fa s h i o n | b a c k ya r d s u r p r i s e s | h a r r i s o n c h a m p i o n | & M O R E !
Hour Glass:
A Courthouse that’s
‘STRICTLY
FIRST CLASS’
Culinary Delights:
Pietro’s shares
ITALIAN
CULTURE SPrING 2021 ISSUE
C ove r S t o r y :
Growth & Progress Rush Harris aims to help Marshall grow
“Professional Services with a Personal Touch”
903-935-2019
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SPRING 2021 ISSUE | 3
LETTER
SPrING 2021 ISSUE
S
upport local. It is a simple phrase that has been around a long time, but COVID made us stop in our tracks, forced us to pick our heads up from our fast-paced daily routines and acknowledge our neighbors, and be grateful for what we have, and those who are responsible for it. At the heart of the publication, you are holding in your hands is that sentiment, support local. I welcome you to the premiere issue of Harrison Magazine, which has been designed to highlight the vibrant community here in Harrison County, that we believe should be supported and celebrated. In the pages of Harrison Magazine, it is our intent to capture the spirit of the businesses, organizations, places, and most importantly, the people that make this part of East Texas so special to those who choose to work, play and live here. Found in each issue of Harrison Magazine, which is slated to be a quarterly publication will be a backyard feature, introducing or reminding you of a place right here in the county that you might not be familiar with. Additionally, we will include a culinary feature, showing off the variety of palate pleasers right here in Harrison County. Our intention with each cover story is to introduce you to a person(s) that has an impact on the success of the county and the residents who call it home. You can’t look forward without knowing where you come from, which is exactly why we will include a history story in each edition of the periodical. Our talented photographers will help bring the stories come to life. Additionally, their work will be featured as part of a photo shoot in each publication. We have many nonprofit groups in our community who work diligently to make life better for so many, and we look forward to featuring one of them in each issue. We want to thank all of the people and organizations who have graciously allowed us to feature them in our inaugural issue of Harrison Magazine. Of course, I must thank those businesses who continue to support us. Without their support we could not be able to publish. Support local, it can be the key to our community’s continued success.
Publisher Alexander Gould
agould@mrobertsmedia.com
Editor Wyndi Veigel
wveigel@marshallnewsmessenger.com
Advertising Sales Kelly Dugan
kdugan@marshallnewsmessenger.com
Johnnie Fancher
jfancher@marshallnewsmessenger.com
contributing Writers Christina Cavazos Jessica Harker Bridget Or tigo Robin Y. Richardson Meredith Shamburger
contributing Photographers Michael Cavazos Les Hassell
Graphic Designer Sara Bryan
Special thank you to Sandy Dunham & Chelsea Parker Deborah’s Boutique Starr Family Home State Historic Site
on the cover
Executive Director of the Marshall Economic Development Corporation Rush Harris. Photo by Michael Cavazos
published by Alexander Gould
agould@mrobertsmedia.com
4 | HARRISON MAGAZINE
903.935.7914 | 309 e. austin st., Marshall
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TABLE of contents COVER STORY
Growth & Progress: Marshall Native Strives to Help Hometown Grow as EDC Director
When Rush Harris looks at his hometown of Marshall, he sees a city that is growing and thriving. He sees community leaders who are dedicated to improving the community so that residents have a better quality of life. BACKYARD SURPRISES
Laffy Happy Arcade serves up food and fun in Karnack community HARRISON CHAMPION
Marshall Harrison County Literacy Council works to help community members
FASHION
10 6 14
Spring is in the Air: Fashion by Deborah’s Boutique CULINARY DELIGHTS
Pietro’s celebrates more than four decades of sharing Italian culture with East Texas
HOUR GLASS
County aimed for 1901 courthouse to be ‘strictly first class’
16 20 18
SPRING 2021 ISSUE | 5
BACKYARD SURPRISES
Left: Earnest and Chasity Crookshanks own Laffy Happy Arcade in Karnack. Right: Elijah, 10, left, and Ethan Crookshanks, 6, play video games at Laffy Happy Arcade in Karnack.
