KVUE spotlighting local business for Black History Month
For the month of February, we're going to take a look at a few Black-owned restaurants and other businesses in Austin.
For Black History Month, we're going to take a look at some restaurants and other businesses around Austin that have Black owners.
The idea is to give them a bit of a spotlight that they deserve more than just in the month of February.
SLAB BBQ A mix of hip-hop and BBQ
SLAB BBQ stands for slow, low and banging, a play on a style that came from Houston and specifically the Houston hip-hop scene.
The co-owners, Raf Robinson and Mark Avalos, both grew up with old-school hip-hop and felt like this business could mix two of the things they loved – hip-hop and BBQ.
"It was a natural fit for us," said Robinson.
"I grew up in Texas, but I'd be lying to you if I said I grew up in boots, a cowboy hat listening to country, said Avalos. "That's just not me."
"The culture of hip-hop is about speaking your truth or sharing your experience from your hood. So this restaurant is hip-hop for us," said Robinson.
Robinson also talked about being biracial and how much his business partner helped him during the 2021 protests following the death of George Floyd.
"I'm thankful I have the support of a partner like Mark, who really helped get me through that space but also supported me in saying, 'Hey, man, do what you need to do. Say what you need to say, because I know you'll represent this company in a way that honors the company, yourself, your family and God," he said while holding back tears.
He also said that his family's trips back to Alabama, where his parents were born, helped him gain an appreciation for what he has.
"The opportunities that I have for education, for employment, for all the things that I have in terms of opportunity, didn't come free," he said.
If you'd like to visit SLAB, they have three locations:
- 9012 Research Blvd. in Austin
- Inside Westgate Lanes at 2701 W. William Cannon Drive in Austin
- 905 E Whitestone Blvd. in Cedar Park.
Baby Greens Black history is American history
Baby Greens is a fast-food-style restaurant that specializes in salads and salad wraps. It's located at 10611 Research Blvd. in Austin.
The business is owned by Sharron Mays, who said she started the business to offer healthy food to everyone.
"A lot of times healthy food can be really expensive, so I want to make my food affordable and available to just regular people," she said.
She talked about Black History Month and how it is American history.
"In this country, we should look around and realize that we're all a part of American history," she said. "And America wouldn't be America without Black people. Texas would not be Texas without Black people, there would not be a Baby Greens without a Black person named Sharron Mays."
Bird Bird Biscuit Healing from history
Bird Bird Biscuit is a sandwich shop that sells all types of sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"At Bird Bird, we really invest in relationships, and that's been probably one of the more meaningful parts for me," said Brian Batch, co-owner of the restaurant.
Batch said they traveled for half a year, experiencing different concepts for a business and exploring what would resonate with people before coming back and setting up shop.
He also shared a bit about Black History Month and how Bird Bird fits into it.
"Any time that there's a history that brings up tensions or conflicts, there's always an opportunity to heal from that stuff because I think it's an opportunity for people to come here, love it and see an opportunity for healing," he said. "And I think that's at the heart of what we do."
Ninja Pig We know BBQ we love BBQ. This is Teas BBQ
Ninja Pig is a barbecue restaurant that works out of several farmers markets in the Central Texas Region. Currently, the business is trying to expand to a fully functioning farm and also a food truck.
The whole thought process behind the restaurant is giving a "cleaner" version of Texas barbecue.
"Everything we provide here at Ninja Pig, we're either going to make it ourselves, or if we can't make it, then we source it locally and try to do it as clean as possible," said James Valentine, who owns the restaurant.
By cleaner, he means removing many of the common allergens that many people have reactions to. But Valentine also adds in other flavors such as Korean kimchi.
"What we have here is our traditional Texas barbecue, but I wanted to infuse that and add a lot of flavors to that," he said. "Taking something we know, we know barbecue and we love barbecue."
He also talked about the importance of highlighting people and businesses during Black History Month – a chance to share the stories of people who sometimes don't get the shine they deserve.
"Black History Month is important to where we forget in our history. Highlight everything, so some people who have maybe been glossed over through history books you can highlight and hopefully just bring positive energy to it," said Valentine.
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