Life At Levy
Celebrating Black History Month
The plate is a palette to express many things – culture, heritage, community, innovation. This month, we connected with some of our Black-Owned Business partners from across the country to hear about their creative inspirations, as well as how history and tradition have shaped their approach to their work.
Bro-Ritos
For partners Marcus Crawford, Jonathan Gibbs, Jarid Thomas, and their Bro-Ritos team, being first didn’t scare them; it inspired them. They never stopped pushing forward, with larger goals in mind. They started with a food truck and now lead a dynamic culinary operation in multiple states, including one at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“The creative inspiration comes from our journey in this business,” Crawford says. “We saw there were no burrito food trucks in the state at the time and decided we wanted to be the first one. When it comes to flavor, we knew we wanted to be able to deliver our own unique taste that would set us aside from everyone else. Putting this brand together has been challenging at times, but it’s also been very rewarding to not only develop the business, but also develop in our personal lives together as we have taken on entrepreneurship.
“History and tradition has told us that we have to work hard every day. We understand that we have to work twice as hard and deliver a product twice as good just to move forward half a step. That type of mentality has led us to creating a dynamic and well received brand as well as opened many doors for us along the way. We want our business to continue to grow, and understand creating a process that can be duplicated is a key to that growth. Because of that, we continue to do the hard work and create our own traditions that can be followed internally to ensure the success of the brand. Working with Levy has helped us to align with other businesses that want to operate in areas in New Jersey and other states.”
Pattie Lou's
“Served with a mother’s love.” The tagline of Kobina Amoo and partner Marcellus Chapman’s custom donut restaurant, Patti Lou’s Donuts, nods to the inspiration they draw from their mothers. Amoo said it was a dream come true to own his own business. Now, the first-of-its-kind assembly line-style donut shop is expanding its footprint yet again from Toyota Center in Houston to Kia Center for Orlando Magic games, concerts, and special events.
“We find inspiration everywhere, from music and art to nature and conversations with our guests,” Amoo says. “Often, something someone says or does sparks the question, ‘What would that look like on a donut?’ From there, we start piecing together the puzzle, and more often than not, the result is something pretty cool!
“Historically, people like myself and my business partner have often been unfairly associated with lower quality or service. We work hard to change that perception. Pattie Lou’s was created to honor our mothers. We want every interaction with Pattie Lou’s to feel warm and welcoming, just like visiting your mom or grandma’s house. High quality customer service is incredibly important to us. While we had some concessions experience before, partnering with Levy opened our eyes to the true opportunity and scale of the concessions business. This partnership has accelerated our growth in business development and helped us implement systems and processes that might have otherwise taken years. It has also taken our product to new heights.”
Big O's
Serving some of the best BBQ around didn’t happen by accident for Owen “Big O” Wilson, owner of Big O’s BBQ. It’s the result of a hardworking ethos instilled by generations of family members with the same commitment to crafting the highest quality product.
“My creative inspiration and love for smoking meats came from my grandfather Ocie Blackwell and my father Owen Wilson Sr.,” Wilsons says. “I come from a family of hardworking men and women that inspired my work ethic and sense of pride in creating dishes that fill the belly and feed the soul. My mother prepared a home cooked meal every night, while my dad reserved every Friday evening for smoked ribs and steak.
“Our partnership with Levy has not only allowed us the opportunity to set up at Paycom Center, but it has also allowed us the ability to feed an even more diverse audience all while enjoying local events and NBA Basketball.”
John Tom's
While studying at Indiana University in the 90s, planning out his future, Lathay Pegues had a bright idea. One that blended family and business: re-create his grandfather’s iconic barbecue sauce, a family recipe that had never been written down, based on his memory of the ingredients. It took him nearly five years to create JohnTom’s Original sauce, and it is now served at multiple Levy-operated college sports venues.
“John Tom Branson was my grandfather,” Pegues says. “He was a barbeque aficionado, who created his very own barbeque sauce many decades ago. I was 11 years old when he unexpectedly passed away, and it was at that time that the family realized he never wrote down the recipe to his legendary sauce. When I was attending Indiana University in the 1990s, I came up with the bright idea to recreate my grandfather’s sauce, based on my memory of his ingredients. After years of working as a journalist, I decided to put my career to the side and start JohnTom’s Barbecue, LLC, along with two partners, Terrell Cooper and Rodney Robinson.
“The way I approach work is the way my grandfather approached the craft of barbecuing. It was more than a pastime for him. It was his pure passion. He took pride in the entire process, from meat selection to the detailed smoking method. John Tom was a factory worker in Muncie, IN. On summer weekends, he would wake up before the sun rose and fire up his handmade brick smoker. By noon, he would be open for business, selling old-fashioned barbecue dinners to neighbors from all around the city. He was known for his smoked meat and that delicious, red BBQ sauce. I watched this as a kid, and soaked it all in for years. I had no idea that one day I would carry on my grandfather’s tradition of providing quality BBQ sauce for the masses to enjoy.
“One of the most important things to JohnTom’s Barbecue is partnership. We’ve never wanted to be considered just a transaction, whether that’s with our customers or partners. What we’ve found with Levy is a trusted partner that values our core beliefs. Our relationships with some Levy employees extend beyond just a working one. We are treated like family.”
BLK & Bold
BLK & Bold owners Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson are lifelong friends, and their shared love for coffee and desire to invest in their community drove them to create their specialty beverage company. They hope to uplift future generations, and they dedicate a portion of their proceeds to youth nonprofit organizations that do just that. As they continue building a lasting legacy of ownership and impact, they recognize the challenges that have shaped their journey.
“We’re inspired by the resilience and ingenuity of our community and the Black entrepreneurs who paved the way before us,” Cezar and Johson say. “Coffee for us is a bridge between culture, conversation and community. Seeing how small businesses have shaped industries and created generational impact pushes us to build something that lasts. Our goal is to continue that legacy by making specialty coffee accessible while driving meaningful change.
“History has shown us that ownership is a powerful tool, but not an easy feat for all to accomplish. Generational barriers, systemic challenges and lack of access have made it difficult for many to enter and thrive in business. Yet, our communities remain resilient in the face of adversity. That resilience is what drives us to build BLK & Bold with intention — knowing that every step we take not only strengthens our business but also creates a path for those coming next. Through our work, we honor that tradition by showing that success and social impact can go hand in hand.”
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