Dreamers always have someone in their lives who doubt their vision. Enter Scott and Elke Macy. They had so many people doubt their dream of owning and operating a restaurant and bar, they decided to call it the Flying Pig when they finally realized their vision in Lewisville five years ago.
The Macy’s first met in Germany where Scott was based while serving in the Army in 1979. While they dated and traveled around Europe on Scott’s leaves and vacations, they would stop into the old town pubs and taverns and would muse about some day having a pub of their own. After serving his country, Scott came back to Texas with Elke and began a successful career as an IT consultant while Elke worked in the kitchen of the Lewisville Independent School District. Along the way they ended up with three daughters, all of whom now work at the Old Town Flying Pig.
“When we opened there was a competition between the old Mayor of Lewisville, Wayne Fergusson and the current mayor over who would be the first to buy a beer in here,” says Scott, “That beer would end up being the first one legally sold in old downtown Lewisville since before the days of Prohibition.”
The location caused a few hiccups along the way. The building’s façade had been split between a law firm and a knife store. One day the plumbing contractor they’d hired discovered more sloping concrete than he’d expected. The slab slanted and dipped, causing headaches while installing a modern plumbing system but began to show some of the history of this district. Unbeknownst to anyone, there had been a movie theater at the building’s location. Another hiccup occurred at the time the Macy’s purchased the building. They’d been looking at a number of locations in old downtown Lewisville but it seemed most of the properties that held their interest were tied up by some of the oldest families in the district, and upon discovering the plans of opening a bar, many of the owners refused to sell to them.
In reality the Pig was moving into a mostly vacant shell of a downtown. Like most satellite suburbs, Lewisville had experienced explosive growth of Big Box retailers out along 121 and I-35E, but the old business in downtown had paid the price. Some old guard retailers like Beasley’s Jewelry, have survived, but the old hardware or general stores fell victim to the Home Depot and Wal-Mart.
In many communities like Lewisville, the desire to infuse the downtown with new business became a priority. Former Mayor Fergusson spearheaded the movement, bringing people and business back and the Pig has been an anchor point to the redevelopment. “I tell you, that man was so good to us. You would have thought he was an owner the way he went out of his way to make sure we got open,” says Elke.
After five years the Flying Pig has become home to an interesting cross section of regulars who come in three or four times a week. “One day we had a biker run come in and some of the regulars just stepped up and started bussing tables.” Elke laughs and with her hand waves towards the kitchen window, “I was in there trying to keep up with the orders and I looked out and saw three of them wiping down tables and bringing glasses back by the bar. You just don’t expect customers to do that but we have a great group here.”
Elke has created a menu for the Pig that is a blend of quality product around a traditional Pub Fare. “I have ton’s of people who rave about our onion rings,” says Tanya, one three of Elke daughters working there, “too bad I don’t eat onions.” The onion rings are fresh thick cut onions covered with Elke’s own batter recipe. Served hot and golden brown, they have a peppery flavor balancing out the onion, but if you ask Elke what spices she uses she just smiles and says, “Spices.”
Tanya and her sister Pam have now taken on management roles at the Flying Pig, “We really had to so Mom could have some time off.” Scott continues to work in the IT world and is in the bar most days. Elke is a hands-on kitchen specialist and her daughters have divided the management jobs between themselves. Tanya says they used to use supplied pork in the pulled pork sandwich but she found it too fatty, “Mom started bringing in and preparing her own pork, and now that sandwich is one of my favorite things on the menu. I always get it with extra barbeque sauce.”
“We use only good product in everything we serve,” states Elke. Her passion is making sure the kitchen works properly and her customers are leaving well fed and happy. You can tell she considers the regulars as both friends and family making sure as their host they are treated properly and get good food and a good value.
Weekend crowds are very biker friendly, and with Scott’s Army background, he really likes to reach out to military. Now that the Flying Pig is stable and somewhat ingrained into the area, the Macy’s have purchased another location right across the street. “We are going to open a country themed place over there,” explains Elke, “If we didn’t, someone else would grab that location and try to take our customers.”
Bringing more people into Old Downtown Lewisville has been a boon to the entire community. “When we moved in here there was very little here,” says Scott, “there was a burger joint and that was it. Now it’s gone, but we grabbed the old sign and put it up on the wall by the pool table.”
It is refreshing when you see a place like the Old Town Flying Pig, It is one of those places that is unassuming in décor and clientele, the kind of old fashioned neighborhood bar and diner that has become a part of the environment around its old theater location. It is also a family place with Scott, Elke, and daughters Tanya, Pam and Monique sharing a true family business and achieving the dream that so many people doubted they could.
The Old Town Flying Pig
Old Downtown Lewisville
165 West Main Street
Lewisville, TX
