4 days Ago
The exterior of the Joe's 2 Geaux food truck. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save A Stonewall food truck, Joe's 2 Geaux, has grown successful by offering wood-fired brick-oven pizza to the town and surrounding areas, and the owner is happy to be giving back to the area. Joey Harmson, owner of Joe's 2 Geaux, said he has wanted to open a pizza place since high school and finally opened it about 20 years later.
He's in a trailer with a brick oven and is enjoying the process of growing his business . "Nobody is doing what I'm doing here," Harmson said. He said you usually see this style in bigger cities like New York or Chicago.
Harmson also owns a construction company, but during a slow month, he decided to do some research to see if opening a pizza trailer was doable. It was, and Joe's 2 Geaux has been open for about a month. "I'm in my element," Harmson said while weighing dough for his event the following day.
"I'm cooking, working with my hands, and air-conditioned. I'm not in the heat." Harmson said he can get you a pizza in five minutes.
The oven cooks in about a minute and a half, and he said it's like roasting marshmallows and hot dogs because of the black char flavor. He ensured that this flavor doesn't mean the pizza is burnt and that the char flavor and his sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes bring something different to the area for pizza lovers. The oven inside the Joe's 2 Geaux trailer.
According to Harmson, he never expected to serve so many people. He sold out in the first couple of weeks because he didn't have enough inventory to keep up with demand. Giving back to Stonewall His goal was to make about 30 or 40 pizzas daily, but he said he's been making 100 pizzas daily.
He takes days off during the week to stock up on his inventory and spend time with his family. Harmson's wife is a big help in the business, and he said her support has made his success possible. He says they have four jobs between them because they maintain their day jobs while running Joe's 2 Geaux.
The menu features Harmson's whole family, with pizzas named after them. A pizza is also named Griffin after the North DeSoto schools' mascot. Harmson said he opened the food truck to give back to his community and have another food option for Stonewall.
"When I cross from Shreveport into Stonewall, it's like a different air for me," Harmson said. He said he was also happy LeaIV's opened to fill another food spot. "I just want businesses to succeed," Harmson said of Stonewall small businesses.
"I'm not here to take over anything." Harmson said he even enjoys paying taxes to Stonewall because he likes knowing he's making a difference. The eventual goal for Harmson when it comes to Joe's 2 Geaux is building a brick-and-mortar permanent location in town for friends and families to hang out, watch TV, and maybe have something to drink if voters approve alcohol sales within city limits.
He said he'd also love to employ local teenagers to give them some experience working. For now, Harmson is enjoying the process of running his trailer. The view of the oven from the outside of the trailer.
"This is a God thing for me," he said. "I've been praying about it. I've been asking God, please, give me something I can be successful with that I enjoy.
" Harmson said he is glad he took a chance on the food truck. He said he is no stranger to hard work and has liked to be busy since he was a teenager, and now he's putting in a lot of work to ensure that people are getting a good product in his pizzas. "Some people are kind of scared to go big or take leaps," Harmson said.
"I'm just not that guy. If it doesn't work, what's going to happen?".
