Businesses such as Indy’s own Bar-B-Q Heaven have excelled not only in their service as a place to get great barbecue classics, but as a pillar of the community. Started by owner and grill master Ronald Jones, this restaurant has been open for decades serving Hoosiers as a piece of local history and a story of Black entrepreneurship.
While some businesses may have issues with customer loyalty, location and pricing, Bar-B-Q Heaven has endured these challenges. This restaurant officially started in 1952 and has served Hoosiers for more than 70 years. Bar-B-Q Heaven now has two locations: one on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. and their second location on E 30th St. Their original location was on Indiana Ave.
Jones told the Recorder, “We are very appreciative of the people, our people, the people of Indy, the people of color that have supported us through the years.”
Before opening Bar-B-Q Heaven, Jones said that he started around 1951 at a street corner near Frederick Douglass Park.
“I sold barbecue to people going in and out of that park for two summers,” Jones said.
Shortly after, Jones’ parents decided to quit their jobs to help open the restaurant’s first location on Indiana Avenue.
“They helped me open the brick and mortar [in] 1952, and I’ve been at it ever since,” Jones said.
Traditional barbecue dishes such as ribs, chicken and pork chops are among the restaurant’s staples. The restaurant also features pulled pork sandwiches called BBQ on Bun for guests looking for other grilled classics. This barbecue destination also features pies and cakes for those looking to get a sweet treat. Bar-B-Q Heaven’s grilled foods are made with skill and Memphis-style cooking.
“We started with charcoal and after one or two years, I switched to wood,” Jones said. “With the moisture that the wood puts off in the smoke and aroma, it cooks from the inside out which makes is a little more moist.”
Even though Bar-B-Q Heaven was one of the businesses displaced from the historic Indiana Ave., Jones and his family helped the business continue operating and become one of the longest-standing businesses in Indianapolis.
Bar-B-Q Heaven has two locations: 877 E 30th St and 2515 Doctor M.L.K. Jr St. For more information call (317) 283-0035 30th St or St (317) 926-1667 Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Contact Staff Writer Malik Simon at 317-762-7847.
Malik Simon is a Staff Writer for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Memphis, TN, he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies concentrating on journalism. Before joining the Recorder, he wrote for the Devil’s Gazette newspaper at MVSU and served as a freelance content and video editor. He seeks to use media to help communities flourish through literacy and factual reporting.