NOV-DEC 2021 Plano Magazine

PLANOMAGAZINE.COM | NOV-DEC 2021

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ISSUE NO.35

CONTENTS 10 LAUREN TYRA 14 SPOOKY SEASON 16 CATCHING UP WITH MAYOR MUNS 20 ARTIST LARRY SOLOMON 24 GIFT GUIDE 30 TOP HOLIDAY TO DO LIST 32 SAVORITE 34 PEOPLE OF PLANO: TAMMY RICHARDS

CONTRIBUTORS Kathy Tran • Stephen Hunt Sally Wamre • Jennifer Shetzer

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Who knew a year ago

we’d s t i l l b e i n a cl o ud of u n ce r ta i nt y ? D o n’t wo r r y, I’m o n l y g o i n g to co n cent rate o n th e g ood s t uf f. T h e g ood n ew s i s th at n o m at te r h ow to u g h th i n g s g ot, o u r cit y’s b u s i n es ses a n d o u r n e i g h b o r s we re res i l i ent. Pl a n o res ta u ra nt ow n e r s l i ke J a m es T h o m a s w ith Savo r ite So uth e r n Cu i s i n e, w h o we’re p rof i l i n g i n th i s ed it i o n of Pl a n o M a g a z i n e, su r v i ved by b uck l i n g d ow n, wo r k i n g h a rd a n d g et t i n g a l it t l e b it l uck y w h en h e wa s feat u red o n H BO’s H a rd K n ock s N FL rea l it y T V s h ow. N o n - p rof it s l i ke ’N eath th e Wreath weath e red b e i n g “v i r t ua l o n l y” l a s t yea r to co m e b a ck even s t ro n g e r a n d i n p e r so n th i s yea r, co nt i n u i n g th e J u n i o r Lea g ue of Co l l i n Co u nt y’s rem a r ka b l e, 2 5 -yea r r u n of f u n d - ra i s i n g fo r p eo p l e a n d g ro u ps w h o n eed it i n o u r cit y. A n d s m a l l l oca l b u s i n es ses l i ke Fu r Ba b i es Ba ke r y a n d Ch oco l ateA n g e l suf fe red th ro u g h a to u g h yea r i n 2 019, o n l y to b o u n ce b a ck a n d l oo k fo r wa rd to th e f ut u re. A l l of o u r Pl a n o b u s i n es ses a re h o p i n g yo u a n d I rem em b e r to s h o p l oca l th i s yea r a n d su p p o r t o u r n e i g h b o r s. (H o p ef u l l y, o u r g i f t g u i d e i n th i s m a g a z i n e w i l l h e l p.) M a y b e we’l l a l l co m e o ut of th i s ex p e r i en ce h a p p i e r, f r i en d l i e r a n d m o re em path et i c. E ith e r wa y, th e pa s t yea r h a s g i ven u s p l ent y to th i n k a b o ut.

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A WOMAN OF SCIENCE

LAUREN TYRA RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD TO REPRESENT S.T.E.M. story Joshua Baethge | photos Kathy Tran

lano ISD Trustee Lauren Tyra never had any interest in getting into politics. She was content working as a professional scientist and raising a young family. But when she realized the school board no longer included anyone with a STEM background, she felt compelled to get involved. “The opportunity came up, and I just thought I should try to make a difference and help the school district any way that I can,” she says. Tyra was elected with 62% of the vote May 1, the only non-incumbent to win their race. She replaced former board president Tammy Richards, who did not seek re-election after serving three terms (read more on page 34). Being involved in the district is not a new experience for Tyra. She grew up in Plano and graduated from Plano East Senior High in 2003. She went to college, married a fellow Plano native and embarked on her career. After earning her doctorate degree in 2017, she went into the world of venture capital. The firm she works with invests in healthcare technology. People present them with ideas. It falls upon Tyra’s team to evaluate the merits, conduct research and decide which ideas to pursue. She compares it to the television show “Shark Tank,” but with medical devices. While she was getting established in that field, her husband entered the military and earned his law degree. Their careers took them to several locations, mostly across Texas. When their son began to approach school age, they wanted him to be in a school system that would give him the best chance to succeed. That motivated them to move back to their hometown. “We wanted him to have the same education opportunities that we had,” she says. “We feel like the education we received in Plano set us up to be successful in higher education and our careers.” She says that seeing the school system from a different perspective has been interesting, to say the least. Much has changed since she was a student. The makeup of the community has evolved, campuses remodeled and teaching methods reimagined. Then there is the matter of being a public figure

