunity
to eat at various barbecue
restaurants in many different
parts of the southern U.S. He
noticed that in each region of
the south, flavors, recipes and
barbecue cooking methods took on
different characteristics. In an
effort to provide a most unique
and diverse experience at their
barbecue restaurants, Joey and
Randy have incorporated many
different regional styles of
traditional southern barbecue
into their menu.