Our relationships with our retail partners, especially independently-owned stores, are the most important things about our business. In our blog, we’d like to spotlight some of the people who make doing business a pleasure! For our very first installment, we’re featuring Joan and Jim Cattey of Smoke ‘n’ Fire^® Bar-B-Que and Fireplace.

Smoke ‘n’ Fire Bar-B-Que got its start in 1999, in Overland Park, Kansas. Run by Joan Cattey and her son Jim, they’re known for their customer service and product knowledge. Their store offers just about everything the outdoor grilling enthusiast could need! They carry all three of The Companion Group’s lines: Charcoal Companion®, Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue™ and Planet Barbecue™, and Pizzacraft®. Among the products they stock are grill toppers, tools, smokes, rubs, and skewers – and lots, lots more! We work together with them to select the products to make sure they have the newest items as well as popular favorites.

Smoke ‘n’ Fire becomes a pretty busy place on the weekends, when they offer tastings and product demos. Grilling authority and cookbook author (and friend of The Companion Group!) Steven Raichlen has conducted several cooking classes at Smoke ‘n’ Fire. He says,

Jim and Joan rock! Simply the best barbecue store anywhere on the planet… Whether you’re in the market for a new grill or smoker; the latest tools, fuels, and accessories; or explosively flavorful rubs, and barbecue sauces, you’ll find them here. The highly informative classes and seminars alone are worth a visit.  I love teaching at Smoke ‘n Fire whenever I’m in Kansas City.

Even if you’re not in Kansas, you can still learn from the Catteys’ expertise and shop their wares online. Their website is rich with recipes, class schedules, a blog, and of course all the products they carry! Check it out at http://smokenfire.com.

Thank you so much to Joan and Jim Cattey for being such wonderful partners!

Niki Gross

Niki is the Marketing Communications Manager for The Companion Group. She is responsible for marketing and communications strategies, from advertising to websites. She is a wife, mother, yogi, and lover of cheeseburgers, proper grammar and a strong work ethic!