M ARTIN L UTHER K ING J R .
January 14, 2015
2015 special edition
PHOTO BY M ARK W ASHINGTON /T HE P ORTLAND O BSERVER
Wayne Cannon takes pride in making sure his “Portland style” barbecue, Cannon’s Rib
Express, located at Northeast 33rd Avenue and Killingsworth Street, is the go-to spot
for the best barbecue in town.
For Wayne Cannon,
Grilling is his Passion
Heating up winter with
Portland style BBQ
BY O LIVIA O LIVIA
P ORTLAND O BSERVER
It’s winter and easily 28 degrees outside, but
that doesn’t stop one local black-owned business
from having a line into the sidewalk. Wayne
Cannon, who has owned Cannon’s Rib Express
since 1995, says that grilling is his passion.
“This isn’t Southern style,” says Cannon, “and it
isn’t Midwestern. This is Portland style, unique to
us in this city.”
Cannon stands over his grill near the sidewalk on
the corner of Northeast Killingsworth Street and
33rd Avenue. Rows of tables with customers
seated even in winter are covered in plates with
smoked ribs, grilled meats, and soul food side
favorites like mac and cheese and potato salad.
Cannon says that this time of year can be
difficult for him because the outdoor seating doesn’t
always provide the warmth clients need. Being
one of the last black-owned businesses in the area
doesn’t make his job easier either.
The gentrification of north and northeast Port-
land has put some strains on being successful as a
black entrepreneur, but the addition of the busy
New Seasons Market to the neighborhood has also
drawn in new customers, allowing Cannon to
continue grilling even on the most unseasonable of
days.
At 75, Wayne knows how to apply his
father’s hard work ethic toward making
Portland’s best barbecue. He states the “se-
cret ingredient to good barbecue is a love for
cooking.” It’s one of the reasons that Cannon’s
Rib Express is still serving excellent barbecue
30 years later.
Many of the customers are from established
traditional barbecue regions across the country
and often ask what style of barbecue is Cannon’s
Rib Express. Wayne proudly states that it’s his
own “Portland Style,” his own unique blend of
spices and herbs.
All of the recipes and cooking processes
where created right here in Portland, from the
homemade barbecue sauce applied to the
hickory smoked mesquite grilled ribs to side
orders and desserts.
Cannon is also a Blues music lover and
frequently brings his Portland-style barbeque
cuisine to local concerts and festivals. The
recent Janice Scroggins Family Benefit Con-
cert at the Alberta Rose Theatre welcomed
Cannon to be a food vendor at their sold-out
event, along with the Campus Blues Fest in
August that was hosted at nearby Concordia
University.
Cannon looks forward to the next round of
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