TD’s Brew & BBQ Heats Up

LIKE MANY SMALL business owners, Tearl “TD” Dunlap got started by experimenting in his kitchen, making barbecue sauce and other spicy condiments to share with family and friends. In 2018, he sold 400 bottles of his original sauce at Smokin’ on the Plaza, a Lovington barbecue event, and realized his hobby might have legs—at least enough to help restore his Chevrolet Chevelle. Now, TD’s Brew & BBQ products are stocked in 650 stores and available online. The line has expanded to include flavors like Atomic Pineapple and Southern Mustard sauces, plus spice rubs and seasonal goodies such as Campfire Candy (spicy-sweet candied pickled jalapeños) and smoked pickles and olives. “Being inspired to create a flavor is the easy part,” Dunlap says. “Staying committed [to it] until it hits it out of the park—that’s where process becomes the secret ingredient.” A recent $150,000 grant from the New Mexico Local Economic Development Act, along with $20,000 and a steep discount on land from the City of Lovington, will fund a new production and distribution facility, where Dunlap can increase his output and sell directly to consumers. “We’ll also have seasonal products and new releases,” he promises. “What I really like doing is helping my customers come up with dinner,” he says.