Dobbs Fried Chicken back in business

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

After a fire destroyed their family business on Feb. 22, 2005, some people thought that Preston and Nancee Dobbs wouldn”t know what to do with themselves. After all, the Dobbs” had dedicated more than 30 years to Lockhart”s only non-franchise chicken restaurant.
Upon finding that a family legacy had been reduced to a pil

e of charred bricks and ashes, what did the Dobbs” decide to do?
Rebuild, of course.
Less than two months after the fire, construction began on a new building, which stands in the same location. About eight weeks later, Dobbs Fried Chicken celebrated a “grand re-opening” on June 1, 2005.
“I figured, “If I”m going to start over, I”m going to start over right,”” Preston said of the changes, which include a drive-thru window and a large dining area.
“It”s so pretty and bright,” Nancee said of the new dining area. “We can seat about 50 now. The old restaurant could seat around 16.”
She said the new dining room is decorated with memories of the old dining room, including photographs and articles about the fire and the one piece of décor that survived.
“The only thing that survived the fire was a resolution from Patrick Rose,” she said. “He sent us another copy, and we had it framed with the burned one. It”s really neat.”
Dobbs also made a few changes to the menu, which Preston expects to be well-received by his customers.
“We”ve made it more customer friendly,” he said. “Now, you can order what you want, and it”s all the same price.” There will no longer be different prices for light or dark meat, and many of the menu selections have been combined into “meal deals.”
Some things, however, have not changed.
“Everyone is coming back but one employee,” Preston said. “We also hired six more people.”
A soft opening on May 30 gave Preston, Nancee and their staff the opportunity to test the new building and to thank the community for their continued support.
“Because they were on duty, most of the police officers and firemen who came by could only get their food and go, but we had many people come by and see the new place,” Nancee said.
“We just want to thank everyone again for the prayers and support,” Preston said in closing. “[Our reopening] couldn”t have happened without it.”