When Tracy and Shamis Burrell saw the for sale sign attached to a local restaurant that had fallen out of the limelight, they knew they had struck gold.
It all started as a dream to open a burrito food truck but rapidly transformed into the ownership and revitalization of Little Tex Restaurant, Vernon’s renowned Mexican eatery.
“We started looking for a commercial kitchen and we found this place,” Tracy said as the lunch rush began to wind down at their new restaurant. “We spent a year researching Mexican cuisine. I feel like it was meant to be.”
Accompanied by some Little Tex veterans, such as a longtime waitress Tracy said the customers adore, Shamis mans the kitchen as executive chef while Tracy runs the front of house.
“We’re seeing a camaraderie happen here,” Tracy said of the growing connection with the staff members, both new and old. “We feel it’s a very cohesive group.”
And that cohesion has brought customers back through the stalwart downtown restaurant’s doors, open seven days a week, after the Burrells took possession of the restaurant Jan. 8.
“It’s amazing, the history of this restaurant, and we’ve had a number of returning former customers. We’ve had one guy who’s been in the restaurant four times already. He said, ‘I want to be your first regular,’” Shamis laughed. “People are liking what we’re offering.”
“It’s definitely getting heard about. Our accountant says we’ve made a tremendous increase. It’s almost scary because it’s increasing so much so fast,” Tracy said. “This is going to be one heck of a season.”
Before running back to the kitchen to tend to a pot of soup, Shamis agreed.
“We’re moving ahead with a lot of the plans. We’re completely happy with our progress,” Shamis said, adding that Tracy embodies a lot of the energy and excitement found within the operation.
At the forefront of the couple’s plans are ramping up community engagement. So when Powerhouse Theatre board member Barbara Keith walked through the doors with a partnership proposition, all Tracy and Shamis could say was yes.
Ticket-holders to neighbouring Powerhouse Theatre’s upcoming performances of I Hate Hamlet, which runs at the theatre Feb. 21 to March 3, and Calendar Girls, which runs May 2-12, receive special discounts for a limited time prior to showtime.
“I’d really like to help them get started,” Keith said. “It’s going to be a really good partnership for the theatre.”
Prior to the show, ticket-holders can stop by Little Tex Restaurant for dinner and return afterwards for dessert, Shamis said. And with special menus crafted by Shamis specifically for show nights, it’s a partnership Little Tex Restaurant is equally enthused about.
“I don’t know who’s more excited, Barb or myself,” Tracy laughed. “This is a great opportunity for everyone.”
The partnership made sense for all parties involved, because for Tracy and Shamis, it’s about more than just running a restaurant.
“We’re just into our third week and we want to let people know that we’re not just here to sell food,” Shamis said. “We’re part of the community.”
Little Tex Restaurant is gearing up for its grand reopening Jan. 31, complete with 10 per cent off, snacks, Spanish guitar and festive fun. Tickets are available to Powerhouse’s upcoming performances through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.
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parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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