2020 SUCCESS STORY: Beard BQ Sauce
Beard BQ Sauce, Rapid City, SD
Owned by: Felix Irving, U.S. Air Force
Leading the barbeque revolution one backyard at a time, Felix Irving, retired Air Force airman who served at the Ellsworth Air Force Base, is now cooking up recipes to showcase his specialty sauces and rubs. Owner and operator of “Beard BQ Sauce LLC,” Felix is pursuing his dreams of creating a business from scratch, of being his own boss, and of bringing people together to have a good time. Originally from Louisiana, Felix is determined to show people what real BBQ is and how to cook it like he learned from his family. A sauce recipe he created from scratch has now turned into a business that is keeping him extremely busy. Felix sells his product at local small businesses, farmers markets, and showcase events so he can remain closely connected to the place he calls home, Rapid City, South Dakota.
Having fallen in love with all the activities the Black Hills have to offer and the kind people living in the Dakotas, Felix made South Dakota his permanent home upon his separation from the military. He then set out on his next mission, to create a business. He quickly discovered the benefit of being connected to the community to form a support network. One of those support networks include the VBOC of the Dakotas. Felix commented, “VBOC is there to help me along the way. We have conversations about the things that I didn’t even know I needed to think about. If I have a question, I can always call Wendy to get her two cents.”
Because of the growing demand for his product, Felix has also begun to provide nationwide shipping. Recently, he even had his first ever “out of stock” moment. People are not only enjoying his products – they are also enjoying his podcasts and YouTube videos where he teaches them tricks of the trade to make the perfect smoked meat or side dish. This backyard revolution has taken off and is bringing people together over good food with great conversation. With that image in mind, Felix has become the Sauce Boss who teaches others how to prepare a good meal using his specialty sauces and rubs.