Women Who Are Crushing It! Pure Grit BBQ and Kerry Fitzmaurice
Your name: Kerry Fitzmaurice
Name of business partner: Jenny Mauric
Jenny Mauric (left) and Kerry Fitzmaurice (right).
Name of business: Pure Grit BBQ
Years in business: For the brand, two years. For the restaurant, eight weeks.
Type of business: Pure Grit BBQ is a new fast-casual vegan BBQ restaurant in NYC that serves up delicious vegan BBQ with fresh spins on your BBQ favorites. Pure Grit is not about imitation; it’s about serving up good food that says exactly what it is.
You’ll find everything from alternative proteins (such as an Impossible Cut or their Fried Daring Chicken Sandwich) to whole plants (such as their PG Signature Salad served with arugula, kale, broccoli shavings, roasted sweet potato and beets, quinoa, smoked apples, pumpkin seeds, and pickled red onion with green goddess dressing). Everything is smoked in house and prepared with the brand’s signature sauces and rub, which are also available for sale along with our branded merchandise. The concept is fast-casual BBQ FOR ALL with the mission to invite as many people to the table as possible. We invite you to pull up a chair and stay for a while.
The Impossible Cut: smoked impossible, onions, garlic, lentil, and BBQ sauce. Regular comes with half a waffle and choice of two sides, either coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, charred broccoli salad, fried sweet potato bites, or french fries. $19
Special Offer: Include the code SHEVENTURES20 for 20% off the Pure Grit BBQ ecommerce site. You may enter this code at checkout for any of the sauces and merchandise available.
Location: 36 Lexington Avenue in New York City
Source(s) of funding (bootstrapped, loans, friends and family, angel investors, etc.):
At first, we put together a syndicate round of investment, where people with around $10,000 could participate in our raise. We had a lawyer and all other logistics sorted, but at the last minute, we were funded by one individual who really believes in the Pure Grit BBQ brand and concept and helped us be successful today.
Social media handles:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puregritbbq/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puregritbbq
What was your “why” for starting your business?
BBQ is the best. I wanted everyone to be able to enjoy it. As a vegan myself, I always felt excluded from the BBQ community, and I knew that if I felt that way, others felt that way, too. I wanted to create a place where everyone could come enjoy delicious BBQ food — that also happens to be vegan and gluten-free! [Editor’s Note: Pure Grit BBQ started as an ecommerce site due to the pandemic, but the vision was always to have a brick and mortar location. Fitzmaurice pivoted due to global circumstances, but never abandoned her passionate vision.]
What is the significance of your company name?
“Pure” to me means authentic and honest, while “Grit” signifies perseverance and passion for long-term goals, but it is also dirt — which I thought was a nice, quiet nod to plants. 🌺 🌿
Considering the fierce competition in today’s business world, how would you highlight your company’s competitive advantages?
As a new fast-casual vegan BBQ restaurant in New York City, we capture a massive audience. We are vegan and gluten-free so that we can invite as many people as possible to share a meal and an experience. From salads to fried plant-based chicken, from smoked veggies to impossible burgers, we’ve got something for everyone.
Who is your greatest support when facing hardship in business?
The NYC restaurant community. We have a WhatsApp group, called NYC Restaurateurs, created during the pandemic that has been hugely supportive and collaborative. There are some incredible people in this industry that care as much as I do.
Have you experienced any challenges as a woman-owned business?
Of course. I definitely feel like there was a different set of standards for me as a woman in BBQ and entrepreneurship. I have been dismissed, spoken down to, told I was naïve – you name it. Every no or honey made me dig in and work harder and smarter. I have an incredible team around me that includes my business partner, Jenny Mauric, that has believed in me and my vision from day one, and I am grateful.
What advice would you give to your younger entrepreneurial self?
Thomas Edison is credited with saying: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Don’t give up.
“Every no or honey made me dig in and work harder and smarter,” says Kerry Fitzmaurice, co-founder of Pure Grit BBQ. 💪🏼 💪🏽 💪🏿
Does your biz support any causes?
We are committed to sustainability where we can be. Right now, that means compostable everything — including uniforms and packaging. Also, sustainability for people: an environment where employees thrive and enjoy coming to work.
What is your biggest entrepreneurial win?
I thought it was when I came up with the idea. Then I thought it was when we got covered in The New York Times, then I thought it was when we got funding, but what’s next keeps getting beaten — there is always another win. So, I focus on the smiles on our guests’ faces when they leave happy.
