This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights Holy Smokes BBQ owner Nick Wells.
Q: Where were you born?
A: I was born in Georgia, but I wasn't there really long. I grew up in the Florence area just outside of Jackson.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: Well, I grew up with nine siblings. I cooked for them a lot, and I always really enjoyed it. It's always been a passion of mine. I started out with a food truck, and I ran that for roughly two years before selling it and buying this building. Now, here we are.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Serving people. Seeing a smile on someone's face whenever they sit down and enjoy something I cooked. It just feels great to know that something I was able to do gave them some sort of joy in life.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
A: These days, it would have to be dealing with inflation. I strive to provide affordable meals for everybody because I don't want to see anybody go hungry, but every time food prices go up, we have to go up as well. I know that's hard on the working man. It's hard on everybody, but we're all doing our best to help each other out.
Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I wanted to be a chef. It was always a dream of mine. I wanted to go to culinary school for a really long time. Of course, I could pack up and go now, but I'd have to leave this place, and there's just too much passion here for me to leave it.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: I would have to say my wife. She's stood by me from the very beginning of this. If I've ever had a dream, she's helped me chase it.
Q: What is your spouse’s name?
A: Sarah Wells.
Q: Do you have children?
A: We've got four kids: Riley, Bentley, Chaplin and Lainey.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: I'd want a Wagyu ribeye, a loaded baked potato, some asparagus and a good piece of buttered toast. That'd be a pretty good way to go out.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I'd really like to see Japan someday. When it comes to food, they just have such a unique way of doing things, and I think it'd be really neat to experience it all firsthand.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I love cooking. I cook a lot at home, and cook for any family events as well. I enjoy hunting and fishing, too. I don't get to do so much of it nowadays because things are always busy, but those are some of the hobbies I really enjoy.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia and Marion County?
A: It's a very tight-knit community. My son, Bentley, was once diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, and my wife and I were in Jackson dealing with that for about a month. My family helped run the restaurant while we were away, and there were so many people who I had never even met who were volunteering to help us with this or that throughout the whole process. It just meant the world to me and my family.
Q: What is one thing you want to do that you’ve never tried?
A: I'd love to try skydiving someday. It's just one of those things that you've got to experience at some point in life. Hopefully I'll get
my chance.
