They say it can be tough to make ends meet on a teacher’s salary. Multiply that by two, add four children to the mix, and you’ve got the Lintz family looking for a way to supplement their income. A few years ago Mike and Amy Lintz made their delicious pulled pork for a church event, and when someone commented “You should do this!” their dream of opening a restaurant began to take shape.

Amy kept teaching, while Mike took a leave of absence to focus on building the catering business. Mike and Amy were then referred to the Michigan SBDC, where they met 80+ times over multiple years to prepare for the launch of their sit-down restaurant: Scratch BBQ. They met with Senior Business Consultant Harry Blecker and Business Consultant Emily Marrah on all things startup: the business plan and financial projections, design and layout of the to-go area and bar, operations, access to funding, property taxes, employee recruitment, and even what to do about a leaky roof.

“As a consultant, I’ve found that the best Clients are those who are persistent in their pursuits, and Mike and Amy are certainly that. They got their whole crew of family and friends out here, and really put a lot of sweat equity into transforming their building into their own restaurant space,” said Harry. 

According to Mike, “My experience working with Harry was wonderful. I knew I could call or email him anytime, and he would get back to me with a thoughtful answer. And if Harry didn’t know the answer, he’d find someone who did – he’s a great networker.” 

Scratch BBQ now is a bustling beacon in the neighborhood, with lines of customers often snaking throughout the restaurant. The applewood-smoked BBQ entrees topped with homemade sauce include signature pulled pork, pork spare ribs, beef brisket and beef short ribs. Complementary sides such as gourmet mac and cheese, baked beans, and honey-glazed cornbread, plus a full bar and lots of big screens to watch favorite sporting events bring the fast-casual concept to life. 

“I’d encourage any small business owner to reach out to the Michigan SBDC, and we are so grateful for the community’s support,” said Mike. “We created nearly 15 jobs, and found it’s so important to have a happy crew – folks who look forward to coming to work for us. That’s the ‘secret sauce’ to satisfied and repeat customers. ”

This project is being supported in whole or in part, by federal award number SLRFPO127 awarded to Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County by the US Department of Treasury