When it comes to dogs, especially his own, a boxer-pit mix named Brix, Trevor Sales bravely speaks what other dog owners simply dare to think.
“I may like dogs more than I like people,” he says with a laugh. It’s funny because Sales is one of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet; it’s also funny because, well, it’s probably a little true.
Sales’ dog is, after all, hard not to fawn over. At age 6, he’s as chill and laid-back as he is approachable. When he’s made appearances at Brix BBQ — Sales’ pop-up barbecue spot on the Near Southside — people have practically lined up to pet and snap pics with him.
Brix is a rescue dog Sales and his family acquired from the Humane Society of North Texas. “We got him when he was about a year old,” Sales says. “Me and this dog, we just connected.”
The two share a special bond, Sales says. “He’s one of those dogs that when you talk to him, he understands exactly what you’re saying,” he says. “He’s got this expressiveness in his eyes and face. We have a mutual understanding of each other.”
Sales’ dog and ‘cue joint share the same name — appropriate, since they both play such a major role in Sales’ life. Brix the dog came first. Brix the barbecue business was named after Sales’ pup, launching as a pop-up in 2017.
Part of a new wave of barbecue lovers who’ve, over the past few years, opened food trucks or restaurants that serve Central Texas-style ‘cue, Sales has become one of the city’s most popular ‘cue cooks. Using a 1,000-gallon smoker nicknamed the Brisket Bomber, he and a small crew have been operating out of a repurposed Airstream trailer parked on Bryan Avenue, in a cool little outdoor area Sales and his wife, Katlynn, landed in 2020.
In late July, they’ll upgrade to a permanent brick-and-mortar spot at 1012 South Main St.
Don’t expect to see Brix the dog there anytime soon, though.
“He’s an air-conditioning, couch and bed-loving dog,” Sales says. “His favorite thing to do is lay his head on my lap while I sip bourbon and we watch some ‘Seinfeld.’ He’ll be at the new place, but probably after it cools down a bit. He likes to be comfortable. He’s that kind of dog.”