LAFFY HAPPY ARCADE
serves up food & fun in Karnack story by Robin Y. Richardson | photos by Les Hassell
S
ince Juneteenth 2019, Laffy Happy Arcade, located at 16091 State Hwy 43 N., in Karnack, has been serving up food and fun for the entire family to enjoy. A family-owned business, husband and wife Ernest and Chasity Crookshank, initially opened the business with a vision to provide a fun atmosphere for the local youth. Their children, who ranged in ages 3 to 16 at the time, were their greatest inspiration.
THE INSPIRATION Their children — three girls and three boys — also helped bring the dream to life, providing their own input on the perfect name for the establishment. “We came up with Laffy Happy when we were in the process of construction and you have to come up with a name for the business,” Ernest recalled. “The kids and all of us were thinking of names. I was sitting there. The whole time I was thinking of names, I was eating Laffy Taffies. We started saying different names, Laffy Laffy, and stuff like that.” 6 | HARRISON MAGAZINE
Not sold on the name “Laffy Laffy”, their children inspired them to add on the “Happy.” Emojis are also part of the business since the kids loved them at the time. “I said: ‘Let’s just do Laffy Happy. That will work,’” he beamed. They also pitched in decorating painting all the Emojis on the wall and adding handprint accents in the establishment. The operation has been a rewarding experience for the Crookshanks. It’s become a whole family affair. The couple, who grew up in Karnack, is happy to bring their business to the community they love and call home. The community has embraced the establishment, too. From the bright colors and animated themes that capture the attention of youngsters to the diverse selection of foods, the establishment offers something for all. “Great food, great personality and customer service,” is what Ernest said customers will find at Laffy Happy. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Laffy Happy’s arcade room played host to many birthday parties, karaoke and special events.
Left: A shrimp alfredo stuffed baked potato is one of many food offerings available at the Laffy Happy Arcade. Right: Laffy Happy Arcade is located in Karnack. “Pre-Covid, I don’t think you could’ve walked in here,” Ernest grinned. “We got to a point one time it was so crowded they parked out there on the highway, for kids birthday parties and all that stuff.” The black light party features were always a hit. The establishment was likened to a Chuck E. Cheese, but with more flavor. “Our stuff tastes way better, more favorable and at a better price,” Ernest teased. “And when we had our prize center, I mean you weren’t going to get 400 tickets and get a piece of bubble gum. You were actually going to get a good size toy. But although the arcade games are temporarily closed to the public, Laffy Happy’s kitchen remains sizzling hot, preparing dozens of dine-in, delivery and pick-up orders.
THE MENU/OFFERINGS The shrimp and crawfish stuffed potato is most popular as well as the stuffed turkey legs. When it comes to the food, Laffy Happy strives to provide something unique to satisfy the taste buds. Burgers on the menu include the mushroom burger, shrimp burger, Jr. burger, cheese burger and traditional plain burger. Wings range from garlic parmesan to barbecue, lemon pepper, Ranch, plain, hot and mild. Laffy Happy also offers salads. Customers can also build their own pizza or try one of Laffy Happy’s specialty pizzas. Additionally, Laffy Happy’s popular turkey legs are stuffed with a choice of pulled pork; chicken fajita/chicken Alfredo; chicken, bacon, ranch; crawfish Alfredo; shrimp Alfredo; shrimp and crawfish Alfredo; or steak, grilled onion and bell pepper. In addition to the main menu items, Laffy Happy has also offered special dishes including stuffed nachos, inviting customers to build their own nachos. They also had a Taffy slush available for a limited time only. “We try to do something different all the time,” Chasity said. “And offer something no one else has,” added Ernest. A crafty person, Chasity also whips up fun, creative birthday cakes that can be purchased from Laffy Happy.
Laffy Happy has become a favorite not only with local residents, but out-of-towners as well. “Even from Shreveport, we have a lot of people that just come in to have a good time, talk, and visit,” said Chasity. Ernest echoed her sentiments. He’s become quite the local celebrity, known for his famous turkey legs. “I was in Longview the other day and this guy said: ‘Don’t you own Laffy Happy?’ I’m like: ‘Yes,” he smiled. It makes him feel good to know they are making waves, providing a good service. “Being in this small area and you go to Longview or something like that and somebody points you out (speaks volumes),” said Ernest.
