What does a small sandwich shop in a Dunwoody, Georgia, gas station have in common with rap artist/actress Eve? For West Philadelphia native, restauranteur and philanthropist Derrick “D” Hayes, these elements birthed his future cheesesteak empire, Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks.
“I cooked that sandwich like my life depended on it—because this was really my last shot,” recalls Hayes about that make-or-break moment in this entrepreneurial journey.
And the sandwich? Well, it turned out good. Really, really good. Today, Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the Southeast, having announced franchising plans with a goal of signing 100 locations in the next 12-24 months.
With its classic cheesesteak ranked by Food World Champions as one of the Top 10 Best Sandwiches in the world and recently opening its fourth location in Lawrenceville, Georgia, this savvy entrepreneur’s empire is expanding.
Here Hayes, Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks founder and CEO, shares how a classic Philadelphia sandwich found its way into the hearts and on the tables of the southern culinary scene.
Your latest Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks location in Lawrenceville, Georgia, is very close to where you opened your first sandwich shop.
I started in Dunwoody, Georgia, which is about 25-30 minutes from my Lawrenceville location. So all that traffic I had from my first location at the gas station, most of it was coming from Lawrenceville.
I knew that market, and I knew this community was waiting for us to arrive. And I’m able to bring something back to the people that helped me in the beginning. It’s a smaller, straight-to-the-point location: The space is around 1,500 square feet.
It’s a new model for us. It’s working good because Lawrenceville is now one of my highest-grossing stores.
What do you think makes Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks special?
For one, I’m born and raised in West Philly. So you have a real Philly kid that created this company. And two, the seasoning; I created something that’s special to the brand. And then there’s the Amoroso roll from Philly. I brought that roll to the South.
But the major thing that makes Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks: my story, my grind, my struggle that I’ve been through in showing the world that you could be imperfect and show perfection.
Tell us more about what inspired you to bring the Philadelphia Cheesesteak to Georgia.
To be honest, I wanted to start my life over. I wanted a fresh start…I got in trouble in 2008, and I caught a case of narcotics. I was able to beat the case; God gave me a second chance, and I was able to straighten my life out.
In 2009, I watched my father die from lung cancer. And I wanted to make my father proud. His dying wish was [for me] to straighten out. So in 2014, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life.
I was thinking about jumping into real estate full throttle. But then I went to this [popular restaurant] because I was missing cheesesteak, they call them Phillys.
I started laughing because I was born and raised in Philly and I knew that these people were being cheated out of a real cheesesteak.
By Jocelyn Amador
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Cuisine Noir Magazine is the country’s first Black food publication, launched in 2009 and dedicated to connecting the African diaspora through food, drink and travel. To read the rest of this article and more, visit www.cuisinenoirmag.com.
