Criminal Defense Attorney inFountain Inn, SC

An Upstate restaurant has been recognized on a national scale.

Bobby’s BBQ, which opened on the edge of downtown Fountain Inn in 2018, was named South Carolina’s most charming small-town restaurant by Food Network.

“While many barbecue joints are run by a pitmaster with decades of experience, Bobby’s is special because its owner, “Tay” Nelson, is self-taught; he mastered the art of barbecue simply by watching YouTube videos,” Food Network writer Ni’Kesia Pannell wrote. “And while that may make one shy away from ordering up a slab, rest assured that Bobby’s is now one of the best barbecue spots in the state.”

Owner Octavius "Tay" Nelson didn’t even know his restaurant was in the running for such an accolade, he admitted. His wife, Sarah, had to call and let him know she’d seen a post.

“It is humbling and means the world to us,” Nelson said.

And yet, Nelson said, the recognition doesn’t change anything except the drive to work harder. And he has big plans. More immediately, Nelson has started doing whole hog barbecue with hash and rice on the first Saturday of each month, honoring a longstanding South Carolina tradition.

He is also focused on growing sales of his proprietary spice blends and sauces. Down the road, he would love to open another restaurant and perhaps be on television.

But everything is a process, he said. Nelson knows this well. His restaurant was the culmination of a decade of dreaming and working towards a goal.

Bobby’s BBQ is named in honor of Nelson’s father, Bobby Sr., and brother, Bobby Jr.

Growing up, Nelson’s father owned a restaurant and the younger Nelson learned the business at his father's side, but swore he’d never work in one.

But after Bobby Sr. passed away in 2008 and Bobby Jr. died in 2009, Nelson changed his mindset. He saw food as a way to connect with the people he loved and his community.

He had been playing with his father’s seasoning blend and developed a proprietary recipe that is perfect on pretty much anything.

At the same time, Nelson had gotten very interested in barbecue, particularly the central Texas style of cooking brisket in wood-burning smokers. He began experimenting, learning from YouTube videos and watching pitmasters like Aaron Franklin.

The learning, the passion and the family history culminated in the opening of Bobby’s BBQ in October 2018.

Moving forward, Nelson will continue his monthly first Saturday whole hog barbecues, and plans to continue to perfect his craft. He’s even toying with some new menu ideas.

“You are always learning,” he said. “You never get to the point where you know it all. If you do then you’re not going to grow anymore.”

See Food Network’s full list of top small-town restaurants here. And check out more about Bobby’s BBQ here. The next whole hog roast will be March 1 at the restaurant, 1301 N. Main St., Fountain Inn.

Bobby’s BBQ in Fountain Inn is so good an engineer stopped his freight train to get take out.

This from a pitmaster who learned the trade via You Tube videos. He and his wife, Sarah, opened in 2018.

Now they have been recognized as the most charming small-town restaurant in South Carolina by Food Network.

Ni’Kesia Pannell, owner of Peach State Drinks and who also writes for Food Network, wrote, “Though some people may just eat out of necessity and travel for pleasure, the truth is that if you can find a joyous way to fuse the two together, every bite you take can easily become an adventure. And while many people believe that you have to travel to other countries or big cities to experience the best parts of life, sometimes it’s those small towns that truly bring the charm and the must-have dishes that you’ll be raving about for years to come.”

Food Network picked the “best and most iconic small-town restaurants” in each state.

Of Bobby’s she wrote, “If South Carolina is on your list of places to visit soon, stopping in the small town of Fountain Inn will be a true treat.”

She noted that what makes Bobby’s special is precisely what could make some people not want to go: his self-taught YouTube education.

But she said, “Rest assured that Bobby’s is now one of the best barbecue spots in the state.”

Located on Main Street on the way from Simpsonville just before downtown Fountain Inn, the restaurant features Central Texas-style BBQ with beef brisket, pulled pork, ribs, turkey, house-made sausage, and homemade sides — some made from Mrs. Nelson’s family recipes.

At 12, Nelson started working as a dishwasher alongside his father, a chef at a Greenville restaurant, and then during high school summers he managed the luncheon service. His father, Bobby Nelson, died in 2008, his brother Bobby Jr. in 2009, and Nelson wanted to create something in their memory.

