Black entrepreneur and owner of Big Daddy’s BBQ shares his legacy
The owner of Big Daddy’s BBQ is continuing his parents’ legacy and expanding his restaurant to achieve continued success.
Malkaam Muhammad, a St. Joseph native and black entrepreneur has been in the restaurant business since COVID with his food truck. After 4 years, he opened up a physical location at 2121 Francis St. As he learns from each order made, he doesn’t plan on stopping the progress anytime soon.
“I remember being a black little kid running around the community and not seeing a lot of black-owned businesses,” Muhammad said. “A lot of my family had their businesses, but I just wanted to see more and to grow up to have my own to pursue something and really accomplish it.”
After obtaining the restaurant name from his parents, Muhammad has worked his way up the restaurant chain starting with his Drive-Thru which is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Muhammad has plans to eventually move towards a dine-in shortly.
“Our dine-in should be here, done in the next couple of weeks,” Muhammad said. “We’ll still have drive-thru and curbside pickup, but you’ll also have the experience of dining in.”
As a black entrepreneur, Muhammad has ventured into the restaurant business and real estate as well. Muhammad says the most rewarding part about the work that he does is seeing the generational effects.
“It means a lot,” Muhammad said. “I try to keep the culture in the business just knowing where we came from, knowing where it all started and, who came before us.”
Muhammad’s mother Jamma Jackson, also known as “Big Mama” is most proud of the progression her son has made
“He’s a leader,” Jackson said. “He keeps everything in the community and doesn’t take it elsewhere. “He does it all and he knows what the younger generation wants.
As he is prepared to open the dining area at the end of February, Muhammad says the reason for the strategic planning of the dine-in is because of the success with the drive-through and making sure that he could dedicate quality time to what already works.
“The drive-through community has been so good to us,” Muhammad said. It really took my time away from here [dine-in], so that’s what has been the hold-up.”
Muhammad said his legacy started with his parents and will continue through him. His message to anyone who wants to start a business is as simple as just going for it.
“If you want to start a business, you just go for it.” “If you want to do anything in life, go for it, you may fail at your first business. It’s okay. The good thing is there’s no blueprint, of how it should go or how it should start. Just go for it.”
