By Devin Spizz
If you’ve ever walked through the Schreiber hallways, chances are you’ve seen students sporting their Bobo’s Barbecue tee shirts. What you may not have realized, however, is that Bobo’s Barbecue is a business created by one of Schreiber’s very own students: senior Finn Meyer.
The origins of Bobo’s Barbecue date back to 2020; when the pandemic hit and everyone was stuck at home. As quarantine boredom struck, Finn and his dad first seriously began talking about barbecuing as they had always shared a love for food and thought it would be a fun way to pass the time. This dream materialized when the pair made the leap to purchase a smoker: a Traegr Ironwood 885.
Finn shared that during his first cooks, YouTube was his best friend in learning to barbecue. He cited Mad Scientist Barbecue and Chuds BBQ as the two channels he watched most frequently when starting out. Now that he’s been in the business for about four years, Finn revealed that he is actually considering creating his own channel to share what he has learned!
To those starting out in barbecuing, Finn advised “Don’t take it too seriously. It’s really about having fun and experimenting with what works.” The hardest thing to grasp, he explained, was learning to manage the fire while cooking as well as how to season properly. Today, he has developed his own seasoning: a blend of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika.
As his love for barbecuing grew, Finn realized that this was something he could take seriously and make money off of. Instagram was an integral tool in growing his brand. Throughout this journey, the account (@_bobos.bbq) has been a vehicle for him to post videos of his cooks and share the menu with customers. Today, the account has garnered almost 350 followers.
It is this overwhelming support that inspired him to design his own line of merchandise, consisting of hats and tee-shirts. In terms of sourcing his meat, Finn belongs to Restaurant Depot: a membership only store that allows him to purchase high quality meat in bulk. In terms of what is popular among customers, Finn shared that his most requested order is brisket by the pound.
When offering advice to anyone else thinking about starting a small business, Finn said “I would make sure to stay organized and keep track of everything. Also, plan a lot before you get into it.” This mindset has really helped him in ensuring Bobo’s Barbecue delivers satisfactory quality to all its customers, especially during busy times of year. For example, in 2023, he received his biggest order yet: over 150 pounds of meat and 50 pounds of sides—including mac and cheese, cornbread, coleslaw—for a Super Bowl party.
As Bobo’s Barbecue continues to expand, Finn plans to register as a commercial kitchen, so he can sell barbecue at the Christopher Morley Park Farmers Market over the summer. Next year, Finn will be attending Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, where he will learn about managerial positions in the restaurant industry and study with hopes of running his own restaurant one day.
