Da Bubs | Our Story

Thank you. If you've made it this far, I'd like to tell you why this company really exists. Whether you're a potential investor, future employee, family member, friend, guest, or simply someone who is curious about what we're building, I appreciate you taking the time to understand the story behind Da Bubs. Because this isn't just a restaurant. It never was. And if all I wanted was another restaurant, none of this would be worth the effort. Restaurants are hard. They're demanding. They're stressful. They consume your time, your energy, your money, and often your sanity. If my goal was simply to make money, there are easier ways to do it. Da Bubs exists because I believe there is still room in this world for people who refuse to compromise their values. I believe there is still room for people who care. I believe there is still room for businesses that choose what is right instead of what is easy. And I believe there is still room for companies that understand success is measured by more than profit alone. Profit matters. Let's be honest about that. Financial success matters. Freedom matters. Control matters. Growth matters. I want those things. I am not ashamed to say that. But when people remember Da Bubs thirty years from now, I don't want them to remember how much money we made. I want them to remember what we stood for. I want them to remember that we never sacrificed our standards. I want them to remember that we never cut corners. I want them to remember that we proved doing the right thing is actually more profitable than doing the easy thing. Because I have spent my entire life watching people make excuses. Excuses for poor quality. Excuses for bad service. Excuses for treating employees poorly. Excuses for serving food they knew wasn't right. Excuses for sacrificing long-term trust in exchange for short-term profit. That has never interested me. If there is one lesson I hope every person who works for Da Bubs learns, it is this: It is okay to make a mistake. It is not okay to serve the mistake. Mistakes happen. We are human. But character is revealed in what we do next. Do we own it? Do we fix it? Do we make it right? Or do we hope nobody notices? Da Bubs will always choose to make it right. Not because it is easier. Because it is who we are. The truth is, the older I get, the less interested I become in impressing people. I am interested in impact. I am interested in building something that matters. I am interested in creating a place where people gather with friends, celebrate milestones, watch games, go on first dates, recover from heartbreak, make memories, and share meals with people they love. Food has always been the excuse. People are the reason. The greatest lesson of my life did not come from a kitchen. It came from my dog, Chloe. When Chloe became sick, everything changed. Time suddenly became more valuable. Moments became more valuable. The simple things became more valuable. And I realized that what matters most is not how much time we have. It is what we do with the time we are given. Da Bubs exists because of that realization. This company was built on the belief that every additional memory matters. Every meal matters. Every conversation matters. Every moment matters. As this company grows, I hope we create something larger than restaurants. I hope we create opportunities. I hope we create leaders. I hope we create careers. I hope we create a culture people are proud to be a part of. And one day, I hope we create enough impact that people point to Da Bubs as proof that business can be successful without abandoning its soul. Growth is not the goal. Growth is the result. Quality comes first. People come first. Culture comes first. Leadership comes first. Growth follows. If that means we open fewer locations than everyone else, so be it. If that means it takes longer, so be it. I would rather build ten extraordinary restaurants than one hundred average ones. I would rather be respected than trendy. I would rather be trusted than famous. And I would rather build something that lasts than something that grows quickly. Da Bubs is not perfect. Neither am I. But I can promise this: We will care. We will work. We will improve. We will hold ourselves accountable. And we will never stop trying to earn the trust of the people who choose to spend their time with us. Thank you for believing in what we are building. The journey is just beginning. James Higgins Chef & Owner, Da Bubs