Sometimes the greatest opportunities arise from the most unlikely circumstances. My story begins in high school when I decided it was time to start working to earn a little spending money. I was hired at the Red River Steakhouse to bus tables a couple of nights a week. It was fast paced and always a little challenging with many guests coming and going. I remember wondering, “Where are all these people coming from?” Now, I know those folks came from all over the state, the nation, and the world just to taste the delightful fixings of the great Gabe Parson, restaurateur and originator of the K-Bobs steakhouse chain.
After some time of service, I was granted the opportunity to learn directly from this great restaurateur. I progressed from one position to the next with ease, and before I knew it, I was well versed in all aspects of running a successful steakhouse. During this learning opportunity I was finishing high school and planning to attend college. Although I moved away and attended college for sometime, I later realized how much I enjoyed cooking, and I almost missed my opportunity at operating the Red River.
By the time I knew I wanted to be in the restaurant business, the restaurant had been sold. Sadly, the quality and atmosphere customers expected faded, and the restaurant was almost lost due to poor management.
So, with the help of my family, I opened the Route 66 Steakhouse in Groom, Texas, in July 2003. We served the same high-quality steaks, catfish, and prime rib as that of the original Red River Steakhouse. Our guests loved our little restaurant so much that there was generally a line out the door during lunch and dinner. Unfortunately, our dinning area became overly crowed, so we did our best to keep everyone happy, but we needed more space.
By a twist of fate in 2006, I learned the Red River Steakhouse was for sale! I immediately began making the necessary calls to see if we could work out a deal to buy my old stomping grounds. After three months of negotiations we secured the property and all the contents and began restoring the steakhouse back to its original working order. We then closed the Route 66 Steakhouse and relocated back to the Red River Steakhouse.