A COMMUNITY PARTNER The business loves being a supportive community partner, hosting special holiday events such as Trunk or Treat for Halloween and a small fireworks display for Juneteenth, to name a few. Laffy Happy has also offered a 10 percent discount for healthcare, teachers and public services in appreciation for their services. During the winter storm, Laffy Happy also took care of customers, letting them know on their Facebook page that through “rain, sleet or snow, we’re cooking pizza dough and wings to go.” The Crookshanks said they have new plans for Laffy Happy, too, including a possible franchise in Marshall, and expansion at its current location. “When they come in here, when we get back to normal and 100 percent operational, you can come in here to be entertained, you come in here to get full. You come in here to get pleased,” said Ernest. “Rather you come in solo or bring the kids, you don’t even have to sit down and make that decision. We got something for you.” Laffy Happy’s hours of operation are noon to 9 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 10 p.m. on the weekend. The business is closed Monday and Tuesday. The Crookshanks invites all to check out the establishment. For more information call 903-407-4242. SPRING 2021 ISSUE | 7
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SPRING 2021 ISSUE | 9
COVER STORY
Executive Director of the Marshall Economic Development Corporation Rush Harris.
Growth &
Progress MARSHALL NATIVE STRIVES TO HELP HOMETOWN GROW AS EDC DIRECTOR
story by Christina Cavazos | photos by Michael Cavazos
10 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
Rush Harris with his Wife, Dinora, and their daughters Gabriela and Grace.
W
hen Rush Harris looks at his hometown of Marshall, he sees a city that is growing and thriving. He sees community leaders who are dedicated to improving the community so that residents have a better quality of life with an abundance of job opportunities. He sees a city striving to stay on the cutting edge of technology and infrastructure to attract more business opportunities and educational systems dedicated to educating young students so they may become the business leaders of tomorrow. “To be successful, you need people who are working together and who are having conversations with each other. That’s the way I see our leadership and our city progressing,” Harris said. “It’s one of the things that gives me hope about Marshall. You have people here who are talking to each other and working toward a common goal. It makes me excited about city.” A Marshall native, Harris now serves as the executive director of the Marshall Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO). He was appointed to the position in October after serving with the company for nearly six years total including from 2011-13 and then again from 2016 onward. Harris has many goals, including developing more potential business sites, for MEDCO as he plays his part in helping the city grow. With family and friends in Marshall, Harris has a vested interest in seeing his hometown succeed. But his interest in business development started many years prior to him returning to his hometown. After graduating in 1995 from Marshall High School, Harris went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. At SMU, he obtained his degree in business administration but he felt like something was missing. “I wanted to experience something more international,” he recalled. From 2002 to 2004, Harris volunteered with the U.S. Peace Corps in an agricultural marketing program in Guatemala. In Guatemala, not only did Harris gain life-changing experiences, he also met his wife, Dinora.
“My time in the Peace Corps helped me understand who I was as a person and what my goals were as an individual,” Harris said. In Guatemala, the nearest person to Harris who spoke English lived three hours away. So, he learned Spanish and became rooted in the culture. He also lived on a small stipend that he used for things like paying rent and buying groceries. He’d go to one “tienda” (Spanish for “shop”) to buy meat, a different one to buy vegetables, another for fruits, etc. “It was a different way of life, but every day I loved what I did,” he said. “Every day was different. That’s something I can relate my current position because every day is different; you never know what project’s going to come up and you wear a multitude of hats.” The goals of the Peace Corps are to help people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women and to promote a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries served. Harris said the Peace Corps works to teach men and women in other countries how to do projects and how to create sustainable results. In Guatemala, the group of farmers with whom Harris worked took products like limes or lemons and dehydrated them to make secondary products, similar to a fruitflavored Nestea. “We made a hot tea that was made really all out of a dehydrated lemon rind,” he recalled. They took the products to a trade show in Guatemala City, which was two to three hours from the town in which Harris lived. One week, as he was helping set up the booth, he noticed a booth for the Department of Agriculture of Guatemala. In fractured Spanish, he asked the woman working the booth if the department had programs for which farmers could apply. She explained that they did and gave him a pamphlet. He asked for contact information to contact her in the future. That woman, Dinora, would later become Harris’ wife. The two met at the trade show and began Continued on Page 12 S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I S S U E | 11
“
WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE IN MARSHALL IS REAL.
