If you live in or around Ellis County, chances are, you have been to or heard of The Dove’s Nest. Located just one street south of the Ellis County Courthouse, it welcomes guests week in and week out from all over the area. It’s charm and inviting atmosphere, mixed with delicious food make for a great shopping and dining experience. We wanted to hear more from the owners, Andrew and Cindy Burch, a look back over their years here, and what they hope for the future of this beloved restaurant.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
25 years! WOW! When you sit and reflect on that span of time and all that y’all have done, what are your main thoughts? What makes you the most proud of an accomplishment like this?
CINDY BURCH:
It is also very rewarding to be an anchor business in our beautiful downtown. The sheer sustainability is certainