When Jeromey Brumett and Nicole Coldiron began dating seven years ago, they discussed the idea of opening a business.

The idea took a little more serious turn about 18 months ago.

“I don’t even know how the barbecue idea came up,” said Coldiron.

“We just started looking at pits.”

The couple opened 5th Street BBQ during the last week of May.

Brumett said they decided to stick with barbecue because Logansport didn’t have a barbecue restaurant at the time.

After 20 years in the car business for Brumett and six years as a waitress for Coldiron, they were ready for a change.

“I don’t think now is the right time to start anything with the economy,” said Brumett.

While they worry about the economy, the owners remain positive.

“We feel we have the support of the people in town,” said Brumett.

Brumett previously helped cook with his father and brother at Funky J’s Smokehouse Bar and Grill in Clearwater, Fla. Coldiron worked as a waitress for six years and also has a passion for cooking.

The couple have always prepared ribs for family birthday parties and other events.

“It kind of stinks now because we have a nice smoker at home, “said Coldiron. “We don’t get to use it because we are here.”

Both Brumett and Coldiron were born in Logansport. Brumett made his way to Florida before returning home in 1995. Coldiron moved to Indianapolis and came back in 2000.

The couple decided to remain in Logansport to open the business. Brumett has many family-business roots in the community.

“The restaurant business really goes back to the 1970s, here in Logansport,” Brumett said. “My father and mother opened Tasty Freeze across from B&K West.”

His grandma also worked in the restaurant industry and his grandfather was an entrepreneur, who owned Brumett’s Heating and Air Conditioning.

“That’s why we decided to keep the business in town because of all the ties and roots,” he explained.

The couple decided on a location after visiting Brumett’s mother, who owned Brumett’s Attic, which was located on Fifth Street.

“We would go past here and she kept looking in the window,” said Brumett. “It seemed like the right place for a barbecue restaurant.”

The restaurant offers a variety of food including full rack and half rack ribs, hickory-smoked chicken breast, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, smoked sausage with and without sweet kraut, meatball and chicken sandwiches. Homemade sides include BBQ baked beans, cole slaw and potato salad.

Coldiron noted 5th Street BBQ is the only local barbecue establishment to serve spare ribs. They also try to keep their suppliers local and purchase the meat through Royal Center Locker Plant.

In addition to homemade sides, the couple takes pride in their home-made BBQ sauce, which is available in regular and spicy.

“We have our own flavor,” said Brumett.

Brumett and Coldiron said the restaurant has appealed to a number of customers, including a 96-year-old woman who ate a half rack of

ribs on Mother’s Day and a 7-year-old boy who thought the food was better than a BBQ restaurant in Lafayette.

“It’s cool to appeal to people who’ve never ate ribs in their life before,” said Brumett.

Brumett and Coldiron wanted to start a business they could pass on to their children and even let them participate in it now.

They both feel it is important for their children to learn the concept of running a business, working with people and understanding the concept of the dollar.

Coldiron said the business wouldn’t be where it is at today if it wasn’t for the support of their families. Her father, Rick Schlinglof, was there around the clock, completing all of the electrical and plumbing.

Both said it has been a scary experience opening a business, but they wouldn’t trade it for the world.

“It was overwhelming at first,” said Coldiron. “We are both doing what we want to do, but there’s a lot of stress, juggling of finances, banking and kids. It can stress us out, but I don’t think either of us could give this up.”

• Denise Massie is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5151 or denise.massie@pharostribune.com

New business

Name: 5th Street BBQ

Address: 334 S. Fifth St.

Phone: 574-732-0002

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9

p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.

5th Street BBQ is interested in helping non-profit organizations.

Interested organizations can call the business for more information.