in the city where her parents still live. Her mom, who was not especially active in politics, now pays close attention. “She’s called me before and said, ‘I can’t believe they are saying mean things about you,’” Tyra recalls. Since moving back to Plano, she and her husband have made getting involved with the community a top priority. Both are Scout den leaders and active members of the PTA. He volunteers on a city commission while she mentors students pursuing science degrees in the University of Texas system. Tyra now has a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. She admits that it can be challenging to find the right balance between family, career, school board and other obligations. Sometimes it’s just a process of making a to-do list and checking things off, one item at a time. Over the years, she’s heard many talks from famous female scientists encouraging their colleagues to just “plow through and do it.” While she agrees with that mentality, she also believes it’s OK to admit sometimes that it’s difficult. It’s a message she hopes her kids will one day comprehend as well. “Hopefully they understand that I am trying to serve the community and serve the schools, and hopefully they will be proud of that when they get older,” she says. One of the most eye-opening aspects of her experience on the board so far is the magnitude of the decisions she is faced with every day. Over the course of her career, she had ample experience reviewing legal briefs, working on oversight committees and managing massive budgets. Serving on the school board involves many of those same tasks but on a completely different scale. It’s a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly. “You’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in budgets, and the decisions that we make as trustees impact 57,000 students, faculty and staff of the district as well as their families,” she says. “It gives you a moment of pause because of the magnitude of what you are doing and really makes you want to get it right, because when you get it right, you get it right for tens of thousands of kids.” P

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SPOOKY SZN HALLOWEEN STYLE CLASH LEADS TO NATIONAL TELEVISION APPEARANCE story Joshua Baethge | photos Kathy Tran

rendon Cook has always enjoyed decorating for Halloween. Last year, he took things to a completely different level. Inspired by a 2019 trip to Disney World, he transformed his home into a Disney-esque haunted mansion. “We always decorated for Halloween but not like that,” he says. “The Disney trip just sparked something in me.” He says doing something fun for the community was especially rewarding during the year of COVID lockdowns. Neighbors flocked to his Plano home to see the lights, colors and projector images. One father nearly brought him to tears. His kids asked to walk by every night so they could wave to the projected floating head. There was just one small issue. While Cook loves fun, eccentric Halloween decorations, his partner, Tim Wright, prefers more subdued fall-themed décor. Cook calls it the “livelaugh-love style” of Halloween decorating. So how do they come to a compromise? By enlisting the help of a national talk show, of course. In late September, a film crew from The Kelly Clarkson Show descended upon their home for a complete makeover. Social media influencer Jennifer Houghton arrived to

redecorate the home in a fashion that would be agreeable to both. It was a hectic day that started at 6 a.m. Cook and Wright spent half the day taping with the crew, then they left and let Houghton take over. When they returned a few hours later, everything had been completely transformed. An interior decorator by trade, Cook admits it was hard to let someone else manage the decorating in his own home. Though the results may have skewed a little more toward fall than he would like, he loved many of the special touches, like the floating candles and checkered walkway. “Overall, what she did was absolutely amazing,” Cook says. “I don’t know how she did it, but I was very happy with what she did overall.” Two weeks later, Cook and Wright were jetting off to Los Angeles to appear on the show and share their experience with the nation. While he may have been happy with the results, Cook didn’t stop going for even more. The day after the film crew left, he was already adding to the decor. The Disney-style haunted mansion returned with even mo re f lo u r is h e s t h a n b e f o re . T h e re wo u ld be n o s t o p pin g t h a t .

