Local Dish: Alabama Stackers
Inspired by food trucks and beach festivals, Alabama Stackers hopes to not only satisfy cravings but build a greater sense of community as well.
Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill and courtesy Alabama Stackers
As Josh Fowler traveled the country with his older brothers, working to provide electricity and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) for events hosted by the PGA, he observed the ample amounts of food trucks setting up at the events. He made a mental note that, if done well, a food truck could be a very steady, lucrative business. When Josh was assigned a project in his economics class to develop a hypothetical business and create a plan of operation, he knew without a doubt his project would be a food truck.
"I had the idea for a food truck with sort of a 90's beach festival vibe," Josh says. "Classic American foods like burgers and hotdogs that could be enjoyed without having to sit down and stay in one spot, and an atmosphere that was fun and inviting."
Josh quickly got to work developing the business. Menus, recipes, portion sizes—every detail down to the profit on a single French fry. It was a lot of work for a hypothetical business, but Josh had a bigger plan than simply earning a grade. He had saved up exactly $15,000 while working with his brothers, Jay and Nick McKinney, and he wanted to apply that savings toward transforming his concept —Alabama Stackers—into a reality.
The brothers had taken a six-month construction job in North Carolina following the onset of the pandemic. As they were near wrapping up and heading back to Alabama, Josh went to Nick and Jay with his idea, explaining he’d even located a food truck in Atlanta that they could pick up on their way back home. Jay recalls looking over Josh's plan with Nick and being on board "pretty much instantly" due to the well-thought-out details.
Some might consider it misfortune or bad luck that the plan to retrieve the food truck fell through, but the brothers practically consider it fate. Once they arrived in Jasper and got back to work in the community they call home, a building purposed to be a restaurant became available for purchase. Although the small, unassuming block building on 19th Street isn't a food truck, it was an opportunity for the brothers and their father, Robin, to bring Josh's plan to life while serving the people of Jasper, a community that means a great deal to them.
"The way we work in our construction and HVAC businesses requires a lot of travel,” Nick McKinney says. “Our home base could literally be anywhere in the United States, but we chose Jasper, and we'd choose it a hundred times over. The way of life here aligns so well with how we want to raise our families, and we couldn't pick a better place to establish a business that we don't have to travel for. We're investing into this community because we really love it."
Alabama Stackers is set to open on January 7, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. In keeping with the food truck ambience, the restaurant will feature no indoor dining, but will have walk-up and drive-through ordering. There will also be outdoor dining spots accompanied by game sets like cornhole to foster community while enjoying a meal.
Alabama Stackers’ menu will feature burgers, hotdogs, corndogs, and grilled cheese sandwiches as entrees. Burgers come in 2-stack, 3-stack, and 4-stack sizes (2, 3, or 4 patties, respectively.) Patrons ordering a burger or hot dog can ask to “make it a plus”, which adds bacon and the restaurant’s signature Stacker Sauce. Side items choices include hand-cut French fries and bagged potato chips.
No Alabama Stackers experience is complete without a hand-dipped milkshake. Flavor choices include chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or the featured flavor, which will change from time to time.
Everything about Alabama Stackers is local, from the family who owns it to the materials used in construction and the beef for the hamburgers. The McKinneys feel they can best drive home their intention to build community through the restaurant by helping other local businesses in the process.
"We're not here to compete with any other business in Jasper; we are here to join forces with the other businesses and grow the local economy so that our home continues to thrive," says Jay. "Like our motto says, we are Jasper-owned, Jasper-operated, and Jasper's own." 78
To preview Alabama Stackers menu, stay up-to-date with progress, and watch for news leading up to opening day, follow Alabama Stackers on Facebook and Instagram.