Courtesy of The Cooper Studio
A new Fred’s Texas Café will soon be a fixture just south of Fort Worth in the suburban city of Crowley. This expansion will reside at a 4,800 square foot building, that has just been leased by Fred’s on the corner of Texas and Main Streets in downtown Crowley. This announcement, which is just the beginning of a larger growth plan for the Fort Worth-based company, was made in honor of Fred’s 46th Birthday.
This new site marks the first time Fred’s has ventured out of Fort Worth since its humble beginnings on Currie Street in 1978. Once under Fred’s original head cook Terry Chandler, Quincy Wallace, who is now the restaurants’ co-owner and operating partner, started out with this local eatery as a dishwasher. In fact, in an article we ran in 2022, Wallace says he took on the role of dishwasher at Fred’s to get some extra beer money.
“I owned a head shop and was broke and needed beer money,” Wallace said. “And Terry needed a dishwasher on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights.”
But this wasn’t Chandler and Wallace’s first rodeo. Chandler verified that he knew Wallace since he was a toddler but didn’t really work with him until they got stuck on a chuckwagon together while Wallace was still in his youth. Fast-forward to 2022, and Wallace would take over as the face of Fred’s after Chandler moved on to greener pastures.
“My path is wild because … I hate to say this isn’t my dream job because it is. I just never knew it was my dream job,” says Quincy, whose first job when he left Arlington Heights at age 17 was at a construction site where he operated a broom. “It just turned out to be.”
The new Fred’s is anticipated to have the same quality cowboy cuisine it's known for; that and of course some "cold ass beer."
"Fred's is set to become a beloved spot for families and visitors alike, Crowley mayor Billy Davis says. “We look forward to forging a strong and lasting relationship with Fred's as they become integral to the new Crowley Main Street.”
Wallace says Fred’s isn’t just opening up a new location, which is estimated to be up and running by the summer of 2025, it’s also becoming a part of the Crowley community.
“As we sign this new lease, we're grateful to be working alongside the great folks leading the city of Crowley to bring this plan to life,” Wallace says. “Crowley's rich community and rapid growth make it the perfect fit for our first location outside of Fort Worth. It's a city that truly embodies the essence of Texas hospitality and community spirit that Fred's is all about. We look forward to becoming an integral part of the local community, making new friends, and helping the city prosper."
Besides offering large helpings of popular bar food, Fred’s also carries some unique menu items like the Big Fred, a ¾ patty with pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mustard. If that’s not up your alley, try Fred’s Hot Chicken Sandwich, which is made with crispy sourdough battered chicken breast tossed in a honey sriracha glaze and topped with house made coleslaw. Or get a half or full order of Calf Fries (fried cow testicles) dipped in a sourdough batter and fried to a crisp along with spicy red sauce or chipotle gravy on the side.
"It has always been in the cards to take the Fred's Texas Cafe to other Texas neighborhoods and expand beyond the place we love and currently call home,” Wallace says. “It's an exciting time, and we're really looking forward to growing the Fred's brand in the next few years and sharing the Fred's style with new diners and friends. I always tell our patrons, tell me where you want us or where we need to be, and we'll find our way there!"
