Thanks to a Hollister farmers’ market more than 20 years ago, Mansmith’s BBQ expanded from a seasoning and catering business to a Friday Night BBQ gig in two towns. It all started when Mike Mansmith arrived at the market to give away chicken and tri-tip seasoned with his dad’s famous spice recipe and the food was so good, the customers bought the rest of his samples.
Mike sold out of food in just one hour, and by the end of the market season he had two barbecue pits loaded “as full as you can load them” with between 800 and 1,000 pounds of meat each day. The Hollister farmers’ market – then held on Friday evenings – was seasonal. So when the market ended, the Mansmith family started Friday Night BBQs where they offered their famous flavoring year round from a specially designed vehicle with a mobile kitchen.
At least, that is Mike’s story. His dad, Jon, remembers things a bit differently. In Jon’s version, the farmers’ market business didn’t start with selling samples and it took about two years to clear things through the health department so that the family could sell seasoned, cooked meat downtown.
While the exact way the business took off depends on the storyteller, it’s clear it did indeed take off and the Friday Night BBQs were the direct result of customers asking for barbequey goodness year round, especially after the farmers’ market’s annual closure.
“At the end of the year, we just put up a sign that said ‘See you next year’ and all our customers said, ‘No, you’ve got to do this year round,’ ” remembers Jon.
Today, the father and son operate two family businesses: Mansmith’s Enterprises, where Jon sells his famous seasonings, and Mansmith’s BBQ, where Mike handles catering, special events and barbecuing for the farmers’ market.
The Mansmiths took a break from the Hollister Farmers’ Market for about five years to run their Friday Night BBQs, but came back to the Hollister market after the event day changed from Fridays to Wednesdays.
For Mike, a Hollister resident, the market spotlights the city’s agricultural history, allows people to support local businesses and encourages a sense of community.
“They’re all a bunch of local people that you get to talk to and see that are just all from around the area and all are really friendly and willing to stop and chat with you,” Mike said. “It’s kind of like hanging out with your friends every Wednesday.”
The Mansmith family has tried making appearances with their BBQ at other farmers’ markets, including several in Salinas, but they came back to Hollister because they liked the way it was run and they wanted to support the local market, said Mike.
Jon’s fascination with BBQ, seasoning and grilling didn’t start in Hollister, but in the nearby San Juan Bautista, where he became fascinated by the work while attending a local rodeo.
“They used to have a big rodeo in San Juan (Bautista) and when I was a kid, I always used to hang out down by the chicken BBQ,” Jon said. “It was kind of just the place to be.”
Jon spent enough time there that he was put to work salting and seasoning chicken. Eventually, he started helping with BBQs for local churches and Boy Scouts events. Soon, he was developing a line of seasonings and getting catering requests.
Years later, Jon’s passion turned into two businesses and the Friday Night BBQs continue. Each Friday, the Mansmiths load up tri-tip, pork ribs, chicken, beans and garlic bread. They head to Bertuccio’s Lot in Hollister and the Uesugi’s Pumpkin Patch in San Martin to provide deliveries of barbequey goodness for locals who preorder their feasts online.
“I’ve always enjoyed the whole aspect of the job and I figured I’d never starve to death,” said Jon, as he reflected on what he likes about his work.
The customers seem happy, too.
“They love it,” Jon said. “They’re always coming back for more.”
MANSMITH’S HOURS
Wednesdays: The classic Mansmith BBQ favorites can be found from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 7 through Sept. 24 at the Downtown Certified Farmers’ Market on San Benito Street in Hollister.
Fridays: BBQ meals can be preordered online and picked up at Bertuccio’s Lot at 2410 Airline Highway in Hollister and Uesugi’s Pumpkin Patch at 14485 Monterey Road in San Martin. Pick-up hours are noon – 7 p.m. for tri-tip sandwiches and 2:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. for tri-tip, pork ribs, chicken, beans and garlic bread. For more information, go to mansmith.com.
