It is obvious even from across the street that Spoons Cafe is a unique place to grab a bite. It’s funky, quirky and compellingly comforting with its bright red and yellow awnings and a small patio overlooking the old downtown square in McKinney.
The quirky nature of the restaurant is really an extension of its owner, Karen Klassen, who is just as eclectic. With a world view shaped from early life and a wide ranging travel schedule from years in IT consulting, Karen’s personal stamp is on every part of the business. Over the last two years she’s carved out a loyal and diverse clientele by offering scrumptious breakfasts and lunches.
“I honestly never thought I would end up back here,” says Klassen, “I was working in Atlanta, traveling all over the world and the US, but somehow I ended up back in Dallas. There was a group of women I would go out with to interesting places for breakfast or lunch, and I was thinking how cool it would be to own a place like that.”
Her father had purchased the 1920s era TP&L Power Company building in the mid 80s when most of downtown McKinney was a hollowed out shell. Like a lot of satellite cities around America, McKinney’s downtown was ravaged by the migration of business to Big Box retailing on the expanded interstate. Most of the world passed by the downtown area and one of the last surviving businesses, Smith Drugs, finally succumbed earlier this year.
Communities rooted with the local general store and pharmacy on the town square found themselves with abandoned businesses and boarded up buildings. In McKinney an effort to attract artisan shops began and the end result has become one of more unique, hidden gems of North Texas. There are still some empty storefronts but diners, antique stores and kitschy retailers have sprung up as of late, making McKinney a destination for the foodie.
The menu started simple mainly because Klassen herself had little experience, no staff, no business plan and she’d brought her own oven and stove from home just to get the doors open. “We really started down the street at another location around six years ago. Looking back I really don’t know what I was thinking but it started to take off,” explained Klassen.
Initially, with the encouragement of a then boyfriend, she attempted to purchase another place just off the square but the deal fell through. Her first real location was small, cramped and utilized to the maximum with catering and simple fare. Smiling at the memory, Klassen recalled, “When we out grew the old place and had used up every last inch, I decided to move into the building here, with our first pastry case. I found it at Goodwill for $50.”
There is a feeling inside Spoons that everything has evolved from found objects and local artists. These items and art accent the natural patina of old hardwood floors that creak underfoot and an open kitchen that exposes the preparation area. “I have a simple way of doing things, if it feels right, it is right,” she explains, “People told me I was crazy, many times, for many things, but the open kitchen was the one most folks couldn’t quite get until they come in. You see the food being prepared and the smells of the food being prepared is really part of the experience.”
With over 40 people working for her now she has a remarkably loyal group. The loyalty goes both ways. Karen points over her shoulder at a tiny woman in a hat and apron, “When she started with me she couldn’t speak English and now she is married with children and has been with me for over six years. I don’t have children but I have a great family.”
With the family there are many roots in Mexico and Karen has embraced both the cuisine and people. “We are going to be adding some evening service next year and many of the dishes are of a Mexican style,” she says. Adding menu items is somewhat problematic as they have so many regulars who insist on keeping old items but also embrace every new thing.
A glowing pastry case between the kitchen and dining area is full of pies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies and brownies which are now baked in a prep area back inside the old TP&L building’s garage. Klassen beams, “We ran out of room here and when the garage became available, we renovated it and opened the Spoons Garage Coffee shop.” The coffee shop has a separate entrance off the side street and still has its original 20-foot high sliding service door which now holds the menu boards. Comfy chairs tucked into the corner provide an intimate corner to curl up with a coffee and a book and wide tables run the length of the room.
Old display cases are full of local artist’s pottery offerings and other knick-knacks and red boxes, which now offer Spoons to the world through a new mail order service. “That is something else that just sort of happened.We were getting a lot of people picking up our pastries and telling us they were mailing it to friends and family. So we now have “Bakery Bites” that you can get on our website,” claims Klassen, “We also sell our t-shirts and that started because we had a contest to design one, there were local artists and 12-year-olds trying to win something silly we were doing to help raise money for a charity. Now we are going to do this contest every year.”
With all of these things some people have seen Spoons and want to replicate the concept and idea elsewhere. Klassen shakes her head and wonders how you can replicate or duplicate something based on a gut feel, “Everything in this place and all the decisions are based on gut feel, not a business plan or strategic planning it is if it feels right.”
The corporate world left behind has given some important lessons on how to do some things, but mostly it is an organic extension of an idea that started years ago. Aside from the web based mail order side, Klassen is also going to be hosting a group trip to Mexico for a bunch of customers and friends, “Because some of our cooks and employees have family in Mexico we end up experiencing their family’s homes and traditions. I have really fallen in love with the place.”
The coffee shop stays open later than the main restaurant and offers sandwiches and the same decadent sweets. The apple smoked bacon sandwich with homemade pimento cheese creates a grilled cheese that can make your mouth water.
Karen’s “gut feel” business plan has proved to be successful in more than one way. Not only destined to put a smile on your face, Spoons fare will make your own gut thank you for making the journey to McKinney’s Old Downtown Historic District.
Spoons Cafe and Garage
100 E Louisiana Street
McKinney, Tx
972-548-6900
