TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Wabash Valley is home to many black-owned businesses including Butta’s Better BBQ and Anna’s hands, who both got their start through requests.
Butta’s Better BBQ is owned by Rodney and Catherine Hill. Rodney said the restaurant was started to raise money for sports.
“When we moved here, we had to raise funds for a travel AAU team”, Rodney Hill said. “We chose to cook meals. The meals were barbeque, and we did fried fish and some other things. After the season was over, a lot of people were calling us and asking when we were going to start back the barbecues.”
Anna’s Hands has become a popular stop inside 12 Points Market, but it started out of owner Shannon Hart’s home.
“During the pandemic, I had been in the education system for 15 years and we were at home”, Hart said. “I had a skill, and a couple people wanted to get this chicken and rice soup from me and it just kind of turned into full-on catering and people picking up food. Then it just kind of bloomed from there.”
Today, both restaurants have upgraded from a food truck to a full store building. Both owners believe taking the first step is the most important.
“If you want to start a business, you have to start, that would be the first thing to do”, Catherine Hill said. “You have to walk by faith because you never know what you can do until you actually take a leap of faith to do it. We took a leap of faith and here we are today.”
They hope to inspire the next generation to do the same.
“I’m not just proud to have this business, but I’m proud to be a black business owner, to be a female business owner”, Hart said. “Especially in the time period that we are in, I think it is important to say that we are out here working hard and trying to make a difference in the community. Hopefully this opens the door for somebody else like me to do this too.”
Join us this Sunday, February 23rd, for our special program called “Honoring Black History.” It will air at noon ET Sunday on our sister station, WAWV, and at 12:30 ET, Sunday, on WTWO.
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