We’re helping our community
grow.” - RUSH HARRIS
dating while he was in Guatemala. The city in which her mother lived was the same town Harris traveled to nearly every week to buy groceries and use the internet. “She didn’t speak English at the time, so we dated in Spanish. I found that when you are dating in a language that you only speak marginally, you say exactly what you mean,” he said. “So she got to hear exactly what I meant to say.” The two dated for about a year and a half. She came with him to visit his family in Marshall for Christmas just after he ended his term with the Peace Corps. She came back to visit that spring at Easter, and he proposed. They married a month later, in 2005, and now have two daughters, 11-year-old Gabriela and 8-year-old Grace. After returning to Marshall, Harris worked in the oil and gas industry for a few years before enrolling at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona, where he earned his master of business administration. In 2009, after graduating, he considered an international opportunity to work in Beijing, China, but chose to stay in East Texas. His wife was pregnant with their first daughter at the time. He briefly held a job in Shreveport before landing at MEDCO in 2011. He worked with MEDCO for a couple of years before leaving for another job opportunity, but he quickly returned to MEDCO in 2016 and has remained there ever since. Prior to being named MEDCO’s executive director in 2020, Harris served as the director of business services. In that 12 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
position, he primarily focused on property development and management. The MEDCO owns many properties, including in the city’s business parks. Harris’ job included maintenance tasks, development tasks and developing site-ready paths at the properties. Being site-ready means a property has the assets, including water, sewer, electric, natural gas, broadband capability and other types of infrastructure, which a company needs to move in and start building. In 2020, when former Executive Director Donna Maisel announced her retirement, Harris was promoted to the position. Maisel had hired Harris years before and had helped train and groom him for the role. As the executive director, Harris works closely with community stakeholders to promote business and economic development interests. He seeks investors for the city’s properties, promoting Marshall’s many valuable assets and helps businesses see what the community can offer to them. Harris believes having a workforce training program to help students transition to the workforce is critical to any community. Potential businesses want to know that a community has a workforce it can employ. In Marshall, the community has four institutions of higher learning, East Texas Baptist University, Texas State Technical College, Wiley College and a branch of Panola College. In addition to that, Harris said a workforce training program is helping education public school students about opportunities to help streamline their path from school to higher education to the workforce.
“Education and infrastructure are the two key components to success and you constantly have to ask yourself, ‘What are you doing to improve in those two areas?’” he said. Recent “wins” for MEDCO have included a Dirt Cheap warehouse that is creating 500 new jobs and a $2 million capital investment from parent company Channel Control Merchants. Dirt Cheap will lease about 325,000 square feet of space on Brown Road as a warehouse to serve the store’s retail outlets in Texas, Western Louisiana and Southern Arkansas. A retail outlet will also be on the premises. Harris said he’d like to see the Marshall Economic Development Corp. continue to develop more potential sites for businesses in Marshall and continue to improve the city’s infrastructure, particularly with regard to fiber. As rural communities strive to bridge the digital divide, Marshall is working with Connected Nations Texas, an organization striving to bring broadband (high-speed internet) to communities. The Harrison County Broadband Committee is working now to develop a countywide Technology Action Plan. Harris said broadband access is not only important for residents, it’s also critical to the business community. Many businesses are looking for broadband, among other infrastructure needs. As the city continues to push into the future, Harris said he believes improved broadband access will help contribute to business growth and satisfaction, not only in Marshall but in all of Harrison County. Additionally, Harris wants to grow the budding workforce development program, currently being offered in partnership with Marshall ISD. “At MEDCO, we’re not educators but we are facilitators and we can try to combat business demand and employment demand with what’s being taught,” he said. That means making students aware of job opportunities and the pathways they need to get there. Harris noted that many industries hire people from a variety of fields from clerical courses that could be taken at a community college to technical workers on the ground with skills developed from TSTC and even managers who may have received a degree from a four-year institution like ETBU. “We have a great pipeline from our schools to offer a range of occupations involved in industry,” Harris said. Not only can the residents and potential workforce be a potential benefit to industries, those industries can be a positive driver for the community. Job opportunities, Harris said, play a key role in people’s lives. “I really need to believe in what I’m doing. To me that’s so important in the job that I do that that’s reflected — that what I’m doing is making a difference,” he said. “What we’re doing here in Marshall is real. We’re helping our community grow. I’m vested here because this is my hometown; I’ve got family here, I’ve got friends here, I own property here. I want to see my community succeed. I want Marshall to become the place where everyone says, ‘I want to live there. I want to start a life there.’ We’re on that path and we’re going to keep pushing forward.”
