MNfusion: Market Bar-B-Que Launches New Food Truck For 70th Anniversary

In the past few years, Minneapolis has seen a lot of restaurants come and go.

But there are several establishments that have served the area for years and have no plans to leave any time soon.

One of those is Market Bar-B-Que.

For 70 years, Market Bar-B-Que has served up delicious smoked meats in the Loring Park neighborhood. From their pit smoked ribs to fried chicken to pulled pork sandwiches, the restaurant has been a staple in the Minneapolis dining scene.

Now, to celebrate the milestone, Market Bar-B-Cue is launching a new food truck making their meat accessible to diners across the city.

So, 70 years is a big celebration! It's quite a feat that your family has served the Minneapolis area for that long. Tell me, what does celebrating 70 years in Minnesota mean to you?

Polski: Celebrating 70 years in Minnesota means the world to me and to my family. We take a lot of pride in the fact that we have stuck to our guns and produced the same consistently high-quality product since 1946.

For this milestone, you and your family decided to launch the food truck. Why did you feel a food truck would be a good celebration of 70 years?

Polski: My father and I really felt this food truck would work because of its mobility. It gives us the ability to do what our brick-and-mortar store cannot by bringing our food, and a bit of our restaurant's personality, right to the people who enjoy it, wherever they may be.

I'm sure the customers love being able to find Market Bar-B-Que in more than one place! So, what the process of opening up a food truck like? How was the reception opening weekend?

Polski: The process of opening up a food truck was more complex than I ever thought it would be. Our goal was to build a truck that represented everything my family has worked so hard to build, including great "Bar-B-Que." But after one day, we quickly realized we have a lot to learn about the differences between running a restaurant and running a food truck. So, we sought the advice and assistance of the law firm of Winthrop & Weinstine who helped us navigate the complicated process – including obtaining our permits to operate, providing business advice, rules and regulations. Our attorney, Jordan Humphrey, helped tremendously by guiding us through the months-long application process so I could stay focused on the business side of things. It truly takes a community to help a food truck come together, and we all end up benefiting from it.

Wow! I had no idea there was so much that went into it. It's very fortunate that you had such a wonderful, supportive community behind you. So, will there be any limited edition items only available at the food truck? New flavors?

Polski: We introduced a new sauce flavor exclusive to the food truck – it's a sweet blend barbeque sauce.

Sounds delicious! Tell me, where can people find the food truck? Is there a way for fans to know where you'll be?

Polski: People can look for our food truck in downtown Minneapolis over the lunch hour, as well as at popular breweries around town. For a full schedule of where the food truck is, visit us online or follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @marketBBQ.

Wonderful! To finish up, can we look forward to any other events for the 70th anniversary?

Polski: The only other special event happening for our 70th anniversary is the lighting of our barbeque pit each morning, just as our family has done for the past 70 years.

Market Bar-B-Que is located at 1414 Nicollet Avenue S in Minneapolis. For more information on the restaurant, or their food truck, call 612-872-1111 or visit Market Bar-B-Que online.