Modesto cop turned grill master opens new BBQ, home decor shop in Roseburg Square
Say you want to look at grills and she wants to shop for candles. Or, you want to find a new barbecue sauce and he wants to look for wall art.
Either way, you’re both covered with the new two-in-one shop in Modesto’s Roseburg Square. Cen Cal Smoke and Smoke & Magnolias are separate but together stores offering grilling equipment and home decor items, respectively. The unusual concept comes from husband-and-wife owners Chuck and Andrea Jones.
“We wanted something that was unique,” Andrea said. “And this is a one-stop shop.”
They decided on the his-and-hers shop concept (or whatever-and-whatever; no judgment or gender roles here) about a year ago and started looking for spaces. Chuck Jones, a retired Modesto police officer, had happened into the grilling business by accident.
In 2013, he retired from the Modesto Police Department, and then opened a private investigations service. But barbecuing was his love, specifically on pellet grills. In 2016, he began hooking his friends up with the specialized wood pellets needed to fuel the grills. That grew into more friends, and then acquaintances, and soon their garage was stacked high with bags.
His wife, Andrea, is a real estate agent and knows a lot about home decor, and so the dual-concept shop was born out of their shared interests — and a need to reclaim their garage. The couple settled on the small boutique space in Roseburg Square that used to house Laura Bell & Co.
The 800-square-foot space is well-appointed, as one would hope from a home decor shop. The two sides of the store blend together seamlessly, despite their differing merchandise.
On the Cen Cal Smoke side, Chuck carries wood-fired Green Mountain Grills, which use pellets instead of propane or charcoal. To fuel the grills, he is the exclusive Modesto retailer of Lumber Jack Wood Pellets, selling them for a good $10 less for some bags than you can find them online. Last year, distributing out of his garage, he sold 17 tons of pellets, and this year, he should be close to 25 tons.
Chuck also carries an impressive selection of barbecue sauces, rubs and other seasonings to get the most out of your grill. Among his stock are several brands with law enforcement or military backgrounds, including many that donate a portion of their proceeds to first-responder and military causes. They also stock Black Rifle Coffee, a small-batch coffee company out of Salt Lake City that is veteran owned.
Both Chuck and Andrea have long law enforcement backgrounds. She worked close to 13 years as a community service officer for Modesto police and a crime analyst for Turlock police. He worked at various departments for close to 29 years, including the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department and 10 years with Modesto police.
On the home decor side, Andrea sells a large selection of candles, dishware, kitchen accessories, decorative pieces, seasonal decor, soaps and more. The shop is currently decked out in its Christmas finery.
Cen Cal Smoke and Smoke & Magnolias, at 819 W. Roseburg Ave. in Roseburg Square, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 209-488-4962 or visit www.facebook.com/CenCalSmoke or www.facebook.com/smokeandmagnolias.
