An unassuming roadside trailer serves some of the best sandwiches, burgers, and bread pudding in the state of Alabama. Driving through St. Florian, a dot on the map with fewer than 1,000 residents, you hardly expect to eat a remarkable meal. But keep rolling through the one stop light, past the Dollar General and Pop’s BBQ—with its giant chicken and pig statues out front—to a maroon trailer across from a Big Star convenience store and prepare to be well fed.
The hand-painted wooden sign strung with yellow Christmas lights at the top reads “Shoals Shack.” It’s a basic yet memorable name that disguises the culinary creativity tucked inside its 700 square feet. Husband-and-wife team BJ Harris and Jennifer Tester stumbled upon an abandoned trailer in 2020 after relocating to the northwest corner of Alabama. Originally from Michigan, they met while bartending at Butch McGuire’s in Chicago, then continued their careers in food service in Florida, where they were working at Irish Kevin’s in Key West when the pandemic hit. Tester’s parents had recently retired and moved to Killen, near St. Florian. The couple expected their stint in Alabama to be brief, but fate had other plans. “I kept seeing this place empty and we were at the point where we were like, okay, we need to start working now,” says Harris. The trailer, which was painted Smurf blue at the time, became theirs, and they opened Shoals Shack in August 2020.
Harris started Instagram and Facebook accounts and began posting pictures of the food they were making, which started an organic following. On opening day, the very first customer walked up to the window and ordered a Bella burger, now one of the most popular items on the menu. “He came back 10 minutes later and we’re like, oh, man. What’s wrong?” says Harris. “Then he ordered two more.” Word spread fast, and later, the mayor showed up. “The next day we posted [on social media] and we just got destroyed,” says Harris, meaning they were flooded with customers. Tester’s mom even got roped into helping in the kitchen to keep up.
Four years later and counting, Shoals Shack has become a staple in the wider area around St. Florian known as The Shoals, which includes four cities situated along both sides of the Tennessee River. It’s common for regulars to drive 20 minutes each way from Muscle Shoals, across the river, just for lunch, says Harris.
The menu features flavorful tacos, sandwiches, burgers, po’boys, and salads, plus a few standout desserts and weekly specials. In colder months, they add soups. Tester and Harris split duties in the kitchen and have since hired staff. Tester has a culinary degree, while Harris says he learned on the job, working in kitchens and alongside his partner. Being a small operation enables the duo to turn up the creativity and experiment with new dishes and flavor combinations—like the Sugar and Spice burger, featuring sweet and spicy bacon and ghost pepper cheese—always with fresh ingredients.
Everything is made to order on the grill, two fryers, and an old electric burner stove. Customers park in the gravel parking lot, walk up to the window to peruse the chalkboard menu and order, chatting with each other while they wait. The food comes out hot in compostable, biodegradable takeout containers, which many devour in their car, sitting on the tailgate, or at one of two wooden picnic tables handmade by one of the regulars.
Harris and Tester will soon launch a food truck for catering events. Though many customers ask when they’re opening a sit-down restaurant, don’t expect to see a fancier Shoals Shack any time soon. The small footprint of the trailer enables the duo to focus on the quality of the food, which is most important. “We just try to put our hearts into it,” says Harris, “and we take a lot of pride in doing that.”
Drive Time
- 1.5 hours from Huntsville, Alabama
- 2 hours from Birmingham
- 2.25 hours from Nashville
What’s on the Menu
Shrimp Taco
Stuffed with cabbage, pickled red onion, cilantro lime ranch, and homemade salsa.
Steak and Cheese Sandwich
Shaved sirloin layered with provolone, truffle mayo, and porter beer cheese sauce.
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
Topped with bourbon caramel sauce and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
