Pocket’s Grille’s current location at 205 Fawcett St. is set for a $400,000 expansion as the restaurant celebrates 30 years in Smithville. (Courtesy Pocket's Grille)
Thirty years after Pocket’s Grille first opened in downtown Smithville, owner Troy Streuer is looking back on the restaurant’s beginnings while preparing for its next chapter.
Owner Troy Streuer started the Smithville restaurant with the support of his family when he was 21 years old. He told Community Impact the key to his long-term success is “consistent hours, consistent food, consistent service.' (Katlynn Fox/Community Impact)
Looking back
Streuer began working on the original location at 301 Main St. in May 1996. He said he spent the summer preparing the space with help from family and friends before serving his first customer Sept. 16, 1996, when he was 21 years old.
Owner Troy Streuer started the Smithville restaurant with the support of his family when he was 21 years old. He told Community Impact the key to his long-term success is “consistent hours, consistent food, consistent service.” (Courtesy Pocket's Grille)
As previously reported, the restaurant nearly closed the following year before production of the 1998 film “Hope Floats” brought cast, crew and visitors to Smithville—and business to Pocket’s.
The restaurant eventually relocated to its current home at 205 Fawcett St., where it serves 14 different burgers. Other menu options range from sandwiches, salads and pizzas to Tex-Mex dishes, fried catfish and more.
Pocket’s Grille opened Sept. 16, 1996, at 301 Main St. in downtown Smithville. (Courtesy Pocket's Grille)
What else?
Ahead of the anniversary, Streuer shared photos and memories on social media from Pocket's early years on Main Street.
“A lot has changed since those days on Main Street, but that building will always be where the Pocket’s story started,” he said.
Pocket's Grille offers a wide selection of food options. The team jokes that, “If you can’t find something you like on our menu, then you’re just not hungry.' (Courtesy Pocket's Grille)
Looking ahead
Pocket’s is also preparing for its next chapter.
Community Impact previously reported that a $400,000 expansion will add 1,223 square feet to the restaurant, including a new bar, additional indoor and outdoor seating, two walk-in coolers and a relocated playground.
The project was previously expected to begin in May, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing; however, Streuer told Community Impact on Sept. 4 that he now hopes to break ground by the end of the year.
