GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – An Upstate brewery is asking the community for help after their smoker was stolen.
The stolen smoker held a lot of sentimental value to the crew at Thomas Creek Brewery.
“It was my dad’s favorite thing, he loved to cook BBQ, did it all the time, he’s been doing it for two decades,” said Pierce Davis.
Pierce Davis, who operates the brewery, said his father, Tom, had the magic touch when it came to barbecue.
“He loved it, it was amazing BBQ, and he was just really good at it,” he said.
He and his wife, Jesse Davis, said they noticed their beloved smoker was gone Friday morning.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t caught on our cameras, it’s just kind of been this unfortunate situation. We call around to all the businesses,” said Jesse.
Jesse said they have called different junkyards to see if it could be there.
With Tom now gone, it was one thing they had left that made them feel connected to him.
“Tom passed away in early November, and I can’t think of a lot of places in Greenville that his legacy and the legacy of Thomas Creek hasn’t touched,” said Jesse.
Jesse said the smoker is valued at around $12,000, but it means way more than monetary value to the couple.
“It’s really important to have that back because losing Tom has been hard on our family, it’s been hard on our business, and this kind of feels like we’re being kicked when we’re down,” she said.
“It’s sad to see it gone,” said Pierce.
The brewery has been open for almost 25 years, with Tom behind the smoker, cooking away.
“We haven’t used it since he passed away and he was the last person to have their hands on it,” said Jesse.
They said they have filed a report with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, but are asking people to keep their eyes peeled.
“The smoker itself, be on the lookout for it, it is very unique. It would be really nice to have it back,” said Pierce.
Even without the staple of Thomas Creek Brewery, they want to thank the community for their support.
If whoever took the smoker returns it, the Davis’s said they will not press charges.
They said they would love to have the smoker back for their 25th anniversary party for the brewery, on June 10.