Opening a restaurant in NYC is a colossal undertaking (time, permits, bureaucracy). What are some lessons that you learned?
We worked closely with a veteran NYC operator, which helped enormously. We flipped one of his locations in three weeks. We benefited from keeping his staff so we had cashiers, line cooks, and bussers right out of the gate. I learned to listen to industry experts and accept that they know what they are doing as I knew I had a lot to learn. A piece of advice that stands out is
How much runway do you recommend women restaurateurs in large cities allow themselves for the best chances of success?
I would give a woman the same advice I’d give anyone else: six months to a year. It also comes down to your concept. When you are creating something really unique and new to the market as we are at Pure Grit BBQ, you need a decent runway. While vegan burger joints are ubiquitous, we are a BBQ joint, so there is some learning there. As my founding partner Jenny says, “it is a longer walk,” so that walk takes time.
Where are you in terms of your growth, and where do you want to be in 24 months?
Pure Grit BBQ storefront at 36 Lexington Avenue between East 23rd and 24th Streets in New York City.
We have been open for only eight weeks, so we are still working on our food and labor costs. In 24 months, we want to have a loyal community that has the opportunity to enjoy Pure Grit BBQ at multiple locations. Whether that is through additional locations, partnerships, or stadiums, time will tell. You cannot control the fixed costs but you can mind the variable costs and we are continuously working on that. You have to be grounded in the reality of today but with an eye on the future and beyond. I was surprised by how many people wanted to dine in for dinner. People are craving experiences and we definitely deliver on that.
The restaurant business — at least in terms of chefs — is historically male dominated. Why do you think this is so?
Historically speaking, capital has been easier to come by for men. Tolerance from investors for risk and gain has also been higher for male founders. My advice in the culinary space: The places I see thriving are spots that have a point of view. I would encourage any person to be authentic, know their skill set, and be true to the kind of restaurant they think consumers genuinely need and will love. For us, we knew that BBQ is hyper masculine – as are the brands and branding. We were excited to take that on and make our version of BBQ more inclusive to all BBQ lovers. Our strong point of view has paid off: Our angel investor happens to be a man who believes very much in the vision and what we bring to the table.
Supply chain issues have hit many entrepreneurs' businesses. How are you navigating this issue?
The supply chain situation is a really tough one. What do you do if you can’t get the ingredients you need to serve people? Pivot. Change up the menu, make it work, and over-communicate to customers so that they feel like they’re part of the journey with you. I have found customers to be incredibly understanding during these times.
What is the toughest business problem you have faced to date, and how did you solve it?
You have to earn every customer every day. Do not take them or your staff for granted. Start and end each day with gratitude. Serving someone food is an honor and it is our pleasure. We are genuinely grateful for each sale.
What tips can you give for women selling their entrepreneurial vision?
Be willing to walk away. Do not settle just because an offer is in front of you. You have been building out your entrepreneurial vision for a long time. You’ve worked too hard to get to this point only to settle.
Anything critical to your story we have not asked that you would like to add?
Expect the highs and lows. Expect the off-the-chart days and the dead days. Don’t take either personally. Hustle but don’t panic. Always be selling but slow down enough to celebrate the micro wins. When someone says, “you made me so happy” or “I am so grateful you exist” or “I find myself dreaming about your food,” it makes all the difference in the world. It fuels me and keeps me going.
What’s your favorite metaphor for describing entrepreneurship?
It’s like climbing a mountain: tough, but worth the challenge — and you cannot beat the view.
Top 3 places on the globe you WILL visit someday:
Africa, Easter Island, and Japan
Top 3 websites that you can’t imagine your day without:
VegNews: My all-time favorite go-to news source for all things vegan food.
The New York Times Food Section: As I mentioned, being in this column was a huge win and placement for us. I always look to this section for the biggest restaurant news in New York and beyond.
The Infatuation: An incredible food news source — who can go wrong with that?
Top 3 web or mobile apps that make your work more effective:
Toast, my dot journal, my Google calendar, my Apple Watch
Favorite woman-owned biz (other than your own!)
Slutty Vegan – Pinky is remarkable; Canava clothing; Gray Whale Gin; 21Seeds Tequila – I love women who are going into industries that have been predominantly men!
Anything important we did not ask that you think is important for other female entrepreneurs to know?
If you believe with every fiber of your being that you need to do that “thing,” do it. There are a million reasons keeping you from it. Don’t listen to your ego; listen to your heart. Do the work. Put in the hours. Do not be afraid to lean on everyone for support. I have found that most people want to help — and they want you to succeed.