Mayor John Muns guides Plano through the surge story Joshua Baethge | photos Kathy Tran

PLANO MAYOR JOHN MUNS says he's been working nonstop since being sworn in as the city’s 39th mayor in early May. His daily schedule typically includes at least three or four events in addition to his regular city business. “The demands on the time are pretty high, but I told staff that I was going to say ‘yes’ to almost anything in my first year,” he says. “I felt like I was obligated to do that.” His family moved to El Rancho Estates in 1969, when Muns was a child. His father, James, was the developer of the neighborhood. Back then, it seemed a long way from civilization, with only an unpaved road connecting it to the rest of the city. Muns graduated from Plano Senior High School and went off to Abilene Christian College. He met his future wife there and brought her back to Plano, where they have lived ever since. Following his father’s footsteps, he embarked on a career as a venture capitalist, working primarily in real estate development. In the early ’90s, the elder Muns served a term as Plano mayor while John Muns was president of the school board. To avoid any appearance of impropriety, they decided not to take on any more Plano development projects. It’s a stance he still adheres to today.

ver the years, Muns has been active in a variety of civic and philanthropic roles. Most recently, he chaired the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission. His experience there gave him a front-row seat to the issue that has divided Plano politics for many years: the debate over multifamily housing. A small but vocal minority continues to oppose nearly every apartment or townhome project, no matter the merits. Anyone who dares to utter the word “multifamily” can expect a torrent of doomsday propaganda about ruining schools, overwhelming city resources and ruining the city’s “suburban character.” While he strives to remain objective on each project, Muns admits that it can get frustrating when people continue to spew false information. “If you dig deep, I think some people have a prejudice against that type of housing,” he says. “Yet I talk to a lot of people who say investing in a single-family home is not what they want to do financially for a lot of reasons.” Muns points out that the biggest factor keeping Plano’s tax rate low is its ratio of corporations to residents. If the city didn’t have corporations, the bill for the city’s amenities would fall squarely on residents. When companies look to relocate, there are a number of things they take into consideration, including housing options. If the city is to continue to be a place businesses want to come, there must be a variety of housing options. The demand for housing diversity is just one of the many challenges facing Plano. The pandemic has upended the workplace dynamic, with many companies embracing a work-from-home or hybrid environment. Muns says that makes it harder for city officials to evaluate the merits of office projects because they must consider their benefits now and in the coming years. The same can be said of the retail market. Right now, Plano has many shopping centers with big box stores and large parking lots. As shopping business models change, he says the city must be flexible and ready to adapt to the changing dynamic. He cites the new H-E-B under construction at the southwest corner of Preston Road and Spring Creek Parkway as a prime example. When deciding where to put the first North Texas store, company officials wanted to build a facility that not only catered to in-store shoppers but also better accommodated pick-up and delivery customers. This requires a larger warehouse space attached to the store, something city ordinances did not account for.

“Pick-up and delivery were non-existent just a couple of years ago, and now it’s a big part of their business and everybody else’s,” he said. “We have to be flexible and understand what the market wants and what the community wants.” Transportation and infrastructure are also areas on which Muns intends to direct considerable attention. Significant funds from the most recent bond election will be used to improve the city’s east-west thoroughfares: Plano Parkway, Park Road, Parker Road, Spring Creek Parkway and Legacy Road. The city also received $36 million from the American Recovery Plan. Much of the money will be used to offset revenue shortfalls from the hotel and motel taxes due to the pandemic. However, the city was able to allocate $12 million to update software and hardware on its traffic light systems. Instead of underground sensors, video sensors and other technology will be used to improve efficiencies. Another major addition to Plano’s transportation network is the coming DART Silver Line, which will have two rail stations in Plano. When complete, residents will have a more direct ride to DFW Airport and even Fort Worth. In conjunction with this, Muns says he hopes to improve public transportation throughout the city. “We’re the second-largest payer to DART behind Dallas,” he points out. “We really want to get our money’s worth, so we need to start looking at routes that are more efficient.” Many commuters from neighboring cities now drive to the Parker Road station and take the train to Dallas. While places like Frisco, Allen and McKinney are not DART member cities, Muns hopes to work out agreements with those municipalities to ensure that they are absorbing some of the costs that their residents create. Muns says he is excited about what lies ahead for Plano. While much of the recent attention has been focused on development in the city’s northwest side, other areas have big projects coming too. After years of debate, redevelopment of the Collin Creek Mall site is now fully underway. He expects to see other projects come to fruition soon along the DART rail lines as well as the Dallas North Tollway and George Bush Turnpike corridors. The borders of what people consider “Downtown Plano” are also expanding as development spreads from the original strip in nearly every direction. “We’re really excited about being able to have not just Legacy West and Legacy Town Center, but all of these other parts of Plano really doing some great things,” he says.

