Bruce Slaughter, owner of H.B.'s Bar-B-Q, 6010 Lancaster Road, Little Rock, died Tuesday after a six-year battle with cancer. He was 60.
Slaughter was the son of Herbert Brooks “H.B.” Slaughter, who with his brother, Casey, were the original owners of The Shack. H.B. Slaughter and his wife decided to branch out on his own and opened the tiny place, tucked away in a residential neighborhood off 65th Street in southwest Little Rock, in 1961. Bruce Slaughter started working there when he was 9.
H.B.'s manager Ginny Wright started working there 26 years ago as a dishwasher. “He fought hard,” she said Wednesday of her employer's cancer treatment. She added that the most recent of a collection of tumors blocked his airway, and the best his doctors could do for him was to make him comfortable.
Slaughter and wife, the former Judi Clinton, were married for 28 years. She posted Wednesday morning on Facebook, “We are [maintaining] business as usual because that is the way Bruce would want it. Please give our employees some space. It is tough for them to deal with this but are supportive in keeping the business open and running. I'm not sure what the future holds and we appreciate your support. Please keep our family in your prayers.”
Roller Drummond Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.