Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Staggs
Hi Jeremy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After transitioning from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi to The Art Institute in Houston, I discovered my true passion and focus. Initially, I had my sights set on opening a steakhouse, but I quickly realized the enormous startup costs, overhead, and investment in kitchen equipment would be a significant hurdle. I reassessed my goals and shifted my focus to something more achievable: barbecue. Little did I know, this change would set my life on a completely different trajectory.
I started small, purchasing a half gas grill, half smoker setup from a local hardware store. After smoking my first brisket, I instantly knew this was the path I was meant to follow. At the time, I was juggling a full-time job, a heavy course load, and trying to maintain some balance in my life with my wife. Despite the busy schedule, I spent weekends and free moments perfecting my recipes and gathering feedback from friends and family.
After many discussions with my wife, we decided to take the plunge and go all in. We invested in a custom trailer with a smoker, and I shifted jobs to free up more time. With a renewed sense of purpose, I hit the ground running, pushing forward with everything I had—and I’ve never looked back.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No success story comes without its challenges, and ours came in the form of a devastating fire on our trailer. In the early hours of September 4th, 2021, our phones began ringing off the hook, waking us in the middle of the night. An ember from the smoker had landed on a stack of wood on the trailer’s porch, sparking a fire that quickly grew out of control. The flames were so intense that they burned a hole through the diamond-plated flooring beneath the smoker.
The biggest blessing that came out of this was that no one was injured. First responders acted quickly, charging straight into the inferno and doing everything they were trained to do. Thanks to their efforts, they were able to contain the fire with minimal damage. When daylight broke and the smoke and ash cleared, the full extent of the damage became painfully clear—it was a gut punch.
But we didn’t let it derail us. We took a moment, gathered our thoughts, and began the long process of rebuilding. Within just a few months, we had repaired everything, and we were back at it—fired up and ready to go. With the trailer back in action, we set our sights on doing what we love most: serving up mouthwatering smoked meats to the masses.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The drive to improve is what gets me out of bed every morning. It’s never about settling or becoming complacent. When I hear things like, “This is the best BBQ I’ve ever had,” from customers, it’s not a moment of relief—it’s a spark of inspiration. I find myself asking, *“Can we do even better?”* Whether it’s refining our process, tweaking our seasoning, or sourcing better materials, we’re always looking for ways to improve.
In today’s world, there’s an endless stream of information—videos, articles, opinions—but the real advantage comes from having a team that is relentlessly focused on being the best. We sift through all of that noise, combining it with our own experience, in pursuit of perfection, always aiming for excellence.
Barbecue, at its core, is one of the most primal forms of cooking—burning wood over cuts of meat, creating something that connects us to our ancestors and their ability to survive. But as simple as it seems, barbecue is actually incredibly complex. Any small imperfection can stand out like a glaring flaw, and that’s what makes it both humbling and challenging. We focus on the smallest details, keep every step of the process under constant scrutiny, and push ourselves every single day to make sure we’re moving forward—never looking back.
What are your plans for the future?
We’re now facing yet another monumental challenge: the remodel and move into our very own brick-and-mortar location in the heart of downtown Lufkin. Our mission is clear—to continue serving the loyal, hungry people of East Texas who have supported us in building this incredible dream of small business ownership. But beyond that, we want to cement our place in the storied tradition of Texas barbecue, becoming part of the legendary lore that makes small-town BBQ culture so special.
In the Lone Star State, barbecue is both revered and, at times, intensely scrutinized, which only makes it all the more meaningful. Barbecue is deeply personal. No two people have the same definition of what the “perfect BBQ” should be. Nearly everyone has a family member, a cherished memory, or a personal influence that shaped their view of what barbecue should taste like—and that impression stays with them forever.
With this new brick-and-mortar space, we’re not just building a restaurant—we’re continuing our commitment to constant self-evaluation and improvement in the barbecue process. At the same time, we’ll have the opportunity to serve even more people on a daily basis, sharing our passion for BBQ with the community in a way we never could before. The journey is far from over, but we’re excited for what’s to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bxcarbbq.com
- Instagram: @boxcarBBQ
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bxcarbbq/
- Twitter: bbqboxcar
