New Frostproof Restaurant Marks Growth of Town's Dining Choices

Frostproof's limited dining options will expand with the addition of one new choice Friday, March 31 as the highly anticipated Frostproof BBQ Company is slated to open. Although several other popular dining places are already operating, many locals are quite excited to have another choice.

The Frostproof BBQ Company will make owner Joel Vann's eighth location, following in their duo's work with Lakeland BBQ Company and Polk City BBQ Company.

Preparations at the new business at 348 Highway 630 East have been underway for a long time and the men have seen the occasional future customer pulling into the parking lot just to see if the restaurant is open yet. Many know the location as the former location of Corky's Country Store.

Lake Wales News.net had the pleasure of sitting down with Vann and manager Johnathon Robbins this week to discuss their effort to expand their successful restaurant chain into Frostproof. Vann said that he chose the Frostproof location because "we're looking for small Polk cities that are just starting to grow. There just seems to be such a good family atmosphere around the small cities, and we love growing with that."

Vann told the News that he began his career in Lakeland as a retail associate turned department manager then diamond consultant, eventually becoming an assistant manager for a department store in Tampa. He began dabbling in real estate, which in turn led Vann to his restaurant dream.

Vann's flagship restaurant in Lakeland was a success and that success has now expanded to include a multitude of bar-be-que restaurants and ice cream shops throughout central Florida.

Robbins will relocate to Frostproof to head the newest restaurant. His fiancé Kayla Lawson is expected to follow after their marriage, which will provide the restaurant a highly skilled husband-and-wife management team.

Robbins is the #1 cook from Polk City BBQ Company with over two years' experience working with Vann. Their motto is "low and slow" for the meats they cook, with a charcoal and wood fire maintained at least sixty hours a week to produce high quality meals. The restaurant will serve Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Hailing from the Smoky Mountains in South Carolina, Robbins feels at home in small towns working with wood and charcoal. A recipe of 18 spices will be used to dry rub the meats, to be served with the customer's choice of three bar-be-que sauces.

The atmosphere and food served at Frostproof BBQ Company promises to be an experience that exhibits the history of bar-be-que, the local landmark of Corky's, and a reflection of Frostproof itself. The sweet sauce at Frostproof BBQ Company will have hints of orange to harken to the history of Frostproof and the importance of the groves, with a slice of orange garnishing each plate.