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& BEARS, OH MY! LARRY SOLOMON’S EAST PLANO ESTATE IS A ONE-OF-A-KIND JUNGLE OASIS story Joshua Baethge photos Jennifer Shetzer

ast Plano drivers know the landmark well. Atop a small hill near a slight bend on Parker Road, two elephant sculptures appear seemingly out of nowhere. They are the handiwork of Larry Solomon, a retired executive turned full-time artist with a creative spirit that seemingly knows no bounds. From painting and sculpting to metalwork and wood carving, he enjoys working in all mediums, focusing on wherever inspiration takes him. It took him about three months to put together the elephants. Inside is a thick metal skeleton along with some rebar. A mesh outer layer was then filled with stone. He also managed to incorporate irrigation inside the bellies of the friendly beasts. Those elephants were not the first sculpture to command the roadside hill. That would be the shell of a classic Volkswagen Beetle Solomon repurposed into a giant planter with ivy shooting out. City officials didn’t see it as a work of art but rather a scrap vehicle in public view. That, he was informed, was a violation of local ordinances.

“I put a whole presentation together and went and presented my case,” he recalls. “They took it all the way up the chain and then some legal dude said, ‘We can’t make an exception.’” The car now resides on the interior of this property, safely out of view and guarded by the live peacocks and chickens that reside nearby. Solomon says he started his life as an artist. However, after getting married and having kids, he knew he needed a steadier job. That led him to the corporate world and a job with the Cadbury Corporation in his native South Africa. After working his way up, the company promoted him to head of organizational development and gave him a threeyear assignment in London. When that time was up, he figured he would return to South Africa. The company had other ideas and sent him to Texas as the head of human resources for its Dr Pepper/Seven Up division. He assumed he would be in the United States for only a couple of years. That was 22 years ago. He could not have timed it any better, as the company has experienced some of the most explosive growth in its history during his tenure. “I was so blessed in my career,” he says. “I took early retirement and went back to my first love, which was art.” He says it’s the challenge that often inspires him. With a little bit of engineering, some creativity and luck, things can happen. When he began working on the elephant sculpture, he wasn’t sure how he would do it. Like most of his projects, he says it was just a matter of trying different things. If they work, great. If they don’t, learn from them, and try something else. His hippopotamus sculpture, Rosie, is a perfect example. She lives in a natural pond on his property that is fed by storm runoff on its way to Bob Woodruff Park. The hippo’s name was inspired by the lead character from the movie Titanic. Rosie just keeps floating around in the water. Or at least she should. It’s taken a couple of modifications to get it right. Solomon’s original idea was to fill the shell with foam insulation. It turns out that wasn’t the best material to use — even a microscopic leak would eventually make the sculpture sink. He ended up pulling out all the foam and replacing it with PVC pipe. Now she floats just

fine, moving along the pond as she pleases. Look just about anywhere on Solomon’s property, and you will probably see another piece of art. Wise owls that have been carved from an old piece of wood sit atop books. Metallic ostriches stand guard over a small rock garden. A large chunk of bois d’arc wood lies off to the side, waiting to be transformed into a yet-to-be-determined creation. Inside his workshop, there are paintings, metal sculptures and self-made molds ready to bring his latest ideas to life. While Solomon went to art school to refine his painting and drawing, many of the things he does today have been self-taught. He recalls watching YouTube videos before attempting the owls, his first chainsaw sculpture. “I said let’s go for it,” he says. “It’s terrifying but you just hold tight and make sure you have all the right protective gear. It’s actually great fun.” While he may not miss working in the corporate world,

that doesn’t mean his schedule is any less busy. At any given time, he is typically working on multiple projects. He says that staying busy helps keep him out of “mischief.” “There’s no such thing as retirement. Call it ‘refirement,’’ he says. “I’ve re-fired, not retired.” Solomon lectures as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, sharing with MBA students the knowledge he’s learned over the course of a 30-year career as an executive. He has four adult kids, including a son in South Africa, a daughter in England and another son in Australia. He is also heavily involved with the nonprofit My Possibilities, which supports adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. His wife, Charmaine, founded the organization, inspired by their son Kyle, who lives in Plano and has special needs. Solomon donates half of all sales revenue generated from his art to My Possibilities. His work can be found at lsolomon.artspan.com.

