Austin Ascenders: SLAB (Slow, Low, and Bangin') BBQ
Choppin’ it up with Raf Robinson of SLAB BBQ
SLAB (Slow, Low, and Bangin’) BBQ started out as a food truck in 2006. At that time, it was known as Sugar Shack BBQ. Since then, they’ve been wildly successful, expanding into three more trucks and two brick and mortar restaurants. Then the pandemic hit. Everyone is feeling the effects, especially local small businesses. Our very own Hailey Lyons reached out (remotely of course) to SLAB BBQ co-owner Raf Robinson to find out how the COVID-19 health and economic crisis has impacted their business and how they chose to respond. Thankfully he was open to sharing SLAB’s story, some laughs, some wisdom, and some of what he is doing to support others during these times.
Studio Dzo: How did you get started with SLAB?
Raf: In 2013, my now-partner Mark Avalos came to me and asked if I wanted to join him to expand his budding food truck, which was then Sugar Shack BBQ. I wasn’t sure if I was the man for the job. I was a serious vegetarian at the time! I was like, “How do I figure out if this is good BBQ if I don’t eat meat?” When it came to the brand itself, though, I was into it. I loved the hip hop tones, the grit.
Studio Dzo: So, what did you decide?
Raf: I did it! And, I wasn’t a vegetarian for very much longer, ha. At the beginning of 2013, we were asked to be a part of an event during SXSW. It was awesome...and it went gangbusters. Later that year, we had an opportunity to move into our first brick and mortar. So, in 2014, we opened the location on Research Blvd.
Studio Dzo: Wow, that was fast! How did it go?
Raf: It was amazing! 1,500 people showed up for the grand opening. The line was all the way down the shopping center. We were shocked. “How are we going to feed all these people?” That’s what we kept asking. Somehow, someway, we had enough food for people that day. It was a total loaves and fishes situation. And, that set the tone for how things have gone for SLAB. It’s been miracle after miracle, we feel.
“Entrepreneurship can be tough. But, I think that’s kind of built into the DNA of an entrepreneur. We don’t shy away from challenges. ”
Studio Dzo: Did the success keep on?
Raf: Yes. As word got out, people were digging what we were doing. It was something completely different. There’s TX BBQ… that’s brisket. But, there’s great BBQ all over the country. Mark wanted to bring other flavors to the TX BBQ game and experiment. The BBQ sandwich is a great vehicle for that. We have crazy sandwiches. That’s Mark’s approach to food. No boundaries. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it. It’s that same hip hop, renegade spirit. Seeing people’s reactions to this change made me really believe we had something special.
And, in 2016, we opened a second location in south Austin. Last year, “Diner’s, Drive-In’s, and Dives” visited us and Guy Fieri said it was one of the best BBQ sandwiches he’s ever had. That was really cool.
Studio Dzo: That is cool. Let’s shift gear to current times. How has SLAB been doing during this pandemic?
Raf: For the first couple of weeks, business just fell off. That was really scary. But, through COVID-19, people have stepped up and continued to support. We feel very blessed. At the Research location, we have a lot of first responders and essential workers coming through for takeout. Usually, with SXSW and everything, March is our busiest month. So, when that was cancelled, it was a huge hit, financially. We’ve been able to utilize the food trucks we have, which has been really cool. We blast hip hop music and show up to specific neighborhoods, ice cream truck style. There’s been a HUGE response.
Studio Dzo: That’s fantastic and so creative! What about your staff? How have you been able to boost morale?
Raf: That has definitely been the most challenging part. Pretty quickly, we had to layoff a good percentage of our staff. That day was the hardest day of my working career, to date. There were lots of tears, it was heartbreaking. We have been able to bring a few people back, which always feels good. Finding hope through all of this, whether you’re a business or not, as a human, is challenging. I have to rely on my faith. I try my best to be present. With myself, my staff, and my family. I tell my staff, “You may be the only person that our customers have an interaction with that day, Try to be a light in the world, try to smile. That human interaction means a lot.” Prior to this, I didn’t spend every day in the restaurant. A lot of my work was behind the scenes. But, since all of this, I’ve tried to be there every day we’re open. I think that’s really important, having a presence. For me, our staff, our customers.
Studio Dzo: We heard that SLAB has been finding ways to give back during all of this. Can you tell us about that?
Raf: My former business partner is involved with a company that’s distributing medical masks. And, there are lots of people on the frontlines who are struggling to get masks. So we started a fundraiser called “Racks on Racks.” For every rack of ribs sold, we would contribute a portion of the proceeds to masks for essential workers. We contributed 4500 of those masks and then some.
Studio Dzo: Awesome. I heard something else about SLAB helping refugees during the pandemic.
Raf: Thanks. Yes. Personally, I’ve been working with the refugee community in Austin for 8 years now. So, as SLAB, we’re providing 1 hot meal every week for 100 refugee families. So, 100 meals a week. We had over a dozen volunteers from Gateway Church to deliver these. We’re committed to at least 4 weeks. We believe that since our community is taking care of us, it’s our responsibility to give back to them. We deliver to these families Wednesdays and Thursdays. The meals feed 4-6, with enough to have some leftovers. There are mainly refugees from Nepal and Bhutan. But, also some from West Africa and the Middle East.
Studio Dzo: You’ve obviously managed to keep your business going during these times, and still find a way of giving back. Do you have any advice for other small businesses during all of this?
Raf: Every business is unique, everybody’s situation is different. It’s hard to give advice, because nobody knows your business like you do. It sounds pretty generic, but keep fighting. Hold onto whatever hope you have. Engage your community. Without our community, we would have shut down weeks ago. We are so thankful for our community and their support.
“Austinites are so great at rallying to support local business. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of that and experience that for almost 20 years. Don’t take that for granted.”
Studio Dzo: Amen to that. Thank you so much for taking the time out to share your wisdom with us, Raf. Any last words?
Raf: People have a lot to say about all of this, COVID. A lot of people are scared. A lot of people aren’t. Whatever you think, that’s totally fine...but, take some time to consider others. Everybody has a different immune system, a different circumstance. Everyone is experiencing this in a much different way. Just try to remember that it’s not all about you. Also, a big shout out to my family, my partner, SLAB’s landlords and bankers for being so helpful and understanding, our staff for continuing to show up, and some of my fav breweries (Zilker Brewing, Twisted X & Vista Brewing). Drinking a bit more of that these days.
You can help Raf, Mark, and their team at SLAB BBQ keep slangin’ dope bbq by ordering a meal to-go or have them pull to the curb. (They cater too!)
Follow SLAB BBQ on Instagram, Facebook, and DopeBBQ.com
