Joe’s Barbecue Truck receives great support from community amid permit issues
BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) — Business is booming at Joe’s Barbecue Truck at Tallmadge Road, with long lines of customers stretching across the parking lot.
It’s a pleasant surprise for the small business, after a period of uncertainty and instability while trying to re-obtain permits to operate legally.
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“We operate on two different licenses here,” owner Joseph Menendez said. “We have a license through our local health department. And then we also have a license through the township, a permit that allows us to operate, you know, a mobile food business within Brimfield Township.”
Menendez said his operating permit expired on March 1, which forced him to close — until he found a loophole allowing him to give away free food, with the hope that customers would make donations.
“No one took advantage of it. It was really successful,” he said. “It made our employees a bunch of money and it was a good time. It was really nice to see the support from the community.”
This is the latest of several hurdles that Menendez said has become obstacles to overcome while running a small business. He feels he’s being harassed by the Brimfield Township Zoning Commission.
“We’ve also received complaints through our health department made by zoning people from the township, and they’ve admitted that in zoning meetings,” Menendez said. “And it’s been really, it’s been really like — it’s taken a ton of my time to address. All the complaints are frivolous. We’ve never received a violation for any of them, but they just keep coming.”
Brimfield Township Administrative Business Manager Holly Woods issued a statement to FOX 8 News in response to several claims made by Menendez.
We are passionate about the success of small businesses in our township and have been dismayed by allegations that we are roadblocking small and temporary businesses in our township, and more specifically that Joe’s Barbecue has been unfairly targeted by the township and the zoning commission.
Regarding claims of harassment of zoning board members and a recent complaint filed to the Portage County Combined General Health District about Joe’s Barbecue by a member of the zoning board, we are doing our due diligence to ensure that the complainant acted as a resident, and not on behalf of the zoning commission. It is the First Amendment right of all residents to file their own complaints, which are independent from the views of the zoning board. As long as the complaint was filed as a resident complaint, no violation or inappropriate actions have been taken. If we find out otherwise, then appropriate actions will be taken by the board in accordance with zoning regulations. Our township and zoning commission stand ready to continue to work with Joe’s Barbecue and all small businesses who aim to serve the residents of Brimfield Township.
Brimfield Township Administrative Business Manager Holly Woods
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One of the points of conflict for Menendez to re-obtain a permit to operate is that under Ohio Revised Code, the food truck is required to move every 40 days. This is something Menendez said Joe’s will work to accommodate once a month at a local brewery.
The Portage County Health District has approved Joe’s for operation without issue.
Menendez said he has the long-term goal of turning his mobile operation into a brick-and-mortar restaurant, but hopes he doesn’t continue to run into issues because he said it’s difficult enough to run a small business.
“I want it to go away, but I also need I also want some sort of assurance that it’s not going to, like, come up later,” he said. “So I’m trying to address the at-the-core issues and I’m also trying to kind of help make it easier for other businesses that want to do what we do.”
Menendez is very grateful to the community for its continued support through the recent issues and said he looks forward to serving the community.
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