Today we’d like to introduce you to Clay Spence.
Hi Clay, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Mr. Pimento was founded in 2022 from an idea to bring to Jamaican barbecue flavor to Austin. We started by doing pop up events all around Austin and the outer cities at any place that would give us the chance. Imagine loading up your car with a Bbq grill that you disassembled the night before, a tent, and all the equipment you’d need to cook and prepare on site. Once at the location you’d have to build it all up and get to cooking. This all going down in a central Texas summer that only the brave could survive. I remember doing our first event and selling so much food we had to turn people away even though we continued taking orders only to deliver it to customers later in the evening. Eventually we got an opportunity to open our first rented food trailer at the Buzz Mill in Austin. After a year and a half we bought our own trailer customized the way we wanted it. Our dream is to sell a boat load of jerk chicken or die trying. We soon after left the Buzz Mill and for a moment thought we would be pulling the plug because sales started to go down and fast. We struggled to stay afloat. A friend suggested we give catering a shot and steered us in the right direction on how to begin. The catering gave us a much needed lift in revenue and gave us the little bit of life we needed to live and see another day. We are now 4 years in and after several locations throughout the city, we are grateful to still be in a position to sell something we’ve created. The brand has changed and matured over time. Our focus is on delivering good food inspired by authentic Jamaican jerk/bbq . We are leaning into a build your bowl concept and having fun doing it. The community around us is what matters and we can’t continue to grow without them. No matter how good the food is, it’s the people that make the difference. So we hope that anyone looking for a delicious and quality meal would come, give us a try and start a relationship. And to keep coming back.
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?
The road has not been smooth. Some of the toughest things have been internal rather than external. Everything from health issues, to arrogance and the assumption that I knew enough to make the business work from the beginning. The hardest thing has been to stay out of my own way, be humble and know when to ask for help.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mr. Pimento?
We are Mr. Pimento a food trailer concept in Austin that we believe everyone should be talking about. Our product is food but we differ from others because we work backwards with the customer and our team first in mind. Our menu is designed around the ideas of consistency and quality. We don’t need a lot of variety to create a valuable and enjoyable experience. Not everyone can be won over and become a fan. This fact is something that we take seriously and we lean into it by trying to connect with the people that will appreciate what we offer. Growth may be slow, but as long as we are growing with the people that truly believe in us our future can be bright. We are located in North Austin at 7221 McNeil and we specialize in Jamaican jerk chicken with an emphasis on boneless dark meat. We can be found online on social media as we forge ahead on a mission to tell our story. For anyone that lives in or out the neighborhood we gladly invite you to come on over and give us a try for lunch, dinner or a catering event small or big. Our dream is simple. Sell a boat load of jerk chicken! With your help we can get there.
What does success mean to you?
Success can be defined in a myriad of ways. One of them for me is to demonstrate in my life a commitment to learning from my mistakes and the hardships I might face in life, to the end that I am useful and effective in all my roles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Mrpimento.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/mrpimento
- Facebook: mrpimentoatx
- Youtube: MrPimentoTX
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PY2SwVH57W7fQLYYA