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

a plano gift guide It’s easy to envision Texas snow now that Christmastime is a mere blink away. Neighborhood merchants are stocked and ready to guide shoppers to creative giftgiving in price points suiting all pocketbooks. Take a peek at some Plano Magazine discoveries and act fast — the early bird gets the best worm. Pictured: Tiffany HardWear wrap necklace in 18 karat gold. Worth $17,900 story Sally Wamre | photos Jessica Turner

Fancy pet yummies. Animals are people, too: Select from three varieties of dried treats and an assortment of fresh-baked donuts, cakes, cannoli and pies, grain-free and peanut butter-based. Frostings are a mix of dry yogurt and tapioca starch. The discriminating pooch will want to chase the goodies with chicken, vegetable or pork brothbased Good Boy Dog Beer or Good Girl Dog Beer. Costs vary: $2 single treat up to $45 for a cake. Beer is $7 single can, $24 for a four-pack. Fur Babies Bakery 1012 E. 15th Street 214-945-1890 Furbabiesbakery.com

The first round’s on me. Young or old, guy or gal, the golfer you love will double-love a gift card to the links. Golf rounds range on this public site from $36$60, depending on the day of play. The Courses at Watters Creek 7201 Chase Oaks Boulevard 214-509-GOLF (4653) Watterscreekgolf.com Swiss Army Knife. Made by Victorinox, the high-quality product line dates to 1891. Select from new colors and designs, ranging from a basic key-chain composition to more sophisticated versions. Various blades, tweezers, can openers, scissors and more are all housed in one handy unit. A good idea for men, women, campers and everyday uses. Knives come with a life-time guarantee. $20-$300. Cutlery Collection The Shops at Willow Bend 6121 West Park, Suite C106A 469-366-4496 Cutlerycollection.net

Tiffany and Tiffany-inspired lamps. The Art Nouveau movement retains popularity when it comes to these extravagant art pieces. The small pieces of glass soldered together into iconic designs are any room’s focal point. Prices range depending upon size and authenticity, $299-$1,299. High Street Antiques & Design 800 N. Central Expressway 972-509-7878 highstreetDFW.com

Custom snack baskets and tins. Choose a decorative container, and fill with artisan-crafted popcorn, cocoas, cordials and other treats. Perfect stocking stuffers. Prices start at $10. Crave Popcorn Co. Lakeside Market 4021 Preston Road, Suite 619 972-608-9900 Cravepopcornco.com Tea for you. Shoo away winter’s chill with packages of flavorful loose-leaf teas. Select from six varieties of caffeinefree, 2-ounce pouches: roasted almond, revive, Earl Grey, southwest sunrise, mango bay and decadent. $11.99 a pack. Chocolate Angel 800 N. Central Expressway 972-904-9597 Chocolateangel.com

Chanel findings. For out-of-the box thinkers: These one-of-a-kind items are authentic vintage designer buttons or charms originally part of a Chanel product and now fashioned into head-turning earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Prices range from $89.99 to $379.99. La Foofaraw 1008 E. 15th Street 972-423-0001 Lafoofaraw.com

Top Holiday Activities our favorite activities to bring the oohs and aahs this holiday season

C H RIS T M AS S P E C TAC UL AR AT TH E S TAR

million lights throughout the gardens.

made holiday gifts made of fabric,

Christmas Spectacular begins with the

Nov. 9-Dec. 31.

wood, ceramic and glass, as well as a

lighting of The Star’s 67-foot Christmas

dallasarboretum.org

variety of crafts including quilts, baby

tree and leads into a performance

LIG H TS AT LE G AC Y

items and ornaments that are sure to be-

showcasing the Dallas Cowboys Cheer-

Kick off the holiday season at Lights at

come treasured keepsakes. Nov. 20-21.

leaders, Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and

Legacy. Guests of all ages will enjoy a

plano.gov

Blue Dancers and Rookie Squad, Dallas

tree-lighting, holiday street performers,

SC ROOGE ON STAGE

Cowboys Drumline and Santa. Nov. 22-

free beverage and food samples, plus

Start a holiday tradition by bringing the

Dec. 21.

photos with Santa. Start the day early

whole family to North Texas Performing

thestarinfrisco.com

with a screening of “The Grinch” and

Arts’ annual performance of “Scrooge.”

D ICKEN S I N DOW N T OW N P LANO

free swag bags. Nov. 21.

