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This week’s edition of Business Leaders takes a look at an old icon getting more than just a new coat of paint.
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Heights Theater reborn 1B · News out of Tarkett Site 2B Heights Post Office sale negotiations continue 2B
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Saturday, August 1, 2015 • Page 1B
Heights Theater reborn
Jason’s Deli employee honored for 25 years of service to company By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com
Owner of Dallas, TX Kessler Theater to bring vision to Heights By Jonathan Garris & Kim Hogstrom jgarris@theleadernews.com
something that speaks to who I am and what I want to be involved with.”
Since 2009, Edward Cabaniss’ Kessler Theater has played host to everything from music performances, art exhibtions, and film premieres. Now, Cabaniss is planning on bringing his vision for a venue which celebrates the arts in all of its forms while preserving a beloved piece of local history in The Leader area. While Cabaniss hasn’t officially purchased the Heights Theater yet, he said he’s currently under contact for the location. Originally constructed in 1928, the 6,600 square foot lot, located at 339 W. 19th St., was listed for sale with a price of about $1.9 million. The building was heavily damaged in 1968 after an unknown arsonist set fire to the building and it was later repaired by Gus and Sharon Koprivas who purchased the building in 1988. More recently, the city of Houston voted unanimously to make the Heights Theater a protected landmark, offering stringent protections for the iconic building and its future redevelopment, protecting much of the building from being altered. The Heights Theater now joins three other protected city landmarks – The Heights Fire Station, the Houston Heights Woman’s Club and the Heights Library. On moving into a building with such protections, Cabaniss said he wouldn’t have it any other way. “The landmark protection works to our advantage,” Cabaniss said. “My heart is really in preservation, and being able to combine preservation and culture under one roof is
Uniting people and culture Cabaniss had his work cut out for him with the Kessler Theater. Much like the Heights Theatre, the original building had been badly damaged by a fire in the early 1960s and served as a community gathering spot for almost 40 years. However, it had fallen into a “terrible state of disrepair” in the time leading up to Cabaniss’ purchase. “It became a really high-end pigeon coop,” Cabaniss says with a laugh. However, he was undeterred in his vision of revitalizing the old theater and finally purchased it in 2009 and brought it back to life as a community staple in early 2010. The Kessler Theater has since been highlighted by media outlets like the Dallas Observer, the Dallas Morning News, the New York Times and other publications for its diverse programming and history. “On any given week we’ll have readings for kids, recitals for weddings, rock concerts or even political debates,” Cabaniss said. “We rent it out for the community to use along with other things as well.” Cabaniss wants to replicate what he has done with his venue in Dallas right here in the Heights, but it won’t be without some hurdles. “Our first test will be Aug. 20 when we have a meeting with the Planning Commission to share with them our vision and secure our parking variance request,” Cabaniss said. “One of the challenges you face with any historic property is parking, and having the
Contributed Photo The Heights Theater on 19th Street will be getting a big boost from a Dallas owner, assuming a deal is finalized, and the iconic Heights landmark might end up being home to a broad array of performances and community events.
landmark designation allows us to work with the city and get some relief on the parking requirements. The protection status isn’t detrimental at all, even from a business standpoint – besides, what interests me is the preservation of the building itself.” In a strange, albeit helpful See Theatre, P. 3B
Checkers Drive-In to bring nearly 50 jobs into area By Jonathan Garris jgarris@theleadernews.com As Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. seeks to expand its footprint in Houston, vice president of franchise development Jennifer Durham says the company expects big things from the group’s first restaurant in the region in nearly 20 years.
The company closed many of its restaurants, including those in the Houston area, following the merger of Checkers and Rallys in August 1999, Durham said. After going through a reorganization period, the company has steadily regained ground in other markets, and Checkers is hoping its first store in the Houston area located near West 18th Street and Mangum Road will set a good precedent for the 11 franchisees that have been either approved or are actively searching for sites in the city. “With the fifth largest metro market in the US, this was a natural step for us in our expansion,” Durham said. “The location on Mangum in particular is exciting for several reasons – while we thrive in competition, there wasn’t a lot of burger competition in the area and being able to convert what had been a previous Sonic location to a Checkers has granted us a better
Martha Littlejohn got an expected surprise July 8 at her job at Jason’s Deli on the Northwest Freeway near West 34th Street. The modest employee received flowers, cards and well-wishes from employees and company representatives, thanking her for her 25 years with the company. Wade Sterns, who is now chief operating officer for Jason’s Deli, said Littlejohn has worked at five or six different locations around the Houston area and worked in the original store at Shepherd and Westheimer when it first opened. “Over time as we’ve grown she’s helped us train and develop other employees so you can imagine the number of people that she’s touched over such a long amount of time,” Sterns said. On a personal level, Sterns said Littlejohn first worked with him in his early 20s when he was making his way up the career ladder. “There was definitely a lot of support from her and a big focus on creating a family environment,” Eagerly said. “She’s a very contagious person when it comes to being positive.” Gene Leal, the current district manager, said she is a model employee and a model citizen. “[Littlejohn] has been involved in the community and knows everyone’s name so she’s had a big impact on this area, both inside and outside of the deli,” Leal said. One year ago, Littlejohn also had triple bypass surgery and also bounced back from that, showing up to work as if nothing had changed, Eagerly said. “She’s in the best shape of her life right now and it shows,” Eagerly said. Sterns and other representatives shared their thanks through words of support, cards and flowers. “Martha has been a great asset to the company in terms of training other employees, helping customers and being a big part of what has made this establishment successful,” Ha Ho, general manager at Jason’s Deli, said.
return on investment.” Durham said the restaurant expects to hire between 40 to 50 people and said officials expect “big things” of its first Houston location in years. “What we’ve seen on social media is that many consumers know the brand just from travels around the country or after relocating to the area,” Durham said. “There is also a big influx of people familiar with Rallys after relocating from New Orleans following Hurrican Katrina.” Franchise owner Nick Panjwani, the owner of the soon-to-be-open Checkers here in The Leader area, has been in the restaurant business since 2001 and says the chain is a good fit for the area. “It caters to clients with lower to medium income and there is plenty of new growth in the area,” Panjwani said. “We have the new fieldhouse at Delmar Stadium under construction along with the US 290 and 610 expansion. We’re excited to be part of the community.” Another advantage for Panjwani and other franchisees looking to open in the Houston area is a strong return on investment rate, Durham said. On average, a restaurant can receive over 60 percent return on investment in the first year off a low initial investment at an average of about $420,000, benefiting owners and the local economy. Durham said 85 percent of business is usually done through the restaurant’s drive-thru, although outdoor dining options will be available. Consumers can enjoy meals at tables underneath umbrellas, provided the heat doesn’t keep them away during summer months. The Mangum location is currently expected to open in late August or early September.
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