Mike Marr of Vernon Hills had an idea several years ago to grow his brewery business, Buffalo Creek Brewing of Long Grove.
Since Mike Marr’s Buffalo Creek Brewing of Long Grove doesn’t have a comprehensive food menu – except for a short list of snacks like popcorn, beef jerky and bison sticks – it made sense for him to recruit popular food trucks to nourish meal hungry brewery customers, he said. Hence food truck pop-up nights was born.
The pop-ups are held weekly on Fridays and Saturdays now to December, with some Wednesdays, featuring local food truck names.
“It creates a great option,” Marr said. “We’re a production brewery so it’s against the law for us to sell food, wine or spirits. A lot of the restaurants in town, we try to support them, but on Fridays and Saturdays, we’re really busy.”
Marr said he supports area restaurants, but their dining rooms often become full on peak nights, so food trucks help with patron overflow.
“Customers are coming in, they’re looking for something to eat, they can go to a restaurant, but if we keep them here, then obviously we’re going to be able to sell them beer while they’re enjoying food,” Marr said.
The food trucks park in front of the brewery or along the Alpine Biergarten from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on designated dates.
On March 18, it was the Happy Lobster Truck on a rainy evening. Happy Lobster Truck has a following of fans who typically preorder lobster sandwiches or other menu items.
“Working with breweries in general is a great partnership for both sides,” said Alex Robinson, co-founder of Happy Lobster Truck. “For the brewery, it gives them a way to serve a variety of great food to their patrons. For the trucks, it gives us a new customer base to serve to, along with providing our customers a comfortable place to pick up and eat.”
He said the pandemic has caused stress on the business, not only due to the rising cost of gas, but the increasing prices of almost all the goods he uses for his food truck.
Another way Marr markets Buffalo Creek Brewing has been naming beer batches for the historic Long Grove covered bridge which was struck by a vehicle for the 31st time on March 14. That incident followed the bridge being hit March 10 by another box truck.
Marr has made beer varieties in honor of the box trucks. Names have included Bye Bye Truck, Too Tall IPA and now the newest label for a brown ale.
“We’re thinking of calling it the name, Bad Move, based on all of the trucks that keep hitting the bridge,” Marr said.
Will any of the boxy food trucks that Marr recruits try to cross the historic covered bridge to get to his brewery at 360 Historical Lane?
“Absolutely not,” Marr said with a laugh. “We warn all the food trucks, ‘do not go through the bridge.'”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer.