Tennessee State University graduates became founders and took a chance on investing in their communities. Now it’s paid off. Their current venture, Slim + Husky’s, is expanding.
Derrick “Moe“ Moore, Clint Gray, and Emmanuel “EJ” Reid have always used entrepreneurship to give back. The trio first launched a moving company with $3,000. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the company helped them employ their formerly incarcerated friends.
“We had a big focus on giving back to our people and giving them jobs and providing opportunities,” Gray said on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast.

Slim + Husky’s

Through the moving company, they scaled a $3,000 investment into a seven-figure business. The trio later sold the business. However, they were uncomfortable riding off into the sunset and wanted to find a new way to support their community. This materialized into a pizza shop called Slim + Husky’s, an idea that originated from inside a garage, the company website mentions. The first shop opened in North Nashville, TN, on Buchanan Street.
“We want to bring light, energy, business, and jobs back to our own communities not just because it feels good because it’s needed,” Gray said on the podcast.
“We opened up on the 10th block of a street called Buchanan. Buchanan had suffered for a long time from crime and drug use, and there was not an open business for probably like 10 blocks…It was considered a food desert in a very populated area. Populated by African Americans. So we decided to open up, and from day one we saw what it meant to open up a Black business in a Black neighborhood by providing jobs,” Gray continued on “Black Tech Green Money.”

Newest Location

Slim + Husky’s is expanding and now has 11 locations in Memphis, TN; Atlanta, GA; Jackson, MS; and Jefferson City, MO; and its newest location is making its way to The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, TN, according to The Tennessean. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at 11 a.m. Sept. 12, per the outlet.
First-time buyers can expect signature artisan pizzas or a build-your-own option. Slim + Husky’s also serves wings and cinnamon rolls.
“Slim + Husky’s has always been about more than pizza — it’s about culture, creativity, and connection,” Gray told The Tennessean.
“Opening at The Factory at Franklin allows us to bring those values to Williamson County and share our flavors with a brand-new community,” he continued.