Follow this Burgaw restaurant on a summer road trip as it grows its comfort food brand

Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·3 min read
The McDuffie family, along with the mayor of Burgaw (left) at the MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs. The restaurant recently served their last meal on May 28, 2023 at Pender Landing Shopping Center and will be opening in a new space later this year.
The McDuffie family, along with the mayor of Burgaw (left) at the MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs. The restaurant recently served their last meal on May 28, 2023 at Pender Landing Shopping Center and will be opening in a new space later this year.

Myra McDuffie and her family and the staff at MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs in Burgaw had a plan. Between moving from the restaurant’s longtime home at Pender Landing Shopping Center to their brand-new building later this year, they were going to serve from a food truck temporarily at their new space.

But the details just haven’t worked out and they were squeezed between higher rent and a long permit delay. So they made a new plan.

“You know, when you get lemons, you have to make lemonade,” McDuffie said.

Instead, they’re taking a summer road trip, or several of them.

The MeMa's food trailer will be representing Southeastern North Carolina at festivals around the state. They’re focusing on those events that draw large crowds of 30,000 people or more and plan to be at two or more per month. Fans can follow along on the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram pages. It’s something they’ve been calling "MeMa's Road Trippin.”

They were at the Juneteenth celebration in Greensboro on June 19, for example, and will be at the Food Truck Fair in Durham on July 16.

“I feel like we can serve good food and spread the word about MeMa’s,” she said. MeMa’s was featured in USA TODAY’S Top 10 Places for Barbecue in North Carolina and was also a 2021 Coastal Entrepreneur Award Winner.

MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs will be serving their barbecue and Southern fare at festivals around North Carolina this summer before they reopen in a new location later this year.
MeMa’s Chick’n’ & Ribs will be serving their barbecue and Southern fare at festivals around North Carolina this summer before they reopen in a new location later this year.

More: From bourbon to blueberries, check out June food-and-drink events in the Wilmington area

Previous reporting: From dishwashers to cooks, dozens have entered this contest to win a Burgaw restaurant

But they’ll still maintain a local presence, too. They have a regular gig at a Pender County church throughout the summer, and will be catering for baby showers, graduation parties, and more. You’ll also be able to find them at the Ocean City Jazz Festival in North Topsail July 1-2 and at the N.C. 4th of July Festival in Southport.

It’s an effort to grow their brand before they move – and to keep their staff working in the interim.

“That’s something we have to do,” McDuffie said.

With that in mind, MeMa’s is planning to launch two other programs in August. One is a monthly Supper Club, where they partner with a different winery for each event. Another is a meal kit service available for pre-order and delivery. People will have a choice of three meats, as well as a vegetable and starch in plates priced per person with enough for leftovers.

McDuffie and her staff served their final meal at their original location on May 28, at an event that drew a large crowd, speeches from local dignitaries and a kite-flying sendoff.

“I feel so relieved,” she said. “There’s a weight off my shoulders. And we look forward to what’s next.”

They hope to be in their new spot at 1125 N.C. 53 in Burgaw in November. In addition to the restaurant, the family is planning to make MeMa’s products like a barbecue sauce and meat rub, which are available at Lowes Foods locations, onsite.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: MeMa's restaurant has plans to grow brand before opening in new spot