After his military service during World War II, a native son named Roy Pope returned to Fort Worth to open a grocery store in 1943 with a laundromat, dry cleaners and shoe repair shop also on-site.
Pope eventually expanded into the restaurant business, opening the venerable Carriage House just a block away on Camp Bowie Boulevard's bricks. When Pope died in 1967, longtime employee John LeMond purchased the business and ran it for 23 years, at which time he sold to his son-in-law Bob Larance. The Larance family continued its operation, sustaining the store's commitment to quality, listening to its clientele and providing superior customer service.
In the spring of 2020, Bob and Renee Larance decided to sell to new owners, a Fort Worth partnership of longtime restaurateur and chef Lou Lambert, real estate broker Rodger Chieffalo, developer-builder Mark Harris, and Lambert protégé Chris Reale, the latter serving as owner-operator. The foursome, aiming to honor the high standards set forth by those before them, thoroughly renovated and updated the store while keeping its original footprint.
Old butcher cases and freezers remain, but they've been beautifully refurbished. The custom butcher counter is better than ever, and the deli provides a wealth of hot and cold foods — produced by a team of chefs today. A select produce department is in place, and there are grocery store shelves laden with high-end products — many of them from local and regional producers. The wine and beer department is significantly enhanced and expanded, with a certified sommelier running that show, with a wine club now in place. There's now a coffee and wine bar with indoor and outdoor seating, which didn't exist before. Also new: a floral department and a gift section showcasing items by local makers.