Living most of her life in Flower Mound and Lantana, Amanda Lucas was a frequent visitor to the Nestlé Toll House Café in the Shops at Highland Village. Its wide variety of baked, frozen, and liquid treats were enough to fulfill her long-time craving for sweets.
The Marcus High School graduate loved the place so much she and husband Luke began exploring the possibility of opening a franchise one day near Prosper where they moved with their three children in 2015. They even picked the brain of the then-Highland Village owner. When they realized Prosper didn’t have the traffic to support one, they explored the new Dallas Cowboys’ Star in Frisco facility.
That was last spring and by the fall, they heard the Highland Village location was available after it was closed down by the previous owner.
“When we found out this was for sale, we thought it was a God thing after having prayed for the right location for months,” she said one recent morning. “The one in Frisco felt like it would have more of a corporate feel. This one just feels homey.”
So they decided to become entrepreneurs far ahead of schedule. They opened Dec. 8, a little more than two months after the place closed. They spruced things up with a fresh coat of paint, new digital boards and a chalk mural. They also added baked breakfast options and a variety of blended coffees to the menu.
More extensive changes recently commenced including staining all the wood dark, replacing the backsplashes and removing one of the two ice cream cabinets to make room for new softer seating. Also in the plans are tables where children can decorate cookie cakes.
“We’re trying to get more youth groups, some book clubs, and some business meetings,” she said. “We want to make it more inviting. We want to become a place to hang out.”
Lucas juggles a job in surgical sales with watching her kids and working just two mornings a week at the front counter. She does visit several other times each week to help her staff with behind-the-scenes tasks.
But getting to meet all of the people, especially parents of area children who thank her for re-opening the café, has made it all worthwhile for Amanda Lucas and her family.
Order your Cookie Cake for Valentine’s Day by calling 972-317-6171.
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