When Walt Alexander moved to Portland from North Carolina, something was missing from his breakfasts: the biscuit. His seemingly insatiable biscuit craving evolved into Pine State Biscuits, co-owned by friends Brian Snyder and Kevin Atchley.
“I was homesick at the time, visiting North Carolina a lot more than usual; I wondered if I was going to move back,” Alexander said. “I was longing for bacon, egg and cheese biscuits and a sweet tea. I missed Bojangles’, Biscuitville, Sunrise and Biscuit Station. They were my go-tos in college, and there just wasn’t anything like that out here.”
Amid countless coffee and breakfast shops, the backbone of Southern breakfast foods wasn’t to be found. Snyder was the first to move to Portland in 2001, with Alexander following in 2002 after graduating in 1997. After visiting, Atchley decided to move from Arizona. Living together, the friends considered the business venture.
“We thought opening up a restaurant with food unique to our region would stick,” Alexander said.
While at NC State, Alexander studied industrial design. Although Alexander had never started a restaurant before, he was no stranger to cooking. He first started out at Tripps in Raleigh. Before he made his cross-country drive to Portland, he worked with Atchley in a restaurant in the old Pine State Creamery building.
“We phoned around ideas and tried to harken back to North Carolina and what it meant to us in a classic sense,” Alexander said. “Kevin and I both worked in the former Pine State Creamery building, and since the company was no longer in existence, we chose the name — it rang a bell.”
Getting into the farmer’s market in Portland was the first major hurdle. However, the lines continued to grow.
“The hardcore fans encouraged us to open up a restaurant, so we figured we’d have a biscuit shack,” Alexander said. “We took a leap of faith. I took a leave of absence from my job as a carpenter and cabinetmaker, built the first restaurant myself on Belmont Street, under about six months. It was only 600 square feet. It was my first time working with plumbers, electricians, etc. I learned a lot.”
After doing taste tests with friends, the trio assembled its menu.
“None of us really had a recipe; we just did research, bringing in a few family recipes and ideas that we had found, narrowing it down,” Alexander said. “We did taste tests with friends. We didn’t really know what we were doing at the time. We had no idea that it would get to where it is now.”
With his friends rallying him, Alexander and Pine State Biscuits had a wildly successful opening. Clamoring to get their hands on the classic breakfast food, people had to eat on the curb and were forced to get their food to go. Initially, the restaurant had 15 seats and a small bench outdoors for seating.
“We wore out our welcome; it brought notoriety to the spot, but the tenant wasn’t happy dealing with massive lines on the weekend,” Alexander said.
To buffer its crowd, Pine State opened a new location in Portland, which has since become its flagship location.
The menu has expanded quite a bit since the early days. At first, Pine State Biscuits focused on a biscuit sandwich. New offerings include desserts, alcoholic drinks and other Southern staples. Shrimp and grits, blueberry cornmeal pancakes and corndogs are a few.
The most popular choice of sandwich is The Reggie.
“The Reggie, our first biscuit sandwich that we named, our partner, Brian, was having his first child,” Alexander said. “He was throwing around name ideas, one of which was Reggie. His wife didn’t like it at all. We figured, if you can’t use it on your kid, we can use it on our sandwich.”
However, Alexander’s favorite is The Chatfield, which features buttermilk fried chicken, bacon and cheese topped with apple butter. The ingredients, piled high, pack a flavorful punch.
A former employee and North Carolinian named The Chatfield.
“A pregnant lady would always come in and sub gravy for apple butter, and the ex-employee would always make her sandwich,” Alexander said. “He’d say, ‘you all should put this on the menu and call it the pregnant lady sandwich,’ we couldn’t call it that, but we have somewhat immortalized the menu item.”
Another bestseller, The McIsley, was named after friend Mark Isely from Asheboro, North Carolina. The sandwich holds fried chicken with pickles, mustard and honey.
However, one’s choice of entrée would be remiss without the proper beverage pairing.
“We’ve been told by Southerners it’s the best they’ve had — better than that of Bojangles’,” Alexander said.
Currently, Pine State Biscuits is focusing on perfecting its business model. When starting a business, Alexander recommends starting out small, being open to new ideas and removing oneself from the business if necessary in order to see the bigger picture.
“We’ve ridden the wave; we started an idea and built upon it,” Alexander said. “Get a system in place. If you’re an owner and try to do it all by yourself, you’ll burn out quickly.”
Pine State Biscuits started out in a building with seating for 15. After consistent lines out the door, the restaurant relocated to accomodate demand.