The Marshall Business Park is one element of MEDCO.
Longview Asphalt is located in the Marshall Business Park.
NexTier is one of several companies in the business park.
Marshall’s Gateway Park is located along Hwy. 59. S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I S S U E | 13
HARRISON CHAMPION
Marshall-Harrison Adult Literacy Council is a nonprofit that aids in citizens in many ways and is led by Executive Director Karen Bickerdike.
Marshall Harrison County Literacy Council works to help community members story by Jessica Harker | photos by Michael Cavazos
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hen Marshall citizens were forced indoors a year ago due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, many community members chose to take the time to further their education. Whether it was to improve their job prospects, or to fulfill a personal goal, the Marshall Harrison County Literacy Council supplied the tools these community members needed to get their General Educational Development certificate, or GED’s. “People don’t finish high school for a huge variety of reasons, and when they come into the office interested in getting their GED, that already is such a huge step,” said director Karen Bickerdike. She said that the difference in wages from somebody with a GED and someone without one is about $4 or $5 an hour. “A lot of people decided that when they had time, they were going to seize the opportunity and try for their GED,” Bickerdike said. This is just one of the many free tutoring services offered by the literacy council in Marshall, according to Bickerdike, who said that while GED students signed up more significantly after the outbreak of COVID-19, the council also has tutor14 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
ing for English as a second language, adult literacy tutoring, SAT prep and more. The council is a nonprofit organization, with the goal of encouraging and growing interested community members to reach their personal literacy goals. “One third of Harrison County is low literate or what we call ‘functionally literate’,” Bickerdike said. “That can be stressful, and burdensome for someone to deal with every day.” She called the Harrison County Literacy Council a “shame free zone” stating that anyone who comes to the office seeking help is not only encouraged, but applauded for taking the steps to get there. “There is no shame here, that first step you take is the most confident one you’ll ever take, and we know what it means to have someone come in and ask for help,” she said. As the mother of two dyslexic children, Bickerdike said that she deeply understand the need to approach education in a unique way, catered to each individual and what they want or need from the experience. She described one experience with her then three-year-old who asked her to teach them to read, which Bickerdike said
sparked a passion in her, leading her to join the council as director three years ago. “When someone comes in we assume no prior knowledge, everyone starts at zero, then we learn what you know and we work up to address those needs more specifically,” she said. In July 2020 the group faced another challenge, converting all of their tutoring to online formats to help protect the safety of tutors and students. The council even provided computers to community members who did not have access to the equipment needed, and working with the library to be sure all of their students had proper access to the internet. “Our tutors tend to be very tech savy, but some of our students, particularly out ESL students, really struggled with the online forum,” Bickerdike said. But working with students and tutors to continue to facilitate these tutoring sessions, Bickerdike said that one of the students who joined in 2020 for GED assistance recently graduated in January 2021 with her certificate. “Now she is moving on to college,” Bickerdike said, “So it goes to show, even in a pandemic it can be done.” The Marshall Harrison County Literacy Council is also celebrating a special anniversary this year, the 20th anniversary of
its annual Corporate Spelling Bee, the largest fundraiser that the organization puts on every year. The event features contestants from local organizations and businesses, all competing in a spelling bee to win top prize, or the coveted annual spirit stick award. “We have a lot of fun every year, and the community always comes out and supports us immensely,” Bickerdike said. Last years event was hosted for the first time via an online platform, which Bickerdike said was so successful they plan to continue to stream the event online, even after they can once again meet with teams in person. “That way everyone who can’t make it out can still participate and watch the event,” she said. Though the literacy council is still operating on an online only tutoring platform, Bickerdike said that they are hoping to go back to safe, in person tutoring sessions in the near future. When that occurs, she said that the council will be on the look out for more volunteer tutors to help out. The tutor would provide two hours a week to the program, being paired up with the student and working together to reach their literacy goals. Anyone interested in volunteering, or learning more about the organization can stop by the non-profit’s office at 114 E Grand Ave., Marshall or contact Bickerdike at (903) 935-0962 or mhclc117@gmail.com.
