HIGH POINT, N.C. — It's the end of an era.
"I wanna take a couple of days off and just rest. I feel like I need a good rest," laughed Bart Ortiz Sr.
After 35 years as owner of Tex & Shirley's, Ortiz is saying goodbye to the pancakes and to the people.
"Tex & Shirley's has been a true blessing to all of us," exclaimed one loyal patron.
"It's very tough to tell him goodbye and we don't want ot see him go but we're very happy for his retirement," said an employee who has been with the company for 17 years when her mother first worked there.
Before he became owner, Bart worked as a dishwasher for the original Tex and Shirley in 1979 and 10 years later, he moved on up.
"Tex and Shirley, they were ready to retire, and they sold the business to me, and I became the owner of Tex & Shirley’s in 1989," recounted Ortiz.
Now, the shoe is on the other foot and Bart will be the one retiring.
“I had a triple-bypass in February of 2022, and I knew at that point I didn’t want to keep working like I was and that’s really when I made the final decision that it really is time and try to enjoy life because you never know how much time you have," said Ortiz.
Even with retirement on the horizon, Bart has poured his heart and soul into making Tex & Shirley’s what it is today for the Triad community: a family.
“We are a family restaurant and I think that people that come in here feel that you know? we’re family here," Ortiz proudly proclaimed.
If you walk the dining halls of Tex and Shirley, you know that part is true. People exclaimed:
"This is my happy place!"
"They treat you like family!"
“You can go to other places, but it's not like this."
And Ortiz is going to miss them all.
"Customers, the employees, I will miss that. We just have a closeness and that is what I will miss. Plus, I’m gonna miss our food," Ortiz said.
February 15th is Ortiz's last day as owner of Tex & Shirley's Pancake House in High Point as it transitions over to Cagney's Kitchen in the coming weeks.
As for the Tex & Shirley's Pancake House Greensboro location, it will continue to operate as normal, the company said.
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