Community , barbecue fuels Gouard ’ s passion STORY AND PHOTOS 0BY CAROL ROEHM
Bud Gouard is serious about barbecue , and the expansive menu on the side of his Bud ’ s BBQ truck is proof of that .
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Between 11 a . m . and 6 p . m . most Fridays and Saturdays , Gouard and his Bud ’ s BBQ truck can be found at the northeast corner of Big Lots ’ parking lot . He also is a well-known vendor at many community events and festivals around the area during the summer .
As dinner time approached one Friday afternoon , a line formed at the BBQ truck .
Steve and Phyllis Guettler of Clearwater , Fla ., happened to be driving by on Gilbert Street when they saw the colorful Bud ’ s BBQ truck , trailer and flags and decided to stop and order pulled pork and a half slab of ribs .
As Gouard personally handed the order to the couple , he joked , “ Here ’ s the barbecued chicken you ordered .”
Phyllis started to correct him when Gouard laughed and let her in on the joke , prompting everyone else in line to have a good laugh , too .
These days that light-hearted rapport with his customers and his passion for barbecue has become the best medicine for Gouard .
Two years ago this July , as he was preparing for a busy weekend serving bar-
SPRING 2023 | ILLIANA MAGAZINE
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