As a former Gator, I remember when former University of Florida guard Shannon Snell โ who recently became the franchise owner of the Sonnyโs BBQ (Note-Snell took over for previous franchisees and New Tampa residents Jim and Cristina Hoff, who ran the local Sonnyโs since it opened in 1998) on Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Wesley Chapel โ was a first-team All-American back in 2003.
What I didnโt know was that Snell lived in Tampa Palms, but attended Hillsborough High instead of Wharton (where he was zoned to attend), and he was a three-year starter for the Terriers and a USA Today High School All-American.
But, Snell told me that he injured his shoulder during his junior season at Florida and somehow went undrafted by the NFL because he never had the shoulder repaired and couldnโt pass a physical. โIt just kept getting worse,โ he said. โBut, I just wanted to rehab it and not have surgery.โ
Between 2004-06, he had brief stints with the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys, but told me, โI loved football, but I knew I didnโt have the passion to play that some guys did. My dad said that when you find your passion in work, itโs more fun, more like a hobby.โ
So, when he was still living in Gainesville, Snell says he, โstarted at the bottom with Sonnyโs. But, it had everything I wanted โ a chance to move up, with a corporate structure.โ
He adds that today, all Sonnyโs franchisees have to also become barbecue pitmasters.
โEvery location has a real person who really knows how to do barbecue,โ he says. โAnd, since every pitmaster does barbecue a little different, youโre allowed to have your individuality, but within our corporate standards. We go to Florida BBQ Association competitions and even have corporate competitions, so weโre always learning how to do barbecue better.โ
Today, Sonnyโs has almost 100 locations throughout the Southeastern U.S., owned by CEO Jamie Yarmuth, and Snell says that even though Yarmuth is young himself, he has been โa mentor to me. After I was the GM of a Gainesville location for ten years, he came to me and said, โWesley Chapel is coming available and weโd like you to become the new franchisee.โโ
So, after a couple of months with Sonnyโs โback home,โ Snell held a North Tampa Bay Chamber ribbon-cutting (top photo) on Oct. 29, that Yarmuth and other Sonnyโs execs also attended.
Snell likes to show off the seasonal menu, with items that arenโt always available โ like the maple BBQ turkey club sandwich (left) and the maple BBQ pork burnt ends (above right), which were my favorites of the seasonal items. Thereโs also a pulled pork stack on โcorncakesโ (cornbread โwafflesโ), sweet potato fries, pulled pork mac & cheese and seasonal wings tossed in maple or golden BBQ sauce.ย
My favorite thing at Sonnyโs, since BBQ sauce doesnโt always agree with me, are the grilled steakburgers (like the candied bacon burger below right) and the new loaded tots (topped with crispy onion straws, queso & drizzled with BBQ sauce, top left). We added some pulled pork because the tots just didnโt seem messy enough (just kidding โ they were definitely messy!).ย
Every attendee at the ribbon cutting also received a free โPork Big Dealโ with any other entrรฉe purchase. It included a big pulled pork sandwich, a side and a drink.
And of course, Sonnyโs โ โPitmasters since โ68โ โ also still has โSignature BBQโ like St. Louis-style and baby back pork ribs, beef brisket and more. We believe Snell is going to do great at his Wesley Chapel location!
Sonnyโs BBQ (5324 BBD Blvd.) is open every day for lunch & dinner (11 a.m.-9 p.m.). For info, call (813) 994-8989 or visit SonnysBBQ.com. โ GN