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Robert and Kathleen Ellington opened Kathleen’s Art Cafe on Lovers Lane in Dallas in 1988. Robert is the business manager and Kathleen, the chef. To quote Kathleen, ” Robert worries about the money, I worry about everything else.”
Kathleen began her culinary odyssey sharing space and expenses with the owners of the The Juarez Bakery in a rough area of East Dallas. She baked at night, delivering and selling her products by day. In 1983, she renovated an automotive shop, transforming the space into her own bakery and retail shop.
She met Robert in 1985 when she moved across the street to the Brannon building. Robert was the owner and developer. For her this was a vast improvement; and as business flourished, so did their relationship. They married in 1987, just about the time the real estate market crashed; unfortunately, Robert lost his building through foreclosure.
As a wedding gift to one another; they opened the cafe on Lovers lane. At the time, Kathleen was a self-taught, accomplished baker/pastry chef, but had huge gaps in her overall culinary experience. In order to be successful, she decided to rely on what she knew, which was an amalgam of Grandmother Concetta and Mother Fran’s family recipes. These recipes reflected both her Italian and Southern Californian roots. At this time; she adopted a lifelong philosophy, which was, “If I like it, my customers will probably like it.” Kathleen’s Mom, now 80 years old, works in the bakery on Lovers Lane.
In July 2004, Robert and Kathleen opened their clone restaurant in Plano at Lakeside Market Shopping Center, located at Preston Road and Spring Creek. The reception of Plano residents has been overwhelmingly wonderful!