Real Talk with Real Owners - Stacey Hart of Charlotte, NC

Thomas and Stacey Hart came to Charlotte via Dallas to follow the microbrewery business. As a brew master, Thomas relocated to be at the center of the brewing hotspot. The couple has been involved in the restaurant industry for decades, and they actually met at a local restaurant near the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium.

Originally from the DFW Metropolex, Thomas and Stacey both grew up eating at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. In fact, Thomas’ parents have been going to the same Dickey’s every Wednesday for 40 years.

“Charlotte is a great barbecue city,” Stacey says. “This city’s barbecue focuses mostly on pork, so we are one of the only barbecue restaurants to serve good brisket.” All generations of the Hart family love Dickey’s, even down to the youngest child. Every time the family visited Texas, they had to stop at their favorite Dickey’s to get a taste of their hometown. Eventually, Thomas’ father suggested that the couple open a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Charleston, as the city was missing a great Texas-style barbecue place. The rest is history! Stacey opened the store in 2013 and has been doing excellent business ever since.

The store in Charleston is located in a corporate part of town, and Stacey spends a lot of time catering to local businesses and bringing food to construction workers in the rapidly growing business park. “The bounce-back catering cards work wonders for our store. We see a lot of repeat business from secretaries and pharmaceutical reps that host frequent caterings, and the discount cards have made loyal guests out of these catering jobs, both professionally and personally.” Catering accounts for 22% of the store’s business, and Stacey uses community marketing tools regularly to continue to build her business.