Katy Magazine, November 2017
Written by Gail G. Collins
When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston on August 25th, it was a double-whammy for Snappy’s Cafe & Grill. The breakfast and lunch spot is a landmark in the original downtown with a wide range of customers from city officials to industry workers and including Katy Magazine.
The flood waters rose to more than four feet, and partners Bobby Katsabas and Alex Tsounakas faced a rigorous recovery. It was the second time in as many years that Snappy’s had suffered flood damage. The first event was Tax Day 2016. Several inches of water saturated the premises then, but Harvey dealt a brutal blow.
“Everything was destroyed,” Bobby says. “We had to throw everything out, start from scratch and rebuild.” With only the inspections left to complete, the good news is that the go-to place for biscuits and gravy is slated to reopen on October 30, 2017. Once open, Snappy’s would like to let the community to know that the restaurant will now be 100% smoke-free.
Snappy’s regulars to the rescue
In a storm so fraught with destruction, the best of the city responded, especially diners to whom Snappy’s has become as familiar as family.
Mayor Chuck Brawner and wife Marcy were among the first arrive, followed by a steady stream of regulars. All wanted to check in with the owners, but stayed to dig in with gloves and trash bags in the clean-up effort. “The Katy Train,” a Katy High School Facebook group also showed commitment to Snappy’s in a big way. Katy is a wonderful town, Alex feels, where everybody knows everybody. “Thank you to all for coming and helping,” the partners say. “The support was tremendous.”
Continue reading “Snappy’s Faithfuls: The Rebuilding of a Beloved Katy Landmark”