The musical adaptation of “A Christmas

With live entertainment, strolling carol-

shopsatlegacy.com

Carol” reminds us to love one another.

ers, a visit from Santa and a tree lighting

‘NEATH THE WREATH HOLIDAY GIFT MARKET

Sing carols, visit with Santa and enjoy

ceremony, Dickens is the traditional fam-

Don’t miss the shopping event of the hol-

treats before the show. Dec. 9-19.

ily event of the season. Be sure to mail a

iday season. More than 100 vendors will

NTPArep.org

letter to the North Pole or finish shopping

sell jewelry, apparel, edible treats, holi-

TRAI NS AT NOR THPARK

for your “nice” list during Downtown re-

day décor, gadgets and gifts galore at

This holiday tradition has become a fa-

tailers’ extended hours. Dec. 4.

‘Neath the Wreath, with proceeds ben-

vorite for generations of locals. The Trains

planostages.com/dickens

efiting Junior League of Collin County’s

at NorthPark includes 1,600 feet of track

H OL IDAY AT T HE AR B O R E TU M

charitable endeavors. Nov. 11-14.

rolling from coast to coast on a whimsi-

The Dallas Arboretum’s annual celebra-

jlcollincounty.org

cal rail journey across America. All pro-

tion features 12 Victorian-style gaze-

P LANO CH RIS TMAS MARK ET

ceeds help families at Ronald McDonald

bos and the debut of a European-style

This free shopping event offers an array

House of Dallas. Nov. 13-Jan. 2.

Christmas Village, with more than one

of giftable items. Find unique, hand-

thetrainsatnorthpark.com

1900 West 15 th Street 972-881-0140 WHEN: Weekends from Nov. 26 - Dec.26 Week of Christmas Dec. 20–23 and the 26. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. TICKETS: Online admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. Tickets at the door will cost S15 for adults and $10 for chlldren.

HERITAGEFARMSTEAD.ORG

Scan for program details and ticket link.

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

2021

SAT. DEC. 4 | 5 P.M. H AGGARD P ARK 901 E. 15 TH S TREET

plano.gov/arts

@planoarts

Holiday at the Arboretum Presented by

The Most Beautiful Holiday Experience Through December 31 Open Daily and Most Evenings Dallas’ Favorite Holiday Tradition returns with The 12 Days of Christmas, the acclaimed European style Christmas Village and the holiday display in the historic DeGolyer House. The newly added 50-foot Dazzling Musical Tree will fill Martin Rutchik Concert Stage with music and light, along with another 1 million lights throughout the garden.

DallasArboretum.org

8525 Garland Road • Dallas, Texas 75218 • 214-515-6615 The Dallas Arboretum is a non-profit organization supported, in part, by funds from Dallas Park & Recreation.

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

story & photo Steven Hunt

r e

U g pS n i v o

The sweet potato pie is one of several dessert offerings at Savorite, which also serves pecan pie, banana pudding and red velvet cake.

HBO’s visit to this Plano restaurant jump-started business David Thomas thought he was being pranked. The owner of Savorite Southern Cuisine had just received a phone call from HBO’s annual NFL reality series Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys saying the show’s team wanted to visit Thomas’ restaurant to film a segment with Cowboys running back JaQuan Harvey and linebacker Anthony Hines. When the episode finally aired Aug. 31, Thomas wasn’t even the first in his family to see it. That honor fell to Thomas’ mom, who called from Ohio the night the showed aired to offer her critique. “She was able to see it before me. She pretty much ruined the episode,” Thomas says. “She was so excited. The coolest moment of it all is my two boys, who are 6 and 9. They watch a l o t o f Yo u T u b e . I w a s a b l e t o p u l l u p t h e v i d e o o n Yo u T u b e , a n d t h e y w e r e like: That’s my daddy’s job, that’s his restaurant.’ That brought it full circle.” Being on Hard Knocks boosted the restaurant’s delivery and takeout business, which was helped since the dining room was closed. And a new favorite order emerged: Harvey’s order of fried chicken with two sides. “It’s just surreal. I watched Hard Knocks prior to that, so I had to pinch myself. People still come in and say: I want what he had.” This is Thomas’ third restaurant, but i t ’ s h i s f i r s t i n Te x a s . P r e v i o u s l y , h e r a n a soul food restaurant and a sports bar in his native Cleveland. After that closed, Thomas says decided to go to culinary school to add to his skill set. “Prior to that, I was always more front of the house, but I wanted to be well-rounded. In having these conversations with chefs and food purvey-

