Barbecue With a Side of Family
I got the pleasure of interviewing co-owner and manager of Hog Heaven, Katy Garner. We were able to chat about the history of Hog Heaven, restaurant competition in Nashville and the homely feelings of Hog Heaven.
Hog Heaven has been a family-owned business of Nashville since 1986. However, Hog Heaven has had four different owners since first opening. In 1989, Andy and Katy Garner bought Hog Heaven and are now celebrating their 30th year this October.
Though Hog Heaven is a small restaurant. The size of the restaurant and great tasting homemade barbecue can make you feel like your at your own family barbecue.
The Garners were able to purchase Hog Heaven with Katy’s inheritance money from her father. Katy said her father cooked some of the best food and always wanted to open a restaurant of his own. With purchasing Hog Heaven, Katy was able to complete her father's dream of owning and operating a family restaurant. During our interview, Katy said she thought about her father a lot when they first used the money to buy Hog Heaven saying that “I think it’s something he never thought I’d do”.
Since taking over ownership in 1989, Katy has seen many different changes in the Nashville food scene around Hog Heaven. Between 2008 and 2009, Katy said she saw a lot of change happening around her in the barbecue restaurant business, more chains and even more family restaurants were opening such as Peg Leg Porker and Martins. Though these other barbecue restaurants that seemed to be popping up overnight weren't just affecting Hog Heaven but they were also creating competition for other restaurants as well said Katy.
Even though Nashville is a growing city with many tourists visiting each day offering a huge supply of hungry people to the city, the competition between restaurants is becoming more challenging “You would think with Nashville growing it would not hurt as much but it still does. There are too many businesses the population can’t support,” said Katy.
Bring Hog Heaven home to you. Order their homemade sauses and get them shipped home to you!
With the growing competition between restaurants in the Nashville scene, Hog Heaven has been able to stay a smoking content within the race with their welcoming and family attitude. When asked what she would like visitors and locals about Hog Heaven, Katy simply said: “you are gonna get a more personal connection”. A personal connection is exactly what can be found in three different ways at Hog Heaven.
All food is made in house. Everything is smoked on-site, pulled by hand and even sauces and desserts are homemade each day.
After visiting Hog Heaven a few times, you become part of the family said Katy.
“We personally know most of our customers, their names and what they are ordering. That's what I think you get with Hog Heaven”Hog Heaven is more than willing to break their pattern to make a special order for their customers “it’s not gonna be this is what you get take it or leave it”
After just visiting Hog Heaven once, the family connection and values can be felt through their food and our own experience there. After all, at Hog Heaven you're not just a sandwich… you’re apart of the family.
