Al Micallef on the Reata rooftop overlooking downtown Fort Worth . Photo by Steve Schillio
APRIL 2018 PARKER COUNTY TODAY
10 using the name Reata ,” Micallef said . “ Seems like everyone ’ s started using the name Reata .”
The Reata Restaurant opened in Downtown Fort Worth a few months later in 1996 at the top of the Bank One Tower . It was profitable almost immediately . It remained a success — right up until it was destroyed in the great Fort Worth tornado of 2000 . Reata reopened in 2002 in the spot formerly occupied by Caravan of Dreams on Houston Street .
What happened between those times speaks volumes about the true character of Micallef .
Micallef has always valued the people that worked for him . To keep his Reata staff working , he launched a catering business . It turned out to be a highly successful catering business . It was , after all , Reata . For other staffers , he provided temporary jobs at JAMAK .
What ’ s the difference between Reata and other restaurants ?
“ It ’ s the staff ,” Micallef said .
Customer service is imperative to Micallef . New staff members of Reata are required to go through a rigorous three-week training course that includes seven tests .
“ You will never be treated better than at one of Al ’ s restaurants ,” Gigi Howell , a longtime Reata staff member said . “ They ’ re ( the Micallefs ) the best people to work for . It ’ s been that way since Reata opened .”
Micallef ’ s genius is recognizing a niche and coming up with an ingenious way of filling it . That hasn ’ t waned with time , something that ’ s become abundantly clear through one of Micallef ’ s more recent business ventures , Micallef Cigars .
“ Al has such a great mind ,” Howell said . “ Most people will say , ‘ Here ’ s five ideas . This is the one that I know will work . I ’ ll do that one .’ Not Al . He does them all .”
The cigar business began when Micallef was enjoying a cigar at one of his favorite downtown Fort Worth
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