Today we’d like to introduce you to Harry and Michelle Coleman.
Hi Harry and Michelle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After the success of Empanada Harry’s, we decided to follow a passionate hobby of ours – Barbecue. When we began dating in 2005, we bonded over food and spent countless hours grilling and smoking meats. We decided to open a Smokehouse before the pandemic and actually signed the lease at a spot adjacent to Empanada Harry’s. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, we got nervous but decided to sell smoked meats every Sunday and that was our savior. Barbecue Sundays is what helped us survive as a business and what gave us reassurance that the Smokehouse was going to be a success. When the lines reached across the shopping center, we felt blessed and reassured our barbecue was good.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Construction was tough and at times a nightmare. The locale was a former nail salon so we had to build the restaurant from scratch -grease trap, hood, air conditioning, etc. We spent over $300,000 and as a small mom and pop shop with no investors that is tough. For barbecue Sundays, we would sleep st the shop because we had to man the barbecues. It was all tough but definitely worth it. In particular, due to the fact we did this together as not only business partners but a loving couple.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Smoke &Dough?
We are a Miami style barbecue joint with Chef driven techniques. Different regions of the U.S.A. have great barbecue and styles but why can’t Miami have its own version. We love to mix our Hispanic and Caribbean culture with American smoked meats. Guava on the ribs, cafecito rub on the brisket, mofongo underneath pulled pork, arepas instead of sandwiches and tapas infused with smoke is the style we envision for Miami. People have responded and are enjoying our vision. Sides that taste as good as the meats. Tapas such as smoked brisket tequeños or smoked chicken liver pate that make the experience that much better.
How do you define success?
Success is when a customer returns for a second time. A repeat customer is the barometer for a good business surviving in such a competitive market.
Contact Info:
- Email: Online@smokeanddough.com
- Website: www.smokeanddough.com
- Instagram: @harryssmokeanddough
- Twitter: @SmokeDough