ors, I wanted to be confident in what I was saying,” Thomas says. “I had a l w a y s s h i e d a w a y f r o m t h e kitchen. I could cook but not to the capacity I c a n now.” A f t e r m o v i n g t o Te x a s w i t h h i s w i f e and two sons, Thomas opened Sav o r i t e a t 2 4 0 0 Av e n u e K i n 2 0 1 8 , a n d business grew consistently, even before Hard Knocks aired. Thomas kept the restaurant open, pivoting to carry-out and delivery as dining rooms across the city were closed per City of Plano ordinance in March 2020. About the only thing that has changed in four years is Savorite’s most popular dishes. “ S u n d a y i s o u r b u s i e s t d a y . We d o different daily specials,” Thomas says. “On Sundays, we do baked chicken and dressing. That’s easily our best-selling special. “There’s been a spike in the wings ever since the episode. I used to be able to say number one without a doubt was catfish. Ever since that episode aired, everybody’s been w a n t i n g w i n g s . We j u s t c o u l d n ’ t k e e p enough in-house. Our fried and/ or smothered pork chops are also a b i g s e l l e r. A s f o r t h e s i d e s , m a c a n d cheese, the greens, and yams are the top-three sellers.” At least for now, Thomas is keeping the dining room closed because of staffing issues. But he envisions a day when he looks out into the restaurant and sees a bustling scene again. “I want the experience to be memorable. When the dining room was open, I loved looking out and seeing people dancing in their seats, eating and enjoying my food,” Thomas says. “ Yo u c a n ’ t p u t a p r i c e t a g o n t h a t . I miss that.” Savorite is located at 2400 Avenue K. Check it out at savoritesoutherncuisine.com.

TAMMY RICHARDS STILL ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION story JOSHUA BAETHGE | photos KATHY TRAN

Many people may know Tammy Richards from her 11-year stint on the Plano ISD board. First elected in May 2010, she served three terms on the board and two stints as board president before deciding not to seek re-election earlier this year. “I do miss it, although being a school board member is a more and more difficult challenge these days,” she says. For the past eight years, she has worked as the CEO of Volunteer Now. The local nonprofit is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Volunteer Now serves a dual role in the philanthropic community. Its first mission is to connect about 3,500 local nonprofits with more than 100,000 volunteers in the area. Those nonprofits help with a wide array of causes including education, hunger, homelessness, animal welfare, the arts and more. In addition to connecting volunteers to the right organizations, Volunteer Now also trains nonprofits on things like how best to mobilize volunteers. The second major role Volunteer Now performs is developing technology to better support nonprofits. With the help of renowned philanthropist Lyda Hill, it developed the Volynow.org software to better connect volunteers to the right cause. Over the past two years, Richards says volunteers in education have been one of the community’s most pressing needs. As students transitioned to virtual learning last year, volunteers were enlisted to help with a variety of tasks. Some were as simple as preparing lesson packs for teachers or art packages for kids. She recalls a woman from Odessa who would regularly come to local schools and read. When the pandemic made that impossible, she began reading to her golden retriever at home and posting the videos online. The kids loved it. “They would do it remotely but still feel that connection and still that help with their reading skills,” she says. “It never hurts if there’s a cute dog in the video either.” This year, schools have an overwhelming need for tutors and mentors as kids work to catch up from months away from the classroom. A common theme throughout Richards’ career has been her deep desire to be of service to others. She worked at Texas Instruments as a vice president of marketing, helping math and science teachers utilize technology to better teach complicated subjects. That led to a stint at SMU, working as an associate dean and chief operating officer in the school of engineering. Once again, she was tasked with helping introduce kids to STEM concepts and running outreach events for middle schools. The nonprofit world is a tight-knit community with many people willing to help each other, sharing tips and resources. It’s an attitude she finds hopeful and encouraging, as well as an example for others to follow. “I just want to encourage people to support their local schools and to support the administration,” she says. “It’s been incredibly challenging the last two years, and we all just need to extend a little grace.”

NOV-DEC 2021 Plano Magazine

Articles inside

CATCHING UP WITH MAYOR MUNS

GIFT GUIDE

SAVORITE

SPOOKY SEASON

PEOPLE OF PLANO: TAMMY RICHARDS

LAUREN TYRA