Emilee Prado
“You know he designed all this by himself,” Lourdes McWithey, founder of the Facebook group Colleyville Eats, says while sliding into a booth at The Londoner. “Barry, the owner, goes to auctions and finds all these unique pieces to put in the restaurant.”
Lourdes, a Colleyville resident herself, is full of local restaurant tidbits — like who is about to open, who participates in the most spirit nights and who may need a boost during a particularly slow business quarter. She shares them in her group, Colleyville Eats, a collection of online foodies interested in supporting area restaurants specifically affected by State Highway 26’s construction.
The Londoner is just one of the restaurants that has felt the effects of the ongoing project. In fact, the owners of the English-style pub ended up moving the restaurant to a new location in town particially because of it.
After seeing not only this specific restaurant but also others carry the weight of construction Lourdes knew she wanted to do something. So she started her group in 2018 on a whim and with a vision. Now at almost 2,000 members strong, Lourdes’ group has proven that with a little determination communities can help make their businesses succeed.
Learning About Lourdes
Lourdes grew up in the kitchen cooking alongside her family. Her grandmother passed down traditional Bolivian recipes that she looks back on fondly. So even after growing up and completing her master’s degree to become a librarian, Lourdes still felt linked to food and the community spirit it carries.
“We used to have these memories of eating in Grandma’s kitchen,” Lourdes says. “Now, I feel like you can still get that same feeling when going to eat at a mom and pop restaurant. You can still feel like you are at home.”
Lourdes worked with the Irving Public Library for eight years and for the Colleyville Public Library for a little under two, until she took a step back in December 2017 to help raise her daughter. Not long after, Lourdes decided she could use her passion for food to help raise up her community
As a Colleyville resident of 17 years, Lourdes saw the widening of SH26 and installation of medians take a toll on restaurants. The lifelong foodie could no longer stand by and watch as more shuttered their doors. So she posted on another Facebook group, Colleyville Moms, to gauge if there was interest in a social media group focused on raising up nearby restaurants. After receiving positive feedback, Lourdes took the leap and created the page in February 2018.
Its mission was singular and stands true today: place a positive spotlight on Colleyville restaurants. Lourdes wanted to create a platform where members shared pictures and recommendations of nearby restaurants and owners connected with customers. It may sound like a lot of effort to help those affected by a temporary project, but those who have seen the slow progression of SH26 know just how much these restaurants need support.
The History of SH26
Emilee Prado
For those unfamiliar with SH26’s progress, the $38.2 million, 3.1-mile Texas Department of Transportation construction project has a long history in Colleyville. The project as locals know it today dates back to 2014 when the city held a work session and public forum to discuss the project’s reconstruction and eventual completion. But the idea for the project, which was originally split into Phases 1, 2 and 3, has an even longer story.
According to that work session held on October 28, 2014, the first discussions of improving SH26 as a whole date back to 1994, and conversations regarding the Colleyville section began in 1999. An advisory committee was created, and several meetings took place during the 2000s and 2010s that covered everything from road closures to water lines to median placements.
Restaurants, along with other businesses, raised concerns during Phase 1 in 2014 on how this project would affect their livelihoods. Next Bistro’s co-owner Tom Aikens attended a forum in November 2014 to discuss the accessibility of his establishment. He spoke at length about how customers who would normally drive in from nearby cities like Southlake and Trophy Club told him it was too hard to get to Next, so they stopped coming in as often. Tom couldn’t fathom how everyone would manage as plans for SH26 Phase 2 began.
“How are we going to survive? Any of us?” Tom asked when his time came up on the mic during the forum, to which he was told that there would be impacts during construction, and there was no way to stop them.
While Next has endured over the almost five years of construction since, it wasn’t by accident. The restaurant benefited from Tom’s very own neighborhood’s patronage.
Building Up Colleyville Eats
After starting with a slow burn in 2018, residents started sharing local reviews little by little on Colleyville Eats. Because of the growing engagement, restaurant owners soon joined the group, not only to share information about their own establishments but also to shout out neighboring restaurants they dined at when they weren’t on the clock.
“I just wanted to create a positive place where people could share their experiences,” Lourdes says. “It’s all about the community. We just want to keep sharing these experiences so that the restaurants can stay in locals’ conversations.”
As more chefs and restaurateurs became active, even more locals joined Colleyville Eats to learn more about the restaurants in the area, as well as meet the faces behind them. What followed became a community hub for locals to dive into conversations about new restaurants and a safe space for comments about dining out in Colleyville.
Longtime owners like Red Barn BBQ’s Von Husbands are also able to share when they need some additional support. Von posted an SOS cry on the group in August sharing that because construction was, at the time, restricting access to Red Barn, he didn’t know how much longer he could stay open.
“Right now it is extremely tough in Colleyville simply because of construction,” Von says.
That one message brought out several Colleyville Eats members, many of whom posted pictures and positive reviews of what they ordered while at Red Barn. After seeing his post’s impact, Von shared that pushes like this allow him to keep his doors open.
But new restaurants, too, use Colleyville Eats as a way to build a local presence. David Oun opened Mother Cluckers earlier this year and immediately knew the value of the social media group.
“I found [the page] when my first few customers on opening day said, ‘We’ll post you on Colleyville Eats,’” David says. “After talking to them, I found it was a wonderful community full of local people trying to promote and help local businesses.”
Lourdes also brings people out to these restaurants with her monthly dinners. She invites Colleyville Eats members to dine as a community at different locations. The frst one took place just a month after she started the group at Teddy’s Burgers, which has since closed. But since March 2018, the group has had at least one communal dinner per month at places like Red Barn BBQ, Bellissimo, Honey Teriyaki and Townhouse Brunch.
Lourdes stays connected with restaurateurs to not only encourage locals to try new places but also to stay engaged with the restaurants that have been community pillars for decades. She has a running list of restaurants that she wants to work with in the future, from some of the oldest eateries in town to restaurants still under construction sporting coming soon signs.
As Lourdes catches up with The Londoner’s owner, he shares that the recent move from the original location off SH26 to the newly opened one on Highway 121 has affected business. After saying The Londoner may need a little help, Lourdes immediately comforts him by simply stating, “Well, I’ll add you to my list.”
Emilee Prado
Making A Lasting Impact
With just a few simple words, whether in person or through a quick Facebook post, Lourdes has proven she can make a difference. That impact was showcased in March 2019, after Colleyville’s City Council awarded Lourdes with a proclamation for her efforts to support local businesses.
“We really appreciate everything that you do,” Colleyville Mayor Richard Newton said during the March 19 city council session. “I love that — citizens on their own doing things to support our businesses and create positive awareness of them.”
Lourdes didn’t expect any of this recognition when she started this mission nor did she expect for her group to have such a lasting impact on the economic development of her city.
“I’m truly humbled by it all,” Lourdes says. “It’s amazing being surrounded by this kind of gratitude.”
But even after receiving that honor, Lourdes has not slowed down. She hopes to continue growing Colleyville Eats, especially now that the construction project’s completion date has been pushed to 2020.
Anyone, Colleyville resident or not, is invited to join this Facebook group. Members just need to answer a few questions about why they are interested and get ready to take part in a community movement. Whether it’s to read local reviews, learn about old and new restaurants alike or be a part of the monthly socials, members should expect to feel a part of something larger after checking out Colleyville Eats.