Smokey Mo’s comes in hot near UTSA. On Sept. 21, Smokey Mo’s BBQ opened its doors to the brand new location at 6010 UTSA Blvd to waves of eager guests. The grand opening included giveaways alongside the UTSA Alumni Association, celebrating food and community spirit.
Guests had the chance to win movie tickets and even a year’s worth of free barbeque. Smokey Mo’s also hosted a fundraiser to support local Clark High School student, Brandon Esquivel, in his campaign with Disability SA on the Fiesta Especial Royal Court. Fiesta Especial aims to offer inclusive and educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities allowing them to engage in the celebrations of Fiesta fully. All of his fundraising proceeds will be donated to Morgan’s Wonderland.
“A part of our culture and core values is community, being a part of the community is very important at each one of our locations. I have a son with a disability, and so being a part of that is special to my heart,” said Shari Saldivar, wife of John Saldivar, owner of both the new location and the Stone Oak location.
There were many options when looking for a location for the new Smokey Mo’s. However, the decision to wait for this once-vacant area on UTSA Blvd was driven by the area’s rapid growth and potential for collaboration with local organizations such as UTSA and the Alumni Association.
“When we were looking to open up in this area, there were quite a few different locations that were available,” Shari Saldivar explained. “This one was not quite built yet, it was just a grass area. So there was a time frame of getting that built before we could even start here. That process started about two years ago, so it’s been quite the journey to the grand opening.”
When asked about plans to work with UTSA organizations in the future, Saldivar said,
“We are doing a bunch with UTSA alumni, we’ve partnered with them on different events and are also talking to a few people over at UTSA to do some partnerships and sponsorships with us all.”
Veronica Dominguez, director of membership and engagement for the UTSA Alumni Association, offered some insight about the program and their collaboration with Smokey Mo’s.
“Today we’ve partnered with Smokey Mo’s to offer members a discount throughout the year and promote our student membership. This gives students access to free UTSA merch, tailgates, and mentoring opportunities. If people sign up today, they get a free sandwich; students also get a free shirt and get to come out and enjoy all kinds of fun stuff with the Alumni Association. We do a great job at engaging and pushing the Roadrunner spirit.”
The Alumni Association gives away scholarships to a minimum of 30 students every year and has a mentoring program that connects students with members of the community to discuss how UTSA shaped their careers.
The new Smokey Mo’s location is at, 6010 UTSA Blvd. suite 106, San Antonio, TX 78249, just a two-minute drive from campus.
