(Michigan City, IN) - A popular La Porte County food vendor is bouncing back from a devastating loss with lots of help of the local community.

 

Social Cue BBQ and Catering of Michigan City has gathered quite a following among local foodies. Owner Brealon Hervey discovered his passion for cooking in 2017. He left his day job two years later and bought the food trailer just as the pandemic hit. His business survived COVID, but now it’s a trial by fire.

 

Last Sunday morning, a charcoal fire gutted his trailer while it was parked at an event in Michigan City. Since then, local businesses have stepped up to help. One raffle has already earned over $6,000. Another raffle took place at the La Porte American Legion on Lincolnway Saturday afternoon.

 

Hervey says over 300 businesses have reached out to offer support, leaving him almost speechless. “I can’t even understand it, or begin to even put into words how they’ve done what they’ve done,” Hervey said.

 

“Everybody has gone above and beyond what I would ever even ask for, what I could ever even imagine.”

 

Hervey says most of the efforts have been spearheaded by Infinite Painting & Design, Flying Nimbus LLC, and fellow foodie and friend Nicki Kist.

 

Losing a major part of his business didn’t deter Hervey from being generous himself. On Thursday Social Cue served food at a local fundraiser for a children’s hospital in Chicago. Hervey set up a tent and some folding tables did what he does.

 

“We kept our promise; we said we were going to come, and we went,” he said. “We still made a donation to the cause.”

 

Hervey operates a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 1701 Franklin Street in Michigan City. He’s hoping business there will keep him afloat until his BBQ wagon is replaced. In the meantime, he’s getting by with a little help from his friends.