Chicken Shack smokes up the Jackson Fairgrounds

JACKSON, Tenn. — The music is rocking, the coals are hot, and The Chicken Shack is back in business for the 44th year.

“It was just something I enjoyed doing. I’m a people person more or less,” said Joe Cothran, who’s been coming to help out with the sale since 1970.

Joe brought his son Harold before he could even walk. Now as Joe helps from the outside, Harold is now the one manning the shack.

“We’ve got an intense heat box right here. Of course, we fire it up every 45 minutes, and we flip it every 5 to 8 minutes, depending on how hot the pit is,” Harold Cothran said.

This five day week has a lot of lessons to be learned.

“People who come through here see kids do something positive and they’ll reinforce the values that I think kids should have and we need in our community,” 4-H Extension Agent Kane Reeves said.

“I’ve learned how to work with other people and how to hold conversations and be really nice to the customer and just to make the food and see the process is really cool,” 8th grade 4-H student Ashtyn Drake said.

These students will have fed nearly 5,000 people when the week is through.

“To get it to taste like we do is extremely difficult,” Joe Cothran said.

The tradition attracting new taste buds each year.

“They’ve all got a job. They learn about teamwork. I don’t have to tell them much,” Harold Cothran said.

The Chicken Shack will open every day at lunch, and will wrap up Saturday night.