He started a seasoning company in 2010 using the spices his father used and adding some of his own to create Bobby’s All Purpose Seasoning, then Citrus blend and a BBQ Rub. The spices were featured in Forbes holiday guide that support chefs in 2020.

He began his YouTube education in 2014 watching Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas. Trial and error, cooking for friends led him to quit a manufacturing job and take what he calls a leap of faith to open Bobby’s.

He and Mrs. Nelson furthered their education learning about banking, business loans and the like before opening Bobby’s and a catering business.

It didn’t take long before lines of customers formed around the building and people were driving from Charleston, according to Google economic report.

Things are heating up at Bobby's BBQ.

Food Network recently named the Texas-style barbecue joint the most charming small-town restaurant in South Carolina, which can only bring in new customers and more business.

"And while many people believe that you have to travel to other countries or big cities to experience the best parts of life, sometimes it's those small towns that truly bring the charm and the must-have dishes that you'll be raving about for years to come," said Food Network.

Here's why Food Network think's Bobby's BBQ is special.

What did Food Network say about Bobby's BBQ?

Food Network said most barbecue joints are run by a pit master with decades of experience, but what sets Bobby's BBQ apart is the fact that it's owner, Octavius "Tay" Nelson, learned to cook barbecue on his own time through YouTube tutorials.

"And while that may make one shy away from ordering up a slab, rest assured that Bobby's is now one of the best barbecue spots in the state," Food Network said.

How did Bobby's BBQ react to the win?

The staff at Bobby's BBQ were stoked when they heard they were chosen by Food Network to represent the state's most charming small-town restaurant. On Feb. 5, the joint shared the news on Facebook with its followers, which read:

"This recognition means the world to us, and we wouldn't have done it without our incredible team, our amazing customers, and the support from our community. From the bottom of our hearts ― thank you for believing in what we do and for sharing our love of great barbecue and hospitality."

What side dishes does Bobby's BBQ serve?

∎ Sweet potato crunch

∎ Green beans

∎ Macaroni and cheese

∎ Corn pudding

∎ Collard greens

∎ Cheesy potato casserole

∎ Ellie's baked beans

∎ Homestyle coleslaw

Where is Bobby's BBQ located?

Bobby's BBQ is located on 1301 North Main St. in Fountain Inn.

What are Bobby's BBQ's hours of operation?

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at [email protected].

Home>Manufacturing>

Almost 200 jobs will be lost when Fountain Inn manufacturer closes doors

Rich Products Corp. is closing its Fountain Inn doors. The Greenville County foods manufacturer will shutter sometime in February, according to a Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification filed with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

The WARN notice says 184 jobs will be lost.

A company spokesperson said the move is being made for the efficiency of the overall company.

“As we recently shared with our workforce, Rich’s is consolidating production of the products made in Fountain Inn across our U.S. manufacturing network,” Allie Friedman, senior manager of Communications Strategy & Reputation division, said in an email. “The decision was part of a regular assessment of our operations to ensure we’re running our production as efficiently as possible — at both the right capacity and at the lowest possible cost for our customers and consumers.”

She also said the company is taking steps to ease the blow to the workers losing their jobs.

“Supporting our people through this transition is important to us, so all impacted associates will receive severance packages, career assistance and job resources,” she said in the email. “Additionally, this January, we will be hosting a job fair in Fountain Inn to connect associates with local opportunities. It’s important to note that Rich’s U.S. manufacturing presence remains strong, including more than 20 production facilities across the country.”

The company, headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., traces its roots to 1945 when founder Robert E. Rich Sr. created the first non-dairy whipped topping. Still family owned, the company offers a broad range of products for the food industry, has about 100 locations worldwide and annual sales exceeding $5 billion, according to information across its website.

Rich’s bands include SeaPak, FarmRich, Carvel, f’real and Christie Cookies.

“From cakes and icings to pizza, appetizers and specialty toppings, our products are used in homes, restaurants and bakeries around the world,” the company says on its website.

Rich’s expanded its product line as late as 2021 with the purchase of Signature Breads, a producer of specialty breads and rolls such as baguettes, ciabatta and dinner rolls.

-