The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone in southern Denton County, and many businesses have had to close temporarily or drastically change their business plans to adapt to new government restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus.
And yet, many local businesses and residents are stepping up to support others, despite dealing with their own new challenges.
Marty B’s, the popular Hill Country-themed restaurant in Bartonville, is serving hundreds of free meals each weekend to Denton ISD families in need in partnership with Argyle-based non-profit Mission Moms.
“We’re blessed to have the support that we have received,” said owner Marty Bryan. “We feel compelled to give back … we’ll keep doing it until we can get back to something like normal.”
Bryan said he has always had the goal of giving employees and customers an “amazing experience.” The restaurant is aiming to keep all of its nearly 200 workers employed and to offer affordable prices on its curbside and drive-thru food options.
“One thing we can do is we can help customers in their time of need,” he said.
“In a time of uncertainty for every Denton County resident, Marty Bryan has reached beyond the walls of the restaurant by partnering with Mission Moms to send warm, homemade meals to the community’s most vulnerable on Saturdays,” said Mission Moms founder, Kathryn Flores. “To date, he has donated nearly 300 home-cooked dinners to deserving families in our own backyard.”
Because of shortages of cleaning products like hand sanitizer, Bendt Distilling Co. in Lewisville started making its own hand sanitizer and giving it away to local first responders, businesses and individuals.
“(Bendt Distilling) donated 225 individual bottles of hand sanitizer and about 15 large containers for refill to the Flower Mound Fire Department,” said Flower Mound Town Manager Jimmy Stathatos.
Bendt has since donated to Meals on Wheels and Dallas County first responders.
“We’ve worked some insane hours and have had moments that I wasn’t sure we could keep it all going,” said Bendt Distilling owner, Natasha DeHart. “Almost everyone we’ve ever worked with in this industry has pitched in some way. Formula ingredients, bottles, labels, chemicals, corn, yeast… so many donated goods.”
Bendt’s efforts have attracted the attention of one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.
“Small family-owned businesses can’t be expected to bankrupt themselves giving away free goods, so I started making phone calls and emailing and calling some more,” said DeHart. “In two days, we were fortunate to find three very generous donors, one being Mark Cuban.”
Many other local businesses are helping out in different ways. Leather Sofa Company, a Lewisville-based sofa manufacturer and retailer, decided to close its doors and turn its factory into a mask-making machine. Hive Bakery in Flower Mound gave away boxes of packaged foods to anyone who needed them. Flower Mound-based CornerStone Staffing has also made donations of hand sanitizer and/or gloves to the Flower Mound Police Department.
CBD American Shaman, which has locations in Argyle, Flower Mound, Lewisville and Roanoke, are each receiving medical-grade cleansing wash from their corporate office to distribute in their communities. The Flower Mound store donated its 100 bottles to the Flower Mound Police Department, and the Argyle store has donated cleansing wash to the Argyle police and fire departments.
Jerry and Karen Munoz, owners of the new CBD American Shaman store at Country Club and Hwy 377 in Argyle, wanted to do what they could to help keep local first responders safe.
“They don’t know what they’re getting themselves into when responding to an emergency,” Jerry Munoz said. “I want those folks to be protected.
“We’re here to help. Our whole business is based on helping people.”
