The OG Pepperoni at Honey Boy Pizzeria. Credit: Courtesy of Remy Adkins
Founded by three brothers as a tribute to their father and their family’s “stay golden” philosophy, Honey Boy Pizzeria opened inside Eupouria Bar and Patio Sept. 17.
Located at 1568 N. High St., the new University District eatery sells by-the-slice and whole pizzas, including four flavors — Cheese + Fresh Basil, OG Pepperoni, a vegetarian option featuring mushrooms, garlic and truffle and the signature Honey Boy, which includes pepperoni, jalape?os, ricotta dollops and hot honey, according to the Instagram page.
The business was founded on a running joke in the Adkins family about opening a pizza shop, said Remy Adkins, an owner of Honey Boy Pizzeria.
“We would be talking about something for like two hours, something completely unrelated, and then it would go a little silent, and then someone would be like, ‘Okay, we can open a pizza place,’” Adkins said. “[Our father] taught us [that] nothing is more important than hanging out with your family as much as you can be cause, as we can all see, time is not promised to us.”
Adkins, who has previously worked in corporate restaurant management at Chipotle, Sweetgreen and Mikey’s Late Night Slice, said he, his brothers, Jordan and Jarod, and his father used to go to Waffle House when they needed to dream up an out-of-this-world concept.
“My dad said Waffle House is the best place to go and think,” Adkins said. “We still do that. That’s how it kind of popped in our head [to open Honey Boy] after our dad passed away last year.”
Following his father’s death, Adkins said he was motivated to not only memorialize his memory, but create something to celebrate it.
“I was working in corporate restaurants and I didn’t have any time to grieve my dad,” Adkins said. “I had to be like, ‘Okay, well, I still have to go to work on Monday.’ It showed us that the world doesn’t slow down. You just gotta make the time with people that you love. So, we were like, ‘Dude, we got a little bit of money saved up, let’s just try to do it.’”
Adkins said he chose to reach out to Eupouria because it is also a family-owned business. The bar is owned by sibling duo Emilee Mann and Benjamin Morgan.
“We’ve always loved the idea of having food available inside of Eupouria, and we want people to be able to come in, grab a drink, enjoy some pizza [and] spend time with their friends, but up until this point, we haven’t had that food component,” Mann said. “So, when we met Honey Boys, it just felt like a really natural fit for what they’re trying to create here.”
Many University District bars have recently partnered with restaurants and eateries to add food to their menus, Adkins said. Within this, he celebrates open collaboration among local businesses.
“If any of these places have one goal, especially being on campus, it is [to] provide the best experience that they possibly can to whoever comes in,” Adkins said. “When you have the melding of two creative people, it can be difficult, but it also can be really beautiful.”
Mann said both businesses complement one another, which fosters success for each.
“I felt like it was really special to have another family-owned business joining us,” Mann said. “We complement each other really well because we bring the drinks and the entertainment, and they bring the food. So, I feel like it’s just such a great opportunity for both businesses.”
Inside the Honey Boy kitchen, Adkins said he and his brothers are continuing to keep their father’s memory alive.
“It’s really funny, because you don’t think about how many little tiny things that somebody has said or done in your life that show up after they pass,” Adkins said. “My dad’s here every day. My dad liked really, really crappy beer. So, we have a Coors bottle back there with his name on it. So after every shift, we’ll do a toast to our dad. He can have a drink.”
The Adkins brothers with their late father’s designated Coors can. Credit: Courtesy of Remy Adkins
The brothers are also honoring their father through their business practices, Adkins said.
“Even in the name Honey Boy, it’s a tribute to him,” Adkins said. “That was his pet name for us. He always called us ‘honey,’ and so on.”
Adkins said to pay tribute to their father, he and his brothers use the best ingredients possible in their pizzas. In addition to their pizza selections, Honey Boy also serves fries, house-made ranch dressing and a sweet ricotta dip, according to the menu.
Through operating Honey Boy, Adkins said he feels further inspired to share his story.
“It’s kind of a weird but beautiful thing when you experience that type of loss, and it is sad, but you also find yourself like, ‘We talk about and to our dad sometimes more than we did when he was here,’” Adkins said. “When you don’t have something, it becomes obvious that you miss it, and then you find reasons to bring it up so it doesn’t go away.”
In addition, Adkins said Honey Boy offers a specialty deal where customers can get $1 off when ordering two slices.
Having previously worked in the pizza industry, Adkins said he is grateful for the support he has received from the local community.
“I’m happy to be a part of the pizza scene,” Adkins said. “It’s so supportive. I was really surprised about how many people reached out and were like, ‘Oh man, good luck on your opening.’”
On its opening day, Honey Boy sold out in under four hours. Since then, the shop has continued to regularly sell out on normal business nights, according to the Instagram page.
“We’re really excited about being a part of a city that is so amazingly foodie,” Adkins said. “The pizza scene itself, in Columbus, is insane … There’s not really a finite amount of love for pizza in the city and so we hope everyone does super well because I think there’s plenty of love to go around.”
Adkins said he hopes Ohio State students visit Honey Boy to take a break from the stressors of everyday life.?
“You want to see somebody take a bite of your pizza and, for that one second, they’re not worried about school, not worried about work [and] they can just enjoy a bite of something and get back that small piece of their day,” Adkins said. “In order to do this and be able to stay in the game for such a long time, you have to really be in it because you love people and you want to see the positive effects of whatever you’re doing.”
