Tammy Wallace had always wanted to own and operate her own food truck.
When her son got sick and went into hospital in 2015, Wallace decided life was too fragile to wait any longer and Groovy Gilled Cheese was born.
Wallace and her husband bought an old trailer, renovated the inside to create a functional kitchen, painted whimsical rainbows, peace signs and food-based characters on the old trailer’s exterior, and went for it.
“It just kind of made me reflect on just how quickly life can change,” said Wallace. “I decided , 'you know what, I'm not wasting any more time. I'm going to do it.'”
Wallace said she’s a hippie at heart, so it was a natural fit for her to create a 60s-themed food truck. The grilled cheese, however, was her son’s idea.
“When my son was sick in the hospital, we kind of got chatting and he said, ‘You should do grilled cheese. Everybody loves grilled cheese’,” she said.
Wallace said the pandemic has affected her business on the festival front, but the community has been supportive over the last year and a half as the truck has found a new home in the former FreshCo plaza on Wellington Road 18 in Fergus.
“Last year was a little bit slower and this year we seem to be doing a little bit better,” Wallace said. “Basically, we're hanging in there. We're running a business. I'm able to pay my employees. We're making it work and we're kind of trying to improvise as we go.”
These improvisations have led Wallace to create a full experience for patrons on weekends with additions like the Groovy Grill, and the Groovy Market.
Wallace described the grill as an extension of the menu items offered at the truck.
“Just a couple of nights ago we sat down and came up with some groovy names for everything and we just got a new menu board made,” Wallace said. “So, we're going to go with it and see what happens.”
The grill serves up items like hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers and even has groovy special featured items, like a sloppy Bobby McGee.
For those looking to showcase their inner flower child, Wallace has set up the Groovy Market where she, along with other members of her kitchen crew, sell items like tie-dye shirts and fun pins that “put the butt in buttons.”
“What we're trying to create is just a blast from the past,” Wallace said. “We're taking you on a trip down memory lane… We've got the playlist going, we've got tie dye and we've got vintage clothing.”
To add to the vibe, the menu boards are themed after 60s songs. With quirky items like the “I’m a Believer BLTC,” the “Carry On My Wayward S-Onion” and “The Elvis.” Wallace fully embraces the nostalgia trip and says she hopes others feel the same.
“My favourite part is when people come to the truck and they love the menu, they get the witty names and they love the food,” Wallace said. “I would say I just love watching my customers have a good time with something that came from my brain.”
Above all, Wallace credits the support from her close circle of friends and family for the success of her psychedelic food venture,
“I would definitely have to give credit to my family,” Wallace said, “It's a family-run business… They have just been there with me from day one and I can always count on them so they're a huge part of it as well. And I'm really proud of them standing behind me and making it happen.”
