A big move to Kaleden and an April opening for famed gourmet meat shop Doug's Homestead

The stretch of Highway 3 between the Okanagan and the lower mainland passes through some of the prettiest scenery in the province. Rivers, mountains, orchards, fruit stands, curvy stretches that'll test your driving prowess, and the aftermath of the largest landslide in Canadian history - it's all there.

But for many, the one must-stop has always been Doug's Homestead. The crazily popular family-run shop just west of Hedley produced some of the best tasting, best textured beef jerky, pepperoni, and smoked meats in the region, if not the entire province. And it was all handmade on premises from time-tested recipes.

Nearly as compelling as the menu itself was the "Pepperoni Game," where each customer could win their purchase outright and then write their name on the Pepperoni Hall of Fame wall by accurately guessing its price.

Lineups 20 and 30 deep outside Doug's front door and across the parking lot were not uncommon. And if you arrived too late in the day, they might just be sold right out.

But last fall, Doug's Homestead seemingly evaporated. Sure, they traditionally shut down for winter. But this time the closure of the little Heldey smokehouse looked more permanent.

As it turns out, it was.

But not to fret. They didn't quit the biz. They merely moved to a new location. A new location just ten minutes down the road from Penticton.

And come April of this year, Doug's Homestead will rise again, in the same building that once housed the Kaleden Restaurant, at 224 Highway 97 in Kaleden.

"It was time for us to build the business, and it was time for us to go somewhere where we could grow," explains Brent McClelland, who, with wife Linette, owns and runs the business. "And who doesn't love the South Okanagan, the Kaleden/Penticton area? It was a no-brainer."

But the McClellands had other reasons for relocating where they did. "The majority of people who were supporting us way off in Hedley were from Penticton, Kaleden, OK Falls. And when we were talking about growing the business, everyone who we dealt with from this community said you should start looking around this area."

We took a quick tour yesterday through the soon-to-be-reborn Doug's Homestead, and can say that it's currently one big construction zone. The McClellands have presided over a wholesale renovation that, when complete, will be mightily impressive. And they haven't even begun on the exterior.

Brent says the deal went through in October, and that he began renovations in mid-November. These days, there's an entire crew in there - in every nook and cranny. He calls the experience "exciting and scary," but says he's now just "really happy."

"I took my dog for a walk this morning along the KVR. It's really beautiful."

The McClellands say customers can expect the same quality, same taste, and same experience in their new, more contemporary home.

"More of the stuff they loved in the old location," laughed Brent. "Beef jerky, nine flavours of pepperoni, bacon, ham, dried sausage, deli meats, burgers, steaks, marinated meats." Their new tagline is 'Gourmet meats and handcrafted sausages.'

Asked how they built such a large fanbase in such a remote location, both McClellands point to one overriding factor: Original owner and founder Doug Stricker.

"We've succeeded," says Brent, "because we were taught by the best. Doug Stricker. He taught us from the very beginning, twelve years ago, that you can put seasoning on anything, but it's the raw ingredients of the meat that make it stand out. Quality in, quality out. That’s how Doug taught us to make a good product."

Linette adds that they've "taken Doug's core, and expanded it to make it our own, to make it our place."

And the other good news, particularly for locals, is that the new and improved Doug's Homestead won’t close for winter. It'll remain open all year long.

The grand opening date is yet to be determined, though Linette was quick to point out that it'll signal the debut of a brand new Pepperoni Hall of Fame. And there'll be an appearance by mentor and namesake Stricker, who, she says, is "really excited for us."

Check back with Penticton Now in a month or so for a full preview, with an official opening date and a pictorial of the finished space - and the food.