Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Lancarte.
Hi Kelly, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am the PR and Marketing Director for Joe T. Garcia’s, an internationally renowned Mexican restaurant in the heart of historic Northside Fort Worth. We’ve been recognized by the James Beard Foundation, Lena Pope Home, Baylor University, and Fort Worth’s Garden Club for. Joe T’s employs over 300 people, serving our signature margaritas and enchiladas to approximately 1,200 guests at once. Our flower and foundation-filled patio setting stretches across two full city blocks.
However, this is far from where it all started. My great-grandparents, Joe T. and Jessie Garcia, fled Michoacán during the Mexican Revolution and came to Fort Worth to build a better life. They opened Joe T.’s in 1935 with only four tables, one stove, and a shared determination to achieve the American Dream. Of course, it didn’t hurt they had ready-made restaurant staff; five children who would grow up working in every part of the business. My grandmother, Hope Garcia Lancarte, was one of those children and made sure her own kids followed suit.
I am the start of the fourth generation as the oldest grandchild of Hope Garcia Lancarte. Working alongside both my parents, Jody and Lanny P. Lancarte, grandmother, aunt, and uncles, I was eager to learn starting out as a hostess and then waitress. I loved it!
In 1993 I got married and stepped away from the restaurant to raise my three children. Today, I am proud to say they have also joined the family business, working with me, their aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Joe T.’s truly is a family business; family-owned and family-operated since day one!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Definitely not! My family shares a passion for hospitality, but the restaurant business isn’t always easy. A lot of our growth was during the 1970s, at the time I was a child, watching my parents and family work ‘round-the-clock to make everything perfect and everyone happy. I always knew I would return to the business in some way after my kids were grown; however, it was much sooner than I intended.
I got divorced in 2018 and to say it was an adjustment would be an understatement. I was lucky to come back to work and quickly learn what the restaurant needed. At this time, social media was taking off and Joe T.’s wasn’t a part of it. In fact, Joe T.’s had never done any advertising or marketing- social or otherwise. But the world was changing, Fort Worth was growing, and we had to keep up.
I have the pleasure of working with my cousin, Elliott Lancarte. Our first step was hiring a professional food photographer to capture our signature dishes (and we soon learned the value of hiring a food stylist, too!). From there, Elliott and I built a cohesive, integrated content model that we now use across all of our channels to showcase the restaurant, salsa, and merchandise. I am proud that we have well over 20K followers on Instagram and we have done it all organically. Right now, we are planning Joe T’s 90th Anniversary, set for 2025. It is going to be epic and our social media followers will hear all about it first.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Dedication! Dedication! Dedication! The dedication I have to say my family business pushed me out of my comfort zone to create a PR and Marketing department from scratch and master social media.
Along with my deep enthusiasm for PR and marketing, I also have a strong devotedness to our community. I have engaged in meaningful, impactful philanthropy, continuing our family’s long-term support of the Lena Pope Home, and H.O.P.E. Farm to name a few.
I am passionate about one nonprofit in particular, The Net, where I serve as an advisory board member. The Networks to end human trafficking and help its victims heal and succeed. I am so proud of the work Melissa Ice and her team at the Net are accomplishing every day!
Most importantly, my dedication to my three children, Kent, Isabella, and Paul inspires me every day to walk in faith and live in gratitude.
Contact Info:
- Email: kelly@kellylancarte.com
- Website: www.joetgarcias.com
Image Credits
Blissful Sky Photography
Amber Shumake Photography
Sydnie Liska Photography
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