Family business Joe’s Diner in Eagle Farm, Brisbane hosted its very first truck meet last Sunday – and it was a huge success.
The owners, Steven and Cherie Karagiannis, have been running popular car and bike meets for the past five years, and recently branched out to trucks.
Steven says: “The first truck meet went really well. We had about 60-70 trucks and everyone had a great day.
“They loved the space that we provided and the feedback we got was amazing. They all want more. ”
He and his wife are planning to make the truck meet a regular event, starting next year.
“We are planning to make it a twice-yearly event now. We’ll be doing one in the first half of next year, probably around March/April, and then again in September/October.”
Karagiannis said the truck meets are an opportunity for truckies to hang out with their colleagues and friends, and they are encouraged to bring their families along too.
“When we have a meet we open up our doors, we have food and music and everyone just admires the trucks, bikes or cars.
“We are very family-oriented, we encourage people to bring their kids.
“We have the police here as well to help keep everyone behaving and respecting the place and road rules.”
The iconic Joe’s Diner first opened its doors in 1993, primarily to feed the staff of G James Glass and Aluminium and other businesses in the Eagle Farm and Pinkenba industrial area of Brisbane.
In 2018, Karagiannis and his wife bought the business from his parents.
“The diner was always busy, but the car and bike meets have been great for getting the word out even more and just elevating the business to the next level.
“We’ve got quite a big following around Australia now, we’d be quite well known.
“A truck driver called Chris Doosey, and Leon Manzelmann who runs Brisbane Truck Meets, approached us and asked if we’d like to do a truck meet.
“I’m always up for new things, so it just went from there and it’s going well. We’re all looking forward to the next one.”