NILES — For Tyler Haines and his family, barbecue was always a way to bring them together to share food and laugh. Now Haines, who has been cooking in the kitchen since he was 9 years old, wants to bring the same food and fellowship to Niles residents.

Haines, of Cassopolis, will open his new family-operated barbecue restaurant called Curly Q’s at 1 p.m. on June 23. The restaurant is located at 1125 Wayne St., the former location of Trotter’s BBQ & Grill, and will serve up home style barbecue, including pulled pork, ribs, barbecue chicken and rib tips. Customers can also find sides like Haines’ signature baked macaroni and cheese.

“I think everybody is going to love the macaroni and cheese,” Haines said. “It is a recipe passed down from family member to family member. You definitely know you are not getting it anywhere else.”

Meals cost $12 or less, with the exception being barbecue sold by the pound. Curly Q’s will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Haines will locally source meat from Clear Water Meats in Eau Claire.

“What I am going to bring is quality. Nothing is frozen,” Haines said. “We are not going to cut any corners. It’s going to be consistent, too.”

Haines credits picking up a passion for making food from his grandparents and his father, Tyrone Haines, who has earned a legacy as pit master.

“Anything I learned about the grill, I learned from him,” Haines said. “This has always been a passion of his too.”

Since he was a child, Haines said he has helped to cook in the kitchen, picking up more tricks of the trade from his grandmothers. That time cooking with family helped him to develop a talent for creating barbecue dishes. During family outings, if Haines created a dish that was not up to par, his family was sure to tell him.

“We’re not what you would call a quiet family,” Haines said. “If something tasted nasty, they were sure to tell me.”

For years, Haines said he and Tyrone dreamed of turning their passion into a business. This year, Haines said he challenged himself to make that goal a reality. So, when he saw a building open for rent at 1125 Wayne St., he jumped at the chance to make it the new home for Curly Q’s.

For the past month, Haines and his family have been working to renovate the building space. Per his 7-year-old daughter Nataleigh’s request, the store has pink accents and an eye-catching pink awning, which bears the name of the restaurant.

On Friday, the family was wrapping up the finishing touches on the building. Outside, Tyrone helped to clean the windows. He said he was happy to have the chance to finally bring he and his son’s dream to reality.

“I’m glad we can do this together,” Tyrone said. “It means a lot.”

About 10 of Haines’ family members will be working part-time to help operate the business.

Haines said he looks forward to offering customers a taste of the barbecue he experienced growing up.

“[We] want to create something that will fill your belly and be [a source] of happiness and laughs — everything that comes with barbecue,” Haines said. “I don’t know of anyone who has been to a barbecue and had a bad time. I just want to bring that same feel we have with our family to the community.”

To learn more about the restaurant, checkout their Facebook page by searching Curly Q’s.