A Second Serving of Purpose

When Rachel Bodkin-Fox and Randy Fox closed the doors to The Foxes Boxes in October 2020, they thought they were saying goodbye.

Instead, they were simply pressing pause.

The restaurant opened in 2016 to create a welcoming gathering place that served fresh, affordable food while providing real-world job training. It was built as a social enterprise, using the restaurant as a workforce development program that provided hands-on job training and mentorship for individuals facing barriers to employment. More than 30 people completed the externship program, with every participant moving on to employment, school or both.

As Bodkin-Fox often said, the restaurant wasn’t the mission; it was simply the vehicle.

“We weren’t training people to work solely in the food industry,” Bodkin-Fox said. “We weren’t training them to be culinary experts; we weren’t training them to be chefs. We were training them in soft skills, workforce-ready skills, problem-solving, how to work in a stressful environment.”

When the setbacks of COVID forced the couple to close the restaurant in October 2020, that mission continued as Rachel and Randy stepped into new careers. Rachel worked in workforce development and most recently led a Department of Labor grant at Cape Fear Community College, while Randy transitioned into craft services for the film industry. Together, they established IRL Communications, an entrepreneurial consulting and communications firm specializing in community development, small business coaching and capacity building.

The spark to return to foodservice came from an unexpected place: their daughter, Isabel.

Without telling her parents, she updated The Foxes Boxes logo on their Facebook page, prompting a flood of comments from longtime fans wondering what was happening next.

“Isabel said, ‘Mom, people miss you. I think you guys should get a food trailer.’” Bodkin-Fox recalls.

After considering how this might be a new iteration of their former passion, the family launched a crowdfunding campaign, and before long, The Foxes Boxes had a new home on wheels.

The food trailer officially hit the road in May, bringing back many of the sandwiches and fan favorites. The beloved Cuban pork sandwich is back, along with turkey burger sliders and several vegetarian options. Week by week, new items are making their way onto the menu, and while some of the original menu items proved too ambitious for the trailer’s compact kitchen, Bodkin-Fox says they’re happy to bring those favorites back for private events when they can.

Bodkin-Fox sees the trailer as another avenue to continue their workforce development work. She hopes to work with community organizations and expand workforce training classes offered through IRL Communications, while using The Foxes Boxes to bring people together at neighborhood gatherings, block parties and community events.

Six weeks into the relaunch, the trailer was already booking into late summer, fueled largely by loyal customers who are eager to see them thrive.

“For me, more than anything … it’s very heartwarming that people remembered us,” Bodkin-Fox said.

For information on where to find The Foxes Boxes, click here.