On Jan 22, 7:59*pm, "Nunya Bidnits" wrote:

Personally I don't like
doing business with big corporations who buy up decent businesses run by
home town folks just to raid their assets, screw up people's jobs, and
cheapen and eventually trash the company's products. In other words, screw
CharBroil. There are many better cookers in their price ranges made by
decent companies. Just my $2.22.

Fear not, Marty. I have it on good authority that the guys (two
brothers) that started the NB pit company have their next endeavor
underway.

In 1997, NB Smokers sold out, and of course had a priviso that the no
longer manufacture pits, in this case for ten years. The company was
sold to Charbroil about five years after that. Their 90,000 ft
manufacturing facility was packed up and moved out of state at that
time, but the non compete clause was still in effect.

EVERYONE around here had a NB product at one time since it was
literally made 30 minutes from my house. You could drive by the
highway on the way to different river/park/fishing/boating/hiking
destinations and the smokers would be lined up on the highway side of
the plant to catch your eye. You could buy one right off the lot if
you wanted.

When they closed it was ugly. People around here were ****ed as they
had heard the "nothing will change" song and dance when they were
purchased in '97. They made nice equipment, and it was affordable,
too. I guess at least the original purchasers kept their word. But
with the loss of jobs, the closing of the plant, and the loss of a
great tradition in affordable bbcue equipment, it really left a sour
taste in the mouth of folks around here.

The Black Diamonds and some of their custom products that didn't go to
the stores were pretty common. So common I didn't get one... sheesh.
You could get them used all over the place, and it was well known that
you could drive up there and get one that was whacked by a forklift,
knocked over and had a bent leg, etc., for a great price.

Now NO ONE sells them around here. They are considered "gold" and
simply never come up for sale.

I had a barrel pit that I bought from them that lasted almost 16 years
of really hard use. It closed like a vault, only leaked a fair amount
of air, but was sturdy enough to burn about 300 lbs of fuel a year.
(It actually used a fair amount of fuel... no matter how good it was,
in the end it was still just a barrel pit!).

It will be interesting to see if the new company takes off and if they
concentrate in making custom smokers (like Klose, etc.) or if they
want to make a line of affordable quality grills/pits, more along the
line of Chargriller.

My contact on this actually works at a barbecue store and they sell
mostly propane cookers. He got the buzz on this because apparently
the boys in NB were making a few inquiries as to interest and it got
everyone around here excited.

I will be glad to post any news here if the can get it going.

Robert