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Heim Barbecue's new restaurant has opened in North Texas

Heim Barbecue has opened its second restaurant in North Texas.

By adding a second Fort Worth address in what's called the River District, co-owner Travis Heim hopes waits won't be quite so long for the company's popular smoked meats.

Like, long: Some fans have waited three hours for barbecue at the original Heim restaurant on Magnolia Avenue, he says.

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"One of our biggest issues at Magnolia — and it's a great problem to have — is it's really, really busy, most all of the time," Travis says.

Two months after that restaurant opened in 2016, he and his wife Emma Heim realized "it's not even close to big enough." They've been working on Heim No. 2 ever since.

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Heim Barbecue first debuted as a trailer in 2015 — a new business venture Travis says was a gamble that left them with $100 in their bank account and worries they might have to move in with his in-laws. Was it ever the plan to operate two barbecue restaurants someday?

"No," Travis says. "Hell no. No way. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed and happy."

Tired might be another word, but Travis doesn't show it. The second Heim, located on White Settlement Road in Fort Worth, was under construction for a year and a half. Relieved is the word, he says.

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The Heimburger is a popular new item at Heim Barbecue in Fort Worth.
The Heimburger is a popular new item at Heim Barbecue in Fort Worth.(Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor)

Heim No. 2 will be bigger and will stay open later than the Magnolia Avenue shop: until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The Heims have added chips and queso, salads, chicken wings and six burgers to the menu. They'll still sell old faithfuls like brisket, bacon burnt ends, jalapeno-cheddar sausage, smoked turkey and more.

For drinks, Heim will sell 14 cocktails and six shooters, like the Breakfast Shot: Kilbeggan Irish whiskey and butterscotch. Wowza, maybe that'll make the line go faster.

Heim Barbecue tested out some of its new menu items on customers at a closed event on April...
Heim Barbecue tested out some of its new menu items on customers at a closed event on April 5 and 6, 2019.(Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor)

Or maybe there won't be one at all. Travis hopes the new restaurant will reduce the lines at both Heims. "I don't want you to wait an hour in line," he says. "We tried to improve a couple of those things to make the customer experience better."

Eventually, the Heims want to open more restaurants, barbecue or otherwise.

"If people continue to eat barbecue, we can open some more stores — and maybe do some other concepts," he says. "But the biggest thing right now is being sure we have good barbecue to sell. ... One step at a time."

The new Heim Barbecue opened at 5333 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, on April 16. It will be closed on Mondays.

Owners Emma Heim and Travis Heim are seen here at their original restaurant in Fort Worth....
Owners Emma Heim and Travis Heim are seen here at their original restaurant in Fort Worth. That restaurant remains open.(Ting Shen / Staff Photographer)