The list is not comprehensive.
The Ballet Conservatory
Kelly Lannin said 30 years ago, she was fluent in all things dance, but lacked business acumen. Her longtime friend Mary Neel, who was well-versed in business, raised the curtain on an idea that would meld their skillset into an applause-worthy endeavor.
“It was [Neel’s] idea," Lannin said. "She said, ‘I have this business degree but nothing to sell; you have something to sell, but you don’t want to have your own business. I think we make the perfect pair.’”
In 1991, the duo opened The Ballet Conservatory in Lewisville in a strip mall on Justin Road. By 1997, they outgrew that spot and moved to a stand-alone building across the street.
Their facility is 8,500 square feet, has five studios, including a tap studio, and sprung floors. The largest studio is used for large classes, advanced classes and rehearsals for large performances such as "The Nutcracker."
- 1400 Justin Road, Lewisville
- www.balletconservatory.com
Before adopting a daughter in 2001, Bev Freed considered herself a dog person.
“I adopted a teenager from Russia when she was 13 [years old] out of an orphanage," she said. "I wanted to give an older child an opportunity. When she came here and became a citizen, she missed her cat and wanted a cat. I had three dogs.”
Freed discovered cats are nurturing while watching the joy her newly adopted daughter found while taking care of her newly adopted cat.
One thing led to another, and in 2008, Freed founded Kitty Save, a nonprofit cat rescue organization. After toting the cats back and forth from foster homes to pet stores for adoption, she realized this wasn’t the healthiest plan for the cats.
- 2401 S. Stemmons Freeway, Lewisville
- www.thecharmingcatcafe.com
Lori Vann, a licensed professional counselor supervisor, said she opened her first private practice in 2008. She named that practice Lori Vann Counseling. As her business grew, she changed the name to Vann & Associates. In November 2023, she moved from Lewisville to Coppell and changed the name to Vann Wellness Group.
“It was a better reflection of this vision I've had for the last couple of years for holistic care,” she said. “The mind and body are interconnected and there are many different paths to reaching clients’ goals.”
The business offers individual, family and group counseling as well as individual and group coaching. There are also holistic care options.
Vann provides counseling and coaching services and focuses on clients between 12 and 60 years old. Additional staff members include counselors, coaches, dieticians and holistic practitioners.
- 275 S. Denton Tap Road, Coppell
- www.vannwellness.com
Debi Bascue said interacting with people is her favorite element of owning Rag Mops Cleaning Services, Inc. She added that customers have been with her since she and her mother started the business in 2001, and that some employees have been with the company for the last 10 years.
“We want everyone to feel this is the best job they’ve had as long as they need it,” Bascue said. “Sometimes they’re here for 6 weeks, sometimes 6 months, sometimes 6 years. My biggest achievement personally is watching them grow, finish that degree, buy a home and maybe send their daughter to college.”
Bascue started cleaning houses when she was a teenager.
“I babysat and back in the olden days, there was no TV after 10 so I would start cleaning out of boredom,” she said. “I was a pretty good babysitter, you’d get home and I had cleaned your kitchen.”
- 911 Mill St., Lewisville
- www.ragmops.net
As the current president and CEO of Huffines Auto Dealership, Ray Huffines represents the third generation of the 100-year old family-owned and operated business. Huffines says while some things have markedly changed over the century, such as technology and the amount of employees, others have remained the same.
“Our core values are RISE—respect, integrity, selfless service and excellence,” Huffines said. “They weren’t always identified with my grandfather and father going way back but they were always the values.”
J.L. Huffines, Sr. opened the first auto dealership in Denton in May 1924. That was a Willy’s-Knight, Overland dealership which later became the maker of Jeeps. In 1927, he opened a Chevrolet dealership in Lewisville.
Ray said trips to his grandfather’s dealership in Lewisville, when he was six or seven years old, make up his first memories of his family’s business.
- 1024 S. Stemmons Freeway, Lewisville; 1400 S. Stemmons Freeway, Lewisville
- www.huffines.net
