New barbecue restaurant situated on Broadway
Robin Hood’s BBQ might look like just another house on the block.
But for owner Robin Heath, the southern barbecue takeout joint is his chance at a true entrepreneurial success story.
Heath opened the restaurant, 1010 W. Broadway St., on Dec. 26. Since then, the Mount Pleasant resident said business has been better than expected and he is already building a solid customer base.
The restaurant carries various selections of pulled pork and ribs, though he is considering a new dish aimed for the college crowd: a 10-pound nacho plate eating challenge.
“We haven’t worked out all the details yet, but we’re working on it,” he said.
His daughter Adrienne, 22 of Mount Pleasant, said the fact it is away from other businesses may help draw customers.
“Everyone’s been excited to have a business on the west side,” she said.
The entire Heath family helps with the restaurant, which is situated in one large room decorated simply, but offers a warm atmosphere.
Tom Kimbell, 20 of Mount Pleasant, lives right down the road from Robin Hood’s.
“It’s very convenient,” Kimbell said. “Other than the bar on M-20, this is the closest, most convenient place to eat.”
Heath said he chose the building because it was affordable and had the necessary plumbing and equipment. Although he would have preferred a bigger building on Mission Street, Heath is happy with the location.
He said many of his customers are regulars who come back three or four times a week.
Samantha Orlandi, 23 of New Boston, learned of the restaurant when her co-workers tried it for lunch. She has been there twice since then.
A large amount of business comes from workers on their lunch breaks, said Mount Pleasant resident Angie Wordwell, Heath’s fiancé.
Heath decided to open the business after being laid off as a sales representative with Michigan Office Solutions. He has been working on his barbecuing skills for the past 15 years and said the layoff was the “push over the cliff” he needed to start his own restaurant.
