Lee and Julie Harris, owners of Holy Smokes, known for its smoked pork, beef, and turkey, choose to avoid working with chicken as it often becomes too dry during the smoking process. They make their seasonings and are known for their authentic quality. Their niche comes from their process, which is 100% wood-fired smoked meat; they don’t add smoked flavoring (liquids are often added to fires). Their work is artistic and all in the hands. Their meat is priced by the pound, not per person, and they can inform you of how many people are fed by volume. As Lee Harris told us, “Good meat doesn’t need sauce!”   Lee and Julie have continued their journey in business, evolving from a food truck business to purchasing a commercial building in Cloquet and adding a commercial kitchen for their meat business and creating it into their home, and in November 2023, opening a restaurant and coffeehouse in the historic Chief Theater at 103 Avenue C in Cloquet. The family medical leave of their coffeehouse manager created an opportunity to consider opening the restaurant. The board for Kingdom Builders, who owns 103 Avenue C, decided it was an excellent opportunity to use the commercial storefront for Holy Smokes, retain the coffeehouse, and build and retain employment. Holy Smokes currently has eight employees.   Lee and Julie Harris “pulled the plug,” working as medical professionals for decades, switched gears to face their calling, and launched the dream of a meat-smoking catering and food truck business. After they purchased a food truck, they realized how critical having storage for it is and examined pole-building options on their property. Eventually they decided to sell their Esko home and purchase a building in downtown Cloquet, renovating the second level as their home and building a commercial kitchen on the main floor. With the time smoking takes, you need to be around to monitor the meat; therefore, building their home onsite with the business became the logical goal.