Teammates Jamie Kim and Lindsay Carlin played at opposite ends of the soccer field when they were in sixth grade. “We were on the same team, but we probably hadn’t spoken since that time,” Lindsay Carlin Sherring says. “It was completely random, out of the blue when Jamie contacted me through Facebook, but it was such a wonderful surprise.”
Jamie Kim Cawthon had recently moved back to St. Louis from Los Angeles with chef-husband Bill. She wanted to reconnect with her former teammate, who had recently moved back from South Africa. The two met, husbands in tow, for coffee in the Central West End. Lindsay and Ryan Sherring had opened Six Mile Bridge Brewery in late August. The meeting ignited a spark.
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Today, both women once again play on the same team but it’s not about soccer anymore. We’re talking beers, sausages, brats and hot dogs, a winning combination for sure.
“The Sherrings lit a fire under us,” Jamie says. “Bill had been cooking sausages in LA, we talked about a brick and mortar place in St. Louis, but we weren’t ready to jump. We were thinking about a food truck, serving artisan sausages, something so simple, but something Bill does very well. We invited the Sherrings to a tasting dinner.”
The dinner set the wheels of the food truck spinning. What if Frankly Sausages set up at Six Mile Bridge? Both couples (right) recognized the potential.
“Our customers love our beer, but we don’t serve food,” Lindsay says. “We all saw an opportunity to benefit if we collaborated at the taproom.”
“What the partnership brings to our taproom is enhancing the customer experience,” Ryan says. “It’s our core value.”
“Sharing a meal brings people together in our space. Beer and sausages complement each other so well,” Lindsay says.
The Cawthons recognized the benefit as well. They have a young family, a one year old son and a two-month old daughter. “Bill has always taken steps in his career that work for our family,” Jamie says. “He’ll be pursuing his passion without investing a million dollars in a brick and mortar restaurant.”
Both men are passionate about delivering simple products, whether beer or sausages, using the best ingredients and made to the highest possible standards. Both love to work. “Ryan’s got two speeds, 150 miles per hour or sleeping,” says Lindsay.
Jamie agrees Bill’s work is of paramount importance to him. The two couples have carefully constructed a business model that works for both, to the benefit of all customers. “This will be more than just a food truck parked outside a brewery,” Jamie says.
“We’re launching this concept in the middle of winter. We will welcome people into the brewery, people will settle in at a table and we’ll offer table service. The food truck is more like a portable kitchen. We’ll bring the food to the table,” Lindsay says. “It’s a more continuous experience and you don’t have to venture out into the cold.”
By the way, the Sherrings created a family-friendly tap room from the first days they opened. The Cawthons have a one-year old son and a 2-month old daughter who will be frequent guests. Kid-friendly offerings include the famous French fries and hot dogs made by Chris Bolyard, one of the guest chefs Bill Cawthon invited to collaborate. Look for more collaborations in the future.
The Cawthon and Sherring Sausage-and-Beer Extravaganza opens soon at Six Mile Bridge Brewery in Maryland Heights. The menu for opening has yet to be finalized, but we’ll update as details become available.
Look for classic sausages and specials each day. Word has it the French fries are a St. Louis food scene game-changer. “When we had the tasting dinner, Ryan said the chips were the best he’d ever had,” Jamie says. “It took me a while to understand he meant the fries.”
Frankly Sausages
314-324-4803
Facebook: Frankly Sausages
Twitter: @FranklySausages
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Six Mile Bridge Brewery
11841 Dorsett
314-942-2211
Thu – Fri: 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Sat: 12 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Facebook: Six Mile Bridge Beer