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FASHION
SPRING is in the air photos by Les Hassell
models Sandy Dunham & Chelsea Parker styles by Deborah’s Boutique photoshoot location Starr Family Home State Historic Site
16 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
The look of the season is overalls. Sandy (left) wears Tribal tencel overalls paired with a Tribal cactus cotton tshirt. Chelsea (right) wears AZI sequin patch jean with shark bite hem, Suzy D lavender linen top, and Uno De 50 hammered gold jewelry set.
S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I S S U E | 17
Sandy (left) wears a Tribal white eyelet dress and Peepers pink aviator reader sunglasses. She is carrying a catalina crossbody. Chelsea (right) wears a Shannon Passero white popcorn top with bubble collar, Sympli black wide leg crop pant, Spartina rattan black box bag and Uno De 50 sterling silver collar.
18 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I S S U E | 19
CULINARY DELIGHTS
Left: Joe Fillipazzo is the owner of Pazzeria by Pietro’s in Marshall. Top right: A Prosciutto and argula pizza is one of many pizza offerings at Pietro’s. Bottom right: Pappardelle Bolognese is a delicious pasta dish offered at the italian eatery.
Pietro’s celebrates more than four decades of sharing Italian culture with East Texas story by Bridget Ortigo | photos by Les Hassell
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iuseppe “Joseph” Filippazzo feels blessed that his family, more than four decades later, is still able to share their Italian heritage and culture by serving up excellent food in a memorable atmosphere at their two East Texas “Pietro’s” restaurants. With a restaurant in Longview and Marshall, Filippazzo and his two family owned and operated restaurants, have managed to adapt to the changing times, new menus and even a global pandemic throughout their 42 years in business. “There’s not a manual and we’re constantly learning everyday,” Filippazzo said recently. “We’ve been in business 42 years. My mom and dad, Rosaria and Pietro, started with a location in the Longview Mall in 1979 and we opened our downtown Marshall location six years ago.” The Longview Mall location, named after Filipazzo’s father Pietro, served single slice pizza that soon became Pietro’s bread and butter. But the couple, who immigrated from southern Italy to the U.S., wanted to share more of their Italian culture with their East Texas customers and the best way they knew to do that was through food and the dining experience. 20 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
Pietro’s later outgrew its Longview Mall location and moved to its current location at 2418 Gilmer Road, where the family expanded the concept to an New York Pizza Style Neighborhood Market, operated by Filippazzo’s brother Stefano. Soon after, the family began looking to expand to another East Texas location but wanted a restaurant with a view - that’s when the historic building at 101 West Austin Street in Marshall came up for grabs. “Six years ago, we took one more step and elevated our concept to an Italian Trattoria and Pizzaria with a big emphasis on a full serve dining experience and wine program,” he said. “My wife was from this area and we saw that there was a need for a consistent yet elevated, family orientated, Italian fine dining experience. We wanted the historic nature of Marshall and the center stone of the community is the historic courthouse.”
SUNDAY DINNER Many of the recipes featured on the Pietro’s Marshall menu come directly from Pietro and Rosaria themselves and Filippazzo said his mother still comes in the restaurants every week to fix her lasagna and the Italian meat sauce featured is his father’s recipe.
“I don’t feel I’m in the restaurant business though I’m a restauranteur,” he said. “It’s in your blood. I feel that I’m in the business of sharing my parents’ and our Italian culture through food and wine. That’s our marketing strategy. We want you to feel like you’re our guest, dining with our family on Sunday, and we’re closed on Sunday. That’s my mom’s biggest mantra, to make everyone feel like they’re dining with our family on Sunday.” To that end, Filippazzo has made sure to include authentic ingredients, fresh from Southern Italy where his parents were born and raised. From the homemade pasta, to the tomatoes and coffee roasted from Naples, olive oil, Sicilian wine and more, Filippazzo wants to make sure his guests feel like they’ve just experienced a part of southern Italy. “We make all our pasta fresh in house,” he said. “We offer things here such as charcuterie boards with freshly sliced brischotto. We imported a brischotto slicer from Italy and we’re the only restaurant outside of Dallas that has this brischotto slicer. It’s a fire-wheel control and it moves the product along the blade and slices it really thin.” The restaurant’s wine program, featuring more than 650 wines, is so impressive, it’s currently up for Wine Spectator’s One Glass Award, the results of which will be announced later this year. Filippazzo himself is currently working on his sommelier certification. “We have here what we call Pizza de Casa, or house pizzas, which are pizzas we’ve created specifically for our guests that are out of your norm. We have the Brooklyn Delancy and the Due Santi which are extremely popular. This menu became very personal, there area lot of tie ins.” The restaurant even features a small market selling the olive oils, pasta, sauces and more.
