Paris Coffee Shop owner Mike Smith will soon be handing the reins over to the same group behind the revamp of the Roy Pope grocery store in Fort Worth's West Side.
One of Fort Worth's oldest restaurants is expected to change ownership next year.
Paris Coffee Shop owner Mike Smith will soon be handing the reins over to the same group behind the revamp of the Roy Pope grocery store in Fort Worth's West Side (a quartet that includes Lou Lambert, Mark Harris, Rodger Chieffalo, and Chris Reale). Reale says the group is under contract to purchase the restaurant and expects to close early next year.
Not much will change under the new ownership, Reale says, adding that the group will be sensitive to regulars' feedback and keep much of the menu — including the pies — the same.
But there will be some changes, like opening seven days a week, serving a Sunday brunch, and adding dinner. Reale says they also plan to do some light renovations to the interior and want to turn a back storage area into a private dining space. Eventually, the group also wants to add a full-service bar.
Paris Coffee Shop has been a staple in Fort Worth since it opened in 1926, originally located at Hemphill Street before moving to Magnolia Avenue in 1974. The diner is popular for its old-school offerings like bacon and eggs, pancakes, and chicken-fried steak.
According to Reale, the group had been talking with Smith for about two months, and other prospective buyers were also looking at the property, including an apartment developer.
But Reale says the group was determined to "keep Paris, Paris."
"Paris Coffee Shop's a staple in Fort Worth," he says. "Let's keep this thing alive. I'd hate to see a legacy go away."
