Travis and Emma Heim quit their jobs, leased a trailer and opened a barbecue food truck in February.
Raves? They got ‘em. Customers? Oh yeah, dedicated loyal ones at that.
Now Heim Barbecue will open its first brick-and-mortar location at 1109 W. Magnolia Ave. in Fort Worth’s Near Southside district.
Scheduled to open in March 2016, Heim’s new location will be open for lunch and dinner and will allow for expanded offerings to an already enthusiastic audience of barbecue lovers.
“Opening on Magnolia is a dream come true for us,” said Travis. “The Near Southside community has been incredibly supportive, playing a big part in our success. We can’t wait to share our food and build relationships with even more people.”
The barbecue is local too. Travis Heim grew up just blocks away in the Fairmount neighborhood where he was always in the kitchen of his family’s home. Guests can expect to see his mother and grandmother’s influences throughout the menu.
The problem with Heim’s food truck venture has been volume. The barbecue sells out quickly. With additional offset and Oyler smokers, Heim’s barbecue line-up will increase significantly and feature prime brisket, pulled pork and short ribs, as well as bacon burnt ends and a selection of sausages. Sides will include favorites like twice-baked potato salad and coleslaw, while sweet potato and squash casserole will round out the new additions. Desserts will include cherished family recipes such as Emma’s homemade banana pudding, Travis’s grandmother’s coconut cake, and Nana’s lemon bars.
Pit master and baker Rowdy Dugan’s special touches will include housemade buns, biscuits and, eventually, breakfast kolaches.
Features of Heim’s historic street-side venue will be well-preserved; interior highlights will include restored tin ceilings, wood beams and exposed brick walls. A mixture of booths and family-style tables will accommodate 120 guests, encouraging conversation in a comfortable and welcoming environment. The restaurant also will have an outdoor patio.
The opening will bring about 30 jobs, with hiring beginning in early 2016. People wanting to sample some of the food before the opening should head to Arts Goggle on October 10, where they’ll be set up next to Kent and Co.
97W is the architect for the project.
https://www.facebook.com/heimbarbecue
About Heim Barbecue
Husband-and-wife team Travis and Emma Heim take the ‘farm-to-smoker’ approach with their signature Texas-style craft barbecue. Using only all-natural ingredients and prime cuts of meat, Travis smokes briskets for up to 16 hours utilizing traditional wood-burning techniques. Emma creates heirloom family recipes from scratch using locally sourced vegetables and ingredients.