A TOUGH YEAR Filippazzo said like all restaurants, the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic has been “Our guests and our staff are of our utmost priority, that’s how we’ve had the tenure that we’ve had, and that’s a big deal,” he said. “We’ve been blessed and fortunate to have made it through the past year as a independent family restaurant.” Filippazzo said during the pandemic, the restaurant survived by never closing and by being adaptable. “We never closed, never let go of any associate,” he said. “We tightened our belt and for some time, didn’t take any personal salaries because we didn’t take any government assistance. We adapted. We trained hostess and trained them on to go orders and salad stations. We took front of house workers and taught them to cook.” Filippazzo said his restaurants just followed the direction and needs of the customers.
Alexander Jaimes prepares a pizza at Pazzeria by Pietro’s in Marshall. “If you don’t learn how to adapt and change in this industry, you’ll be left behind,” he said. “Competition is extremely fierce and margins are extremely thin. Our guests have also adapted to the changing times. We’ve learned quite a bit throughout this time and listened to our guests.”
FUTURE Filippazzo and his family are not resting on their laurels. Plans are now in the works to open a high end Tuscan steakhouse on the north east side of the building that faces Washington Avenue. Called “Tavolo 13,” the restaurant is set to open towards the end of spring or beginning of summer and will feature just 13 tables inside. “We’re adding a Tuscan steakhouse concept in this building that’s only going to be a Thursday, Friday and Saturday night concept,” he said. “Once we open the new concept, that kitchen will serve as the kitchen for Tavolo 13, and we will also use it to begin hosting cooking classes with my mom, limited to about 10 people and we’re going to get back to doing wine tastings with me in that space. We will also use that space for hosting private events. We’re really excited about this.” Filippazzo said as the restaurant continues forward, it will continue to listen to its guests and change when needed, most recently by adding gluten free pizzas to its menu. The family is also looking to add a coffee and gelato bar to its Longview location soon. “My dad had some great suggestions when he was here the other day,” he said. “We’re constantly learning every day. We have a lot of ‘R and D’ days - research and development. We eat a lot of pizza. We also feel we have the best location and view here in Marshall. From the stems to the music to the view and food, t’s all about the guest experience and the atmosphere we create, but we also don’t forget about our heritage.” S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 I S S U E | 21
HOURGLASS
Top left: A photo of the east side of the courthouse in 1924. Top middle: A photo of the west wing extension in 1927. Top right: A current day photo of the Harrison County courthouse.
county aimed for 1901 courthouse to be
‘strictly first class’
story by Meredith Shamburger | historic photos courtesy of the Inez Hatley Hughes Research Center
Editor’s note: Hour Glass is a historical look at Harrison County using the Marshall News Messenger archives.
T
he extra edition of the June 7, 1899 paper took up a single page, and a simple headline stands at the top: “Court House Burned.” Citizens had watched that day as an afternoon fire started in the northwest corner of the courthouse and soon spread to the roof and the nearby Mrs. Moffat’s furniture store. “The fire had thing (sic) -- its own way, and seemed to take its time... Wiped out our magnificent court house, which cost $67,000, is not paid for and is insured for only $35,000,” the paper reported. A plumber named Ed Hudgins, working for Logan & Whaley, had been working on the courthouse’s roof that day. He told the Messenger he looked and saw fire 15 feet above him in the southwest turret. Hudgins had apparently been using a fire pot that day, although he said he put it out in the afternoon. In the turret, Hudgins said there were sparrows’ nests and a bale of hay. The paper also reported “Logan & Whaley says Hudgins is reliable.” “Contrary to expectation, the ‘fireproof’ offices of county and district clerks proved fireproof, and it is thought their papers and records are safe. Tax Collector Blocker’s records 22 | H A R R I S O N M A G A Z I N E
