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ORAL HISTORY

Teresa Cranmore

A native of Meridian, Teresa Cranmore worked as an accountant for twenty years before deciding to venture into the barbecue business. She opened Squealer’s Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Que with her husband, Terry, in 1998 in a tiny, stand-alone structure that was once a sno-cone stand. Finding immediate success, the business outgrew its small quarters, and the Cranmores opened a second location in the College Park shopping center in 2003. Known for their pulled pork sandwiches and delicious desserts, Squealer’s has ranked as “Best Barbecue” in the Meridian Star’s Reader’s Choice Awards every year since the store opened for business.

Teresa’s passion for helping others shines through, not only in her food but also in Squealer’s dedication to fundraising for the local community. The restaurant’s fundraisers have helped bring in more than one million dollars for the local community, and Teresa is passionate about giving back to the community that has given her so much. She certainly lives by Squealer’s motto of “Peace, Love, and Pork.”