Page 52 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2025 - Online Magazine

HONORING SMALL BUSINESSES

and set a few picnic tables inside the unit for customer
seating. Evie Mae’s was set up there for about a year
and a half when Texas Monthly stopped by for a taste. A
complimentary article followed, naming Evie Mae’s one
of the Top 50 Barbeque Joints in Texas.
The customer base exploded, and the Robbins quickly
realized they needed a larger space. Arnis and Mallory
went to the landlord of the storage unit, Dave Neufeld,
to tell him they were going to start looking for a larger
place. Dave said, “Don’t go anywhere. You’ve already
established yourself in Wolfforth. I own a corner right
down the street, and I will build you a building. Let me
build you a restaurant!” The current building was started
in January 2016, and Evie Mae’s opened in April of that
year, two weeks before Mallory gave birth to their son,
Jack. Mallory says Dave was a huge part of their success
because he believed in them and even built the building
on a handshake agreement, which is unheard of in this
day and age.
Mallory and Arnis love what they do so much they never
considered a “Plan B.” Having run a small landscaping
business also helped them navigate the challenges of
their growing restaurant business. Both of their families
were very involved in helping them become a full-
fledged restaurant, and they know they would not have
been successful without them. They started Evie Mae’s
Pit Barbeque as young people and have literally grown
up with the restaurant. Mallory credits low employee
turnover to treating them like family, creating good
opportunities for them. They think of customers as family,
too, and try to ensure good experiences for them.
At times along the way, the Robbins were not sure they
would make it—like during the 2020 pandemic. But Arnis
and Mallory met the challenge, serving their customers
with a successful drive-through. It was creative,
successful, and fun, but also exhausting. They still value
that learning experience.

A couple of years ago, they took the next step for Evie
Mae’s and bought the building Dave Neufeld built for
them. That allowed them to expand their space for more
seating and catering opportunities. Almost a year ago
the couple opened another location in their favorite
vacation spot, Miramar Beach, Florida. After vacationing
there, they noticed a need for good homemade food
and thought Evie Mae’s could help fill that gap. (But
thankfully, they have no plans to move away from
Wolfforth.)

Arnis and Mallory are continuing to build on the
foundation of successful recipes and valued relationships
at both the original Wolfforth location and at the new Dave's Roofing is Family owned
Miramar Beach location. If you have not tried Evie Mae’s and operated since 1986
barbeque, you are missing out on the “crown jewel of
West Texas barbecue!” (Texas Monthly).

52 Lubbock Senior Link