Big Bull started making BBQ sandwiches in 2013 for his co-workers. One day, he started attending a few small events and continued making sandwiches for his co-workers, selling out each time.
One day he decided to step it up a notch, go into “The Lab,” and try to create his variety of sauces! Once he started with his first sauce, Bussin, in 2014, a name he got from a young man after he tasted the sauce, there was no stopping him! Big Bull currently offers seven signature sauces.
One Sunday morning in October 2014, Big Bull and Mama Bull set up at the corner of Hard Scrabble and William Harden Road and sold fried fish and bbq.
The following week, Big Bull set out to find a location to offer some of his style of BBQ. After riding up Hard Scrabble Road, he rode past our current site, an old building on the side of a bustling road. He found the owner and asked if we could sell food at the location in front of the building. The owner agreed, and we sold meals every weekend for a few months.
After a few months of selling meals in front of the building, we decided to try our hand at opening a restaurant. After countless “No,” “That will cost $10,000”, and “I have completed my part of this job; you have to contact a specialist ($$$),” We saw God’s hand, over and over again. We started this process with limited funds. He guided multiple contractors to bless us with their services at astonishing rates.
After months of saying on our FaceBook account, “Two More Weeks,” we could finally open on April 17, 2015. We had no idea what we were signing up for. Boy, the stories we could tell you! There is no way to tell our story in this format; only a book could do it justice.
To be continued….
Edit: On November 30, 2013, while on a date, Mama Bull told Big Bull he should open a restaurant. His reply was, “No, No…absolutely, no! That’s like having multiple kids and five additional children!” LOL. I had no idea how right he was.
On April 17, 2015, we started this adventure. There have been MANY twists, turns, heartaches, long nights, night sweats, etc.
Update 2019: THE PANDEMIC! I don’t have to tell you how everything completely stopped. However, Big Bull did not stop. We jumped online and started offering on-site delivery service. That lasted a few weeks. The next thing we knew, we had to discontinue delivery. We were off and running. There was so much business rolling in it wasn’t easy to keep up.
Customers often ask us why not open a larger restaurant. Our answer is always the same, and it is challenging to keep your eyes on everyone to ensure a quality product to give to every customer. A quality product is more important to us than money! Why? Our brand, built off of blood, sweat, tears, and so much more, is on the line. Although we know we can not do it right every single time, our goal is to get it right every time! The pandemic taught us that less is more, and it is better to turn people around and allow them to order another day than to enable/force an exhausted person to prepare their order and lose a customer for life.
Year EIGHT! WOW!!! We almost didn’t make it to year eight. Our menu had to change as we would not make it without changing with the times (price changes). Big Bull refused to change the prices during the pandemic! Over 85% of our menu prices have been the same since 2014 when we were on the side of the road. We have made many changes; we removed a lot of items from our menu and removed plates. Plates forced potential customers to order a meat plus two. Now, the customer is in complete control of the process, and you can request a single rib, pork chop, sandwich, etc., and a side or multiple sides (8oz, 1 lb, or 2 lbs). The possibilities are limitless, and boy, have we seen some special orders placed since we are now an A’ La Carte establishment! Customers love the new ordering system, and we are grateful.
Update 2023: A house built by a family! When you call or come in, you meet the old oldest. She ensures your order is accurately placed while preparing drinks and desserts (sliced to order and designed to order) and verifies your order before she bags it. Yes, this process takes (adds preparation) time. Believe me, if the kitchen makes a mistake, she makes sure they know it and will make them “remake” your order to ensure you receive our very best! She is hard on the kitchen staff, ignoring our deer in the headlight faces, and says, “Remake or correct it, NOW!” Boy, do we love her for her tenacity!
Our 2nd girl covers the dessert, she currently prepares the banana pudding and cakes, and she started this last year when she was 14. She wants to return the red velvet to the menu, and we may allow it! She is that good! She also prepares your orders.
Our youngest is a beast in the kitchen and prepares a mean burger. Although Mama Bull prepares 90% of the burgers, there have been times she has had to make a few, and she follows her mom to the letter!
Friends, we are a FAMILY BUSINESS! We thank you for your continued support and patience while we do our best to prepare you some of the best food in the South!
**We are currently ranked One of the Eight BEST Soulfood Restaurants In The State of South Carolina*** https://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article266939466.html
To Be Continued…