Nancy Farrar
Emma and Travis Heim
Heim Barbecue, the venerable joint famous for its rich smoked meats and bacon burnt ends, will no longer be operated by its namesake founders, Emma and Travis Heim.
According to reporting by Star-Telegram’s Bud Kennedy, the couple are stepping aside, and Will Churchill, their partner, will take the reins.
Despite the change of hands, the Heims will remain partners in the business. But, according to an email exchange between Heim and Kennedy, their hours on the job will no doubt be significantly cut.
“We’re excited about the prospects of not working 60+ hour weeks, spending more time with our young girls, and working on new projects that we didn’t have the time for previously,” Travis Heim wrote.
The new operator, Churchill, isn’t green when it comes to the restaurant industry. In addition to his car dealership, Churchill is the owner of Fort Brewery and Pizza, which, after moving from West Magnolia, has become a popular spot in the Foundry District.
Heim can make claim to being the first in a long line of craft barbecue spots to make an imprint on the city during the century’s second decade. Their original food truck, located off Pennsylvania Avenue, opened in 2015 to a city primed for more smoked meats. The great barbecue boom would then ensue.
The truck proved so popular that, within two years, the Heims would open their first brick and mortar at 1109 W. Magnolia Ave in 2017.
And they’ve continued to grow.
The restaurant now has four locations, including Burleson, the River District, West Magnolia and is even trying its hand in the eastern side of the metroplex with a location off West Mockingbird Lane in Dallas.
Heim’s menu has also diversified in recent years, with the barbecue spot now offering burgers, smoked chicken, and even corny dogs.