are locked in his fireproof safe and are thought to be safe. Tax Assessor Adams removed his books and papers. County Attorney Field saved his library. District Attorney Carter lost his library, insurance $800. Justice Perry lost everything. Sheriff Munden got out his books and part of his office furniture. Judge Lyttleton, is in Fort Worth and his office seems to have been a total loss. Mrs. Moffat’s loss was complete, insurance $1,000.” The paper reported one agreed-upon opinion about the calamity: there wasn’t enough water pressure for firefighters to extinguish the fire. “Nothing but a kind providence (no wind and a rain) kept Marshall from being swept off the earth, as no power at our command could have stopped the flames had there been a strong wind blowing,” the paper said. About a week and a half later, the Messenger reported plans for a new courthouse were already in the works. This Neo-Classical Beaux Arts-style courthouse, which still stands today, would be designed by J. Riely Gordon and finished in 1901. The Messenger, in a June 16, 1899 paper, offered only one suggestion: “The Messenger joins its petition to that of about the entire population of the town and county that the commissioners put a town clock on the new courthouse,” the paper said. “The ab-
sence of it, after all these years, is a small inconvenience and annoyance that has already grown great by accumulation and that will grow greater with the passing of the days.” They’d get their wish. But first, what’s left of the burned courthouse had to be pulled down, and it was in June 1899. The Messenger was there and found a Harleton man named W.H. Allen who had been at similar events two other times before. “‘Yes,’ said Mr. Allen, ‘I reached Marshall on the third day of January, 1848. I saw an old frame court house pulled down, and then I saw the old brick court house pulled down to build this one.’ ‘Yes, I’ve been here a long time -- over fifty one years.’” the paper reported. In August 1899, officials opened the old cornerstone of the burned courthouse and transferred its contents to a new cornerstone for the new building. Items included a silver quarter, engraved, “In God I trust. M.M. McPhail, born 1847”; $5 and $100 bills, Confederate money, marked “Third Texas, Ed B. Ford.”; a pint of whiskey; a collar button; and the Oct. 5, 1888 issue of the Marshall Messenger. At the same time, bid requests for the new courthouse’s construction began to appear in The Messenger’s pages. “Sealed proposals will be received at the office of Hon. E.T. Rosborough, county clerk Harrison county, at Marshall, Texas, until 12 o’clock noon, Aug. 16, 1899, for the erection of a three-story and basement fire-proof court house at Marshall, Texas, for said county. Each proposal must be accompanied by a certified check for $2500, and drawn payable to the order of Hon. R.P. Littlejohn, county treasurer. Drawings and specifications can be seen after Aug. 1st at the office of C.G. Lancaster, architect, Marshall, Tex., and at the San Antonio, Dallas and Austin offices of J. Riley Gordon, architect.” The paper reported Aug. 18, 1899 that $57,114.00 was the price for the new courthouse, with Sonnefield & Emmens receiving the contract -- “And that the building would be strictly first class, and a little better than other buildings of about the same class” Sonnefield & Emmons had previously built courthouses and jails at Texarkana, Sulphur Springs, Giddings and 14 other sites, the paper reported. They were also impressed with the architects. “The more we see of Mr. J. Riley Gordon, the more convinced we are that the commissioners made no mistake in employing Gordon & Lancaster, for these gentlemen understand their business.” In September 1899, The Messenger reported contractors spent the day finding the center of the square downtown for the new building -- an improvement over the old one, since that one had been just a little off-center. By October 1899,
the paper was reporting commissioners had rejected original lighting plans. “These plans called for about 550 electric lights, which would have cost several thousand dollars for wiring and fixing. After going over the plans of building, the commissioners thought 175 lights sufficient, will ask for bids on lighting specifications gotten up accordingly,” the paper said. “The clock was also passed over until next meeting. Work of laying the foundation continues. The first work is eight inches of concrete. On top of this are laid long bars of steel, and then eight inches of concrete on top, the steel bars tying the entire foundation into one solid mass of concrete. Labor is scarce and hard to get on this part of the work, as it is heavier than any other.” Architect C.G. Lancaster detailed plans for the courthouse yard in a March 17, 1901 paper, and by May 14 of that year, commissioners were officially accepting the new building, noting finishing touches were being done. The Messenger reported May 15 that several county employees were moving to their new offices. “The following officers, anxious to get into their new quarters in the new court house, are moving today: County Judge, Lyttleton; County Attoaney (sic), Gardner; County Superintendent of Public Schools, Ladell and Sheriff Munden. The other officers will follow soon.”
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