Jim and Kacy Curd moved to Bartlesville in 1980 where Jim Jr. joined his brother-in-law in the construction business. Jim worked in construction, outside sales for Overlees-Woods Lumber Co, and was self-employed in the construction field before purchasing Dink’s Pit Bar-B-Que from his brother-in-law in 1987. This step catapulted Jim Jr. and Kacy into the restaurant business and also helped them build lifelong relationships.

This year marks 31 years of owning Dink’s Pit Bar-B-Que and every one of those years has included many valuable relationships but most specifically with General Manager Jesse and his wife Norma Hernandez. In 1992 Jim partnered with Mark Spencer to open Sterling’s Grille, which is owned today by Jim and operated with long time staff members Becka and Phillip, Hays, Julie Fulton and Joe Purrington. In 2000 with partners Mark Spencer and Brenda Boden Swango, Jim opened River Grille in Bentonville, AR and today that restaurants success can be attributed to Brenda and her long term staff. In 2010, Jim partnered with his son Landon and they opened up Dink’s II in Bentonville, AR. Landon ran this location until his return to Bartlesville in 2016 to help own and operate Dink’s in Bartlesville.

Although the Curd family has certainly left a legacy in the local restaurant industry and as small business owners, it is just the beginning. Jim took pride in supporting and coaching Bartlesville youth and Injun baseball as well as volunteering his construction knowledge as a committee member during the Price Fields and Doenges Memorial Stadium renovations.

In 1992 Jim further expanded his community involvement when he sat on the City Council in Ward 3 and served as Vice-Mayor. While holding this position, Jim Curd Jr. played a key role with the Bartlesville Superfund site remediation and establishment of the Bartlesville Coalition. Today after winning a seat on the City Council in 2016, he serves on various boards and has contributed to finalizing a plan to complete the downtown landscaping and bring the maintenance under the City parks department. He is long-time supporter of downtown and parks and has worked to help restore funding for the public works and the parks department He most recently helped work for the successful outcome of the 2018 G.O. bond issue. This bond issue brings significant funding for parks maintenance and the creation of a green space with an entertainment venue connecting the iconic Price Tower and the Bartlesville Community Center. His restaurants continue to serve the Bartlesville High School athletics, the Jim Curd Sr. City Championship golf tournament and various sporting and community events.

The Curd family legacy is rich and continues to evolve as Jim Curd Jr. and Kacy’s children Austin and Landon and their families re-establish their Bartlesville roots. Austin and his wife Stephanie have two children, Tanner and Ava. Landon and his wife Kristin have one daughter, Kennedy.