Debbie Bolton launched Deb性视界传媒檚 Downtown Cafe during a difficult time for businesses in downtown Longview.
She opened her doors in March 2003. Then, in July 2003, the city of Longview kicked off a project to reconstruct Tyler Street to what it is today. More than one downtown business closed during that time. The city has since completed reconstructing all the core downtown streets, and it性视界传媒檚 become a thriving home to numerous locally owned businesses.
That was not the case when Deb opened 20 years ago at 103 W. Tyler.
性视界传媒淣othing,性视界传媒 Bolton said, describing what was in downtown at the time. Downtown is still hard 性视界传媒 parking is bad, she said, but her business is still going.
She had been working downtown in what was a coffee bar and cafe, and had come to know Gerald Rodriguez, now deceased, owner of the Tyler Street Bistro, in 2018. Bolton had years of experience cooking in restaurants.
性视界传媒淭his building was empty for three years,性视界传媒 Bolton said. 性视界传媒(Gerald said), 性视界传媒榊ou could do it, go rent this.性视界传媒 They had just torn these streets up.性视界传媒
Since she had been cooking at the coffee cafe she had been working at, people were waiting for her to open her own restaurant.
性视界传媒淭he good Lord just opened his arms up for me, and I have been busy ever since,性视界传媒 she said.
She leaves some kind of encouraging message on the board behind the cash register each day, such as this one on a recent Tuesday: 性视界传媒淏eing happy.... doing something nice for others.... smiling at someone new daily.... you性视界传媒檒l feel better about yourself.性视界传媒
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e kept my quality high, and my food is all about taste,性视界传媒 Bolton said. 性视界传媒淚 don性视界传媒檛 want somebody to come in here and say, 性视界传媒業 don性视界传媒檛 want to come back.性视界传媒 My workers care about the customers. It性视界传媒檚 more family than letting them come in one time. I have people who eat in here every day.性视界传媒
Other regulars frequent the restaurant each week as well, she said.
Soup is one of her specialties, Bolton said. Sometimes, she性视界传媒檒l encounter soup she likes when she性视界传媒檚 traveling, for instance, and come home and duplicate it. Her Jalapeno Cheese soup is 性视界传媒渆verybody性视界传媒檚 favorite,性视界传媒 she said.
She added that she avoids cheap salad dressings: 性视界传媒淚f you don性视界传媒檛 have good salad dressing your salad性视界传媒檚 not good.性视界传媒
Bolton has five employees 性视界传媒 all but one of whom are longtime employees. They do prep work, but Bolton said she does all the cooking 性视界传媒 soups, sandwiches, salads, desserts, all of it.
Bolton works just as hard outside her restaurant. She has three horses that are at least part of the reason she hasn性视界传媒檛 retired 性视界传媒 an event she isn性视界传媒檛 planning right now.
性视界传媒(I性视界传媒檒l keep working) as long as the feed bill keeps coming,性视界传媒 she said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e been trying to take a little time off, but it doesn性视界传媒檛 work.性视界传媒
Her son lives in another country, and the restaurant, she said, is her family.
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 a happy place,性视界传媒 Bolton said, and she enjoys cooking and when customers like what she性视界传媒檚 prepared.
性视界传媒淲hen people tell me how good it is 性视界传媒 that性视界传媒檚 what keeps me going,性视界传媒 she said.