For 55 years and through four generations, the Francis family has operated a business at 6733 W. Main St.
While many Frisco residents only know it as The Depot Cafe and Quick Check Convenience Store, operated by Dennis and Deborah Francis, the business has a long family history.
In 1959, Dennis' father, Henry, opened Henry's Grocery and Market on the plot of land behind The Depot Cafe—where Manny's Tex-Mex is today.
"My first job at the store was sorting and stacking soda bottles," Dennis said. "Later on in the summer months I would get to go with dad at 4 in the morning and go to McKinney and get block ice and bring it back. There was no refrigeration back in those days, so we would just cover it with a tarp on the way back from McKinney in the pickup."
In 1960, deciding he needed to create a bigger store, Dennis said his father bought the two neighboring lots and built and opened Henry's Supermarket on the two new plots, which operated for more than 25 years.
In 1987, Henry decided to downsize, Dennis said. He turned the grocery store into a convenience station and left the south end of the building vacant
"He passed away in 1996, and Mom decided she didn't want to do the operations anymore, so I ended up buying the convenience store in 1997," Dennis said.
He said convenience store visitors were constantly asking them to bring in more tables for dining, which is what led Dennis and Deborah to open The Depot Cafe, which began operating in July 1999.
The restaurant, which operates in conjunction with the convenience store, is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this month.
"My kids are fourth-generation Frisco High School graduates, and we've been here a long time," Dennis said. "We really have enjoyed living in Frisco. It's been a good community for us—a good place to raise our kids and a good place to do business.
"As we grew with the city, the town, we became friends with a lot of people," he added. "Throughout the years we grew a good base of customers and to this day we still have people that have traded with my father. Hopefully we can continue to serve Frisco for many years to come."
The Francis family was honored June 23 with a reception recognizing them for having the oldest continuously operating family-owned business in Frisco.
Residents and city and chamber of commerce officials packed The Depot Cafe for the event.
"This is really kind of the birthplace of politics in Frisco, and it still is on Friday nights and some mornings," Frisco City Councilman Bob Allen told the crowd. "If you guys still aren't coming here for breakfast or dinner sometime, you're really missing out—you need to put this on your list of places to come."
