Originally from Holmdel New Jersey, Karl Fernandez is the middle child of three brothers. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University before beginning his hospitality career as the General Manager at Mullen’s on Clark in Chicago. He then took his talents down south and worked as the Beverage Director at Eberly in Austin and as the Assistant General Manager at Hopsmith Tavern in Nashville before making his way to the East Coast.

As General Manager of our Assembly Row location, Karl truly does it all. From doing routine line checks with the kitchen to making sure all the bathrooms are clean and stocked with plenty of toilet paper, Karl ensures that all day-to-day operations at the restaurant run smoothly and that our guests have a great experience every time.

A little more about Karl…

Favorite thing about BBQ: The history and origins of BBQ culture.

Favorite thing about working for the Smoke Shop: The family atmosphere that has developed between our front and back of house staff; everyone gets along wonderfully and looks out for each other.

Where we can find him on a day off: The beach or a local brewery.