The Sip and Sliders food truck will be under new management as the owner plots to create permanent restaurant location.
The Nanaimo food truck started up in 2019, and was busy during the COVID pandemic while non-wheeled restaurants were forced to close. Now, the owner says she’s ready for a new experience in the industry.
“I’m at a point where I can do it,” said Brooke Turner, owner of the Sip and Sliders truck. “Financially it’s a big thing obviously, but that’s what started it. We just got really excited about talking to breweries and wineries and all of our local suppliers that we use on food truck— excited that they will come on board.”
She will be taking her expertise to the Harewood area, where she plans to open SIP Neighborhood Pub in the University Village Mall. In the meantime, she’s been looking for a suitable candidate to sell the Sip and Sliders truck— as well as its brand.
“We had to send out an email [the day after we posted our listing] to just bear with us, we will get everybody all the information they want,” said Turner. “I’ve had probably twenty people inquire— some very interested and want to sit down immediately. We were expecting it to have that kind of reaction, but not that fast. So we had posted it thinking we might get a person here and there but literally overnight it was about twenty emails. It’s really awesome and it’s a little bit different; like I’m not selling the truck. Anybody can buy a truck. I’m selling my business.”
Whoever comes after Turner will also have access to the Facebook page she’s built, and any resources she’s found while running the truck.
Her new pub is plotted for the Harewood area. The menu will not be the same as it was on the truck, but she will be taking her recipes with her.
“The menu is going to be like a real pub menu. It’s like nachos, wings, onion rings, and you know we’ll have fish and chips, salads, locally made soups, locally made pie for dessert and then we’ll have sliders, pulled pork, macaroni and cheese… It’s a big menu it’s a little out of control, and I have to bring it down.”
Turner says she was inspired to open it in the area because she grew up in the area, and felt the old Harewood Arms Pub really did a great job of bringing the Harewood community together.
“I just remember the wing nights, the live music, and just like how the community— everybody knew everybody— and the staff were wonderful and it was fun. That’s not the exact vibe I’m going for like in design, but I just remember that.”
Turner said her journey began when her food truck showed up in her driveway, and now, she’s storing chairs, restaurant equipment, and other furniture for the new pub.
The full interview is available below.
