Super Smash Burgh in Penn Hills poised to bring all the flavor — and a family vibe

Marcus Porter has been around good food his entire life.

Sunday dinners growing up were always at his house. When surrounded by delicious fare, he said, you quickly learn how to cook — and so he did.

Now, Porter is poised to open Super Smash Burgh on June 1, and he hopes its juicy, flavorful burgers will attract a following.

Super Smash Burgh is setting up in the former Bird on the Run eatery at 6520 Saltsburg Road, which closed on March 2. Porter, who worked there as a team member, now owns the place.

The space already was set up as a restaurant with a full-service kitchen and a brick wall where a few chef’s knives now hang — a souvenir from the previous owner.

“First, it was a joke,” said Porter, 29. “I swear, I was just playing around. And we talked about it and the owner was like ‘You got an idea?’ ”

Porter thought about what Penn Hills needed. He initially considered soul food but, after some consensus, realized he wanted to offer something more fun.

During a visit to Houston with his fiancée, Kenya Turner, he found inspiration at a place called Trill Burgers, owned by rapper and hip-hop artist Bun B. Seeing the impact the restaurant has on the city energized Porter.

“I just like how the city cultivated around that restaurant and really honed in,” he said.

While Porter grew up on soul food, he understands not everyone had that upbringing.

“Everybody has had a cheeseburger. There’s no group that doesn’t know what a cheeseburger and french fries are,” he said.

The name came from a brainstorming session with his brother and best friend, Brennen “Richie” Porter, 32. They initially were thinking of “Supersmash Brothers,” like the video game Super Smash Bros.

“We decided, like, let’s make it a Pittsburgh own, and there was this good twist to it,” he said.

A lot of the themes are reminiscent of the video game, and the main logo is a spinoff of one of the characters.

At the moment, Porter is doing double time.

His day begins at 4:30 a.m. because he still works as a full-time supervisor at a manufacturing company. In the afternoons and evenings, he works on the restaurant.

Currently, he is perfecting a signature Burgh sauce.

Porter hardly can contain himself when he thinks about it: “Mhmmm … it’s gonna taste good. It’s gonna be a little tangy, a little sweet, a good burger sauce. Maybe a little kick of spice in there.”

What sets Super Smash Burgh’s offerings apart from the “regular degular” burger might be obvious to some.

“ ’Cause it’s smashed, that’s why,” Porter emphasized anyway. “It’s different from what everyone is accustomed to, I mean, your average big ole’ burger. Smashburgers have a crisp to the outside. You can cook it very fast.”

Porter recognizes the mystique around smashburgers.

“A lot of people don’t know what a smashburger actually is. It’s not too far from your average cheeseburger. It’s a cheeseburger remix,” Porter said. “You take your seasoned meat, you make a meatball, and then you get two meatballs. You put them on your griddle, and you take your smasher. You smash ’em down with grilled onions, or without onions, whatever is your preference. You smash it down on the smasher, put it down on the bun, serve it up with the sauce, cheese or without, and there you go.”

For those who don’t eat meat, Porter is considering a vegetarian or vegan-friendly option using meat substitutes.

He has help in the recipe department.

Kerwin Highsmith, dubbed the chief recipe specialist, develops a lot of the offerings including the monthly specialty burger.

“The flavor of a smashburger is what makes it different,” said Highsmith, 31, of Bethel Park. “The flavor and the time, you can’t overcook a smashburger or undercook it. It’s gotta be just right.”

Highsmith said there also is a messiness factor that he enjoys: “If a smashburger isn’t messy, it’s just a plain old burger.”

Day-to-day operations are mainly on Porter, but he said his support system is locked in.

Team member Trisha Gordon, 37, who recently relocated from Florida and lives in Penn Hills, has years of experience in the restaurant industry and is used to the hustle and bustle.

“We are all excited to see the outcome,” she said. “This will mean a lot to the community as somewhere nice to get some food and hang out.”

For another team member, Orriana Lovelock, 23, also a Penn Hills resident, it’s a learning experience. This is her first time helping to open a restaurant from inception.

“(I’m) excited to help create this community space,” she said.

In addition to Porter’s various roles, the most integral role, he said, is being a father. His children are all under the age of 10, and he nurtures his family alongside his fiancée.

“I love my kids dearly. Every day of my life, they are part of me,” he said.

Porter grew up on the North Side of Pittsburgh but now calls Penn Hills home.

His son plays for the youth football team, and his daughter goes to Penn Hills Elementary School. Porter’s youngest children attend daycare in Penn Hills. Porter said he wants Super Smash Burgh to be a pillar in the community.

“I look across the street, and I see Stoecklein’s Bakery. To live here and to know it, you gotta know how much they embrace what they got,” Porter said.

“I deal with all local suppliers, and I want them to embrace me as a local,” he said. “I look forward to being a fixture in this community, and I want to do that by instilling in people that work with me to build relationships, take time out to get to know people. … We’re gonna be known as the original OG smashburger.”

While the headliner of the restaurant is the smashburger, “Don’t sleep on these chicken wings,” Porter said.

He also is excited about the sweet treat: fried Oreos.

Growing up, Porter said he didn’t see a lot of entrepreneurship, but he did see a lot of hardworking individuals. Much of his work ethic comes from his dad.

“I’m thankful for my dad for the way he raised us,” Porter said. “He made a household where I didn’t feel like I was forced to do anything.”

“I always stayed focused despite what was going on around me. I could have easily gone the wrong route.”

Instead, he embraced family, hard work and leadership.

“My friends always call me a leader or say, ‘You inspire me,’ and I do love that. I do love that. I want to be an inspiration to my kids, to my peers, to people just like me,” he said.

The countdown is underway for June 1. Opening day will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, bounce house, a DJ and local vendors, as well as plenty of chairs and tables for outdoor eating. Walk-in and takeout orders will be taken during a soft opening May 31.

“This is going to be a place, when you come here, I really want you to know that you are family. I want to win on culture here,” Porter said. “What I mean is, when you come here, everyone is going to greet you, everyone is going to smile. … It’s gonna be a vibe every time you come here.”