Lump in NoVA

BarManBean

Any recommendations on what kind of lump is available in Northern VA? I notice that a number of you are out there...what do you use and where do you buy? I'm in Alexandria myself.

On another note, I've hung out on a number of auto-enthusiast websites in the past, and they do a lot of "group buys." Has anyone ever tried that on this site? Looks like you can pick up 64 bags of Ozark Oak at $8.50 a bag...if 10 people went in on it that wouldn't be too bad at all.

walrusegger

I'm in (West) Springfield and the Wal-Mart in Burke had Royal Oak lump a month or so ago, which was a surprise because they didn't stock it last year. Wegmans in Fairfax and Gainesville carries Royal Oak under the Wegmans name. I'm fortunate in that I can also get RO in the 17+lb bags at Restaurant Depot since I work for a non profit and have a membership. Pretty much all the local grocery stores and Home Depots sell Cowboy, which is good, but burns faster than most lumps.

Jer_inva

I was in the Burke WalMart Friday eve and they had several bags @6.37/10# bag. Jer

walrusegger

Good to know!

BarManBean

Will have to head over there in the next few days! Thanks folks. Looks like Royal Oak will be the first to go in the egg

srq2625

Lot's of people here burn the Royal Oak so I don't think you can go too wrong.

As to the group buys - Yup, I've seen them here (usually Wicked Good Weekend Warrior) but they've always been too far away to make it economical for me to get involved.

Frobozz

I'm also a Royal Oak burner -- available at most NoVA area Wal-Marts. I get mine from the Wal-Mart on Route 1 at the base of Hybla Valley, south of Alexandria (this is the one further south from Alexandria's city limits -- the newer, smaller one a few miles north does not carry much outdoor stuff).

If you want Wicked Good Weekend Warrior, Village Hardware on Fort Hunt Road in the Hollin Hall neighborhood, between Alexandria and Mount Vernon, sells it. They also sell BGE charcoal, but as many people here will note, it's made by Royal Oak. Wicked Good is made of harder, sweeter-smelling woods than RO...worth trying to see if you like it but it's about twice the price of RO.

In addition, most Lowe's stores and many Home Depots sell Cowboy lump, which always seems to work in a pinch. I don't like it as much as I like RO but it seems fine for most uses.

BarManBean

Thanks, Frobozz. I'm right across the street from that new Walmart...it's terrible! Never has what you need. I will head down to the one farther down rt 1 when the need arises. Will try weekend warrior down the road sometime.

Frobozz

BTW, Village Hardware is only about 10 minutes from that Wal-Mart, so you might want to hit both and just get a bag of Wicked Good for the heck of it. Also, Village Hardware has an entire *basement showroom* filled with Webers, Eggs and Traegers, along with lots of accessories. I like to go in there and drool every once in a while (my medium Egg and my Weber Smokey Mountain both came from there).

walrusegger

I haven't heard of this Village Hardware, thanks, I'll have to check it out. I've always wanted to try Wicked Good to see if all the buzz about it is true (usually Eggheads know what they're talking about!).