Stumpy's Smoked Cheese

Photos by Emma Highfill: Rose Wheat Photography

Stumpy’s Smoked Cheese started out as a hobby for Quint Cook. After tasting smoked cheeses shared at work by a colleague, he began to try the process on his own, learning through trial and error how to achieve the best flavors.

“I melted a lot of cheese along the way,” Quint said.

He got the hang of it, though, and soon he was creating such delicious cheeses that family and friends began asking if they could place orders. In the fall of 2017, Quint Cook’s employer let him know that there would not be a bonus that year. The family had four boys, including a new baby, and parents Stacy and Quint Stumpy’'s Smoked Cheese were counting on the bonus to pay for Christmas for the family, as it had in years past.

“We had a few months before Christmas,” Stacy said, “so we had to get creative. I suggested that we get a booth at the Apple Festival in Ward Meade Park to sell cheese, and to be honest, Quint just laughed at first. He didn’t really believe that there would be enough interest to make much money from selling cheese, but he agreed to try it.”

The couple asked a friend to help with a banner and borrowed a canopy tent. When they filled out the vendor application for the festival, the name Stumpy’s fell into place.

“Quint has a side business grinding tree stumps,” Stacy said, “and he jokingly suggested his nickname, Stumpy, for the name of the business on the application. We both laughed, but we wrote it down, and it stuck.”

On the first day of the Apple Festival, the Cooks sold out of cheese before the day was up. They went home and smoked up another huge round of cheese, staying up all night to package it, and then sold out again the next day.

“I remember the drive home that day. Quint and I were in total shock at the amount of cheese we had just sold and at the reaction of the people tasting it,” Stacy said. “We knew we had something. After that we called the state, installed a commercial kitchen in our basement and started booking shows like crazy.”

The couple finds their favorite flavors of cheese, sourced from Alma Creamery, Osceola, and as far away as Wisconsin, then adds the smoky flavor. Based on feedback from customers, they’ve tweaked flavors along the way, continuing to build up a bigger following by attending events and establishing partnerships with area retailers. In August of 2019, Quint was able to quit his job to commit to Stumpy’s full time, Stumpy’s Smoked Cheese is now available from more than 20 retail locations in Topeka, Manhattan, Leavenworth, Lawrence and even Tulsa, Oklahoma. They have also expanded their product line to offer baskets, prepackaged platters, dips and other unique foods.

FAMILY BUSINESS

The Cooks love running a family business. Quint is happy to have a more flexible schedule, to be able to be more present as a dad and help out at the boys’ school. The boys are able to help out, too, with tasks such as putting stickers on products or building boards and platters.

“We pay them by the hour,” Stacy said. “They all think it’s pretty cool that we smoke cheese for other people to eat, and they love to help. One of my favorite parts of running this business is showing my boys that hard work and determination does pay off. Our boys will always know that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it.”

GIVING BACK

The Cooks also feel blessed to have the means and resources to help others in need. They have given families who need to make some extra money the opportunity to work shows and keep the money, and they have had countless fundraisers for adoptions, missions, sports teams and more.

“Before we had our own business, we didn’t have the extra money to do that,” Stacy said. “It feels really good to be able to help others.

One of the couple’s favorite moments so far was helping other businesses during the COVID crisis. Stumpy’s Smoked Cheese put together Mother’s Day baskets with products from local businesses. They took preorders for the baskets, then brought checks to the participating businesses. Cousins and family helped deliver the baskets.

Stumpy’s also stepped up to help the Topeka Zoo when the COVID crisis meant canceling Roar and Pour, one of the zoo’s biggest fundraisers of the year. Stumpy’s encouraged ticket holders to donate the cost of their ticket back to the zoo and gave those who did so a cheese platter as a thank you.

“It felt amazing to be able to do something to help,” Stacy said.

EXPANDING THEIR REACH

Another thing that the Cooks love about their business is getting to interact with customers at events and festivals and introducing them to a new product that they have never tried before.

“We love that our customers recognize us and our business and come to our booth to say hi and stock up on their favorite flavors,” Stacy said.

Of course, there have been challenges, as with any small business. Stacy notes that because Stumpy’s does not have its own brick and mortar location, it can be challenging to get the company’s name out and build a following. Stacy has tackled social media marketing and continues to learn more about how to reach people as the business grows. The couple has plans to continue expanding their reach into more counties around Kansas, which might mean finding a more cost-effective method of delivery.

“We are learning every day,” Stacy said, “and we’re enjoying the journey.”