Kitchens new owner is a familiar face to Mineola

By Phil Major
publisher@wood.cm
Posted 10/24/24

Lesley Holloway was given her first job as a Mineola 8th grader at Kitchens Hardware and Deli just over 30 years ago.

Now she owns the place.

The 1997 Mineola High School grad went on, …

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Kitchens new owner is a familiar face to Mineola

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Lesley Holloway was given her first job as a Mineola 8th grader at Kitchens Hardware and Deli just over 30 years ago.

Now she owns the place.

The 1997 Mineola High School grad went on, after becoming Miss Mineola, to attend what’s now Texas State University to study acting.

From there, what she calls her practical side took over, and she went to law school at what is now Texas A&M Law School in Fort Worth. It was something her Dad had wanted, and it was also a little more stable and not as tough as an acting career.

She was actually in New York continuing to pursue acting when she learned she had passed the bar exam.

She’s now the managing partner at a Metroplex law firm, but when the opportunity came to buy the historic restaurant/retail business (the business as well as the buildings), she decided that was the thing to do.

Holloway has maintained ties to the community that she credits for offering her so many opportunities to be successful.

Her Mom died when she was 10, so it was the village that helped raise her.

“I would not be where I would be without their help and belief,” she said.

And now she finds herself in a position to give back.

She still maintains the home she inherited from her Dad, Curtis, who built homes in the area for 40 years – including that one.

He passed away in 2020, but Lesley said her Dad is rooting for this move.

It was a special place to him, she said, including the time he was checking out of the restaurant and passed out. Two nearby patrons saved his life, as chronicled in a Monitor article in 2009. 

If he had been anywhere else, he could have died.

She kept the article and plans to have it displayed at Kitchens.

Kitchens has been around forever, Holloway said, and is a staple of the community.

“I just couldn’t bear the thought of it turning into something else,” she said.

Holloway is not afraid to get her hands dirty, an approach she has taken in managing the law firm and plans to continue with Kitchens.

Though she won’t be involved in the day-to-day operations, it won’t be far away.

She has a restaurant consultant assisting with the project, and they are offering a combination of the familiar with some new ideas.

Already they have returned to the traditional breakfast and lunch schedule from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The popular steak nights on Friday and Saturday could be brought back in the future, once renovations to the kitchen can be completed.

The hardware side will be closed for awhile for renovations during off hours with the idea of reestablishing some retail sales, including locally-produced items.

Holloway also plans to offer some grab-and-go items.

She said she has a good feeling about this project, and Kitchens’ success will also be good for Mineola and its downtown.