Shoes vs. BBQ: Styles, Forms, and Flavors

North Carolina boasts a lot of history and heritage. This is particularly true for the food served across the Tar Heel state. One form of cuisine that has a staunch following, rich flavor, and political divide is barbecue. There are two main styles of NC BBQ: Lexington and Eastern—and they’ve been developed over the past few hundred years.

While both are pork-based, they differ in the cuts of pork used and sauces to flavor the meats.

The political nature of BBQ, albeit mostly light-hearted, did inspire two bills in 2006: North Carolina House Bill 21 and North Carolina Senate Bill 47. It introduced the idea of declaring one style of barbecue as being the official for the state: it would’ve made the Lexington Barbecue Festival the official BBQ festival of North Carolina.

Lexington style boasts a thicker “red” sauce: ketchup, vinegar, pepper, and other spices (the last very among recipes). It is most commonly found in the Piedmont and western portions of the state. It uses the pork shoulder.

Eastern style derives its flavor from a lighter, clear sauce: vinegar and pepper (no tomato product). As it name details, it is the predominant style in the eastern part of the state. It uses the whole pig.

And now for the shoes …

SRI Shoe Warehouse also boasts plenty of history and heritage in its own right.  It is a footwear destination that has built a strong following, offers many styles, and continues to innovate. Established in 1991, the Rosenberg family prides itself on owning a premier spot for comfortable, affordable shoes.

Heels. Boots. Flats. Wedges. Loafers. Sandals. For men. For women. For children. All at SRI.

Despite being located further east in Raleigh and in the central part of the state (Greensboro), there is fortunately no political divide—unless you want to pass a bill that outlaws brogue shoes. Then there’ll be a problem.

And Now for a Clear Comparison

There are four other qualities of shoe stores that make them more enticing.

At a shoe store, you don’t have to worry about a lack of inventory. BBQ shops, as good as they are, like Clyde Cooper’s or The Pit, have a finite supply that takes much longer to restock. And if you go there for southern barbecue, you may have to settle for something else. But if you step into a shoe stores, there’s bound to be a brand, style, or form that can be matched a number of different ways.

The other concern is seating. A barbecue restaurant may run out of seats, depending on the day or time you decide to go (unless you book a table ahead of time). There may be nearly impossible wait times both before you sit and after you’ve ordered. At a shoe store, there’s ample seating. And if the actual seats are taken up, there’s plenty of shelving, floor space, and other make-do-seating arrangements to help make sure you get off your feet, put on new footwear, and show them off.

Finally, a shoe store is always well-lit. Unlike restaurants that create an intimate atmosphere with dim lighting and sparse fixtures, a shoe store wants people to see clearly to make a purchase. Don’t worry about rosy or golden light in SRI: we know you need clarity without sacrificing an ambient and enjoyable environment.

If you don’t take our word for it that a shoe store is more enticing than NC BBQ, we encourage you to stop in at any three of the SRI locations to discover it all for yourself today.