FLYT Studios

Devon Hayes — Detroit BBQ, National Blueprint

Devon Hayes — Detroit BBQ, National Blueprint

Two food trucks, 14 locations, 280 employees — and a refusal to sell out his city.

By Jay Pernell

June 1, 2026

How an operator-first culture scaled without losing the soul

Devon turned $1,800 and a flat-top grill into a hospitality empire. We talked operators, expansion, and never letting investors gut what makes the food taste like home.