A Black-owned and family-led business just landed a major deal.
LaTrelle’s, a Houston-based restauranteur firm recently their securing of a $334 million contract with the City of Houston for William P. Hobby Airport. LaTrelle’s will begin work on the renovation and revitalization of the airport’s core dining destinations later this year, according to a news release shared with ESSENCE.
As a part of the revitalization plan, Hobby Airport will include Common Bond, The Rustic, Velvet Taco, Dish Society, Pinks Pizza, and Fat Cat Creamery, as well as Peet’s Coffee, Jersey Mike’s, Wendy’s, and Dunkin’.
“The very first LaTrelle’s airport location was in Hobby Airport. There, in just 350 square feet, we sold our grandmother’s recipes,” said Chris James, Business Development Director of LaTrelle’s in a news release. “Our family all worked there. To grow from that to now overseeing and operating this 17,000 square-foot, multi-brand initiative is such a proud moment for LaTrelle’s. We are still a small, family-operated business––and historically, projects of this scope have gone to larger corporations. But we work hard, every single day, inspired by one another and our city.”
In addition to the expansion of dining options, Latrelle’s will be at the helm bolstering the airports’ aesthetic through carefully curate art selections from local artists as well. Construction will take about two years to complete.
“We are bringing ourselves to this project, and we are Houston,” said Cameron James, Operations Director of LaTrelle’s. “Including national brands alongside a curated list of top local brands in our new plans for Hobby Airport was a natural choice for us, rooted in trust and relationships. We put together a proposal that aims to do right by our restaurant operators and the airport alike––everyone wins. When a local, family-owned and operated business like us is given the opportunity to spearhead a venture like this, it also sends an important message to other entrepreneurs: This is something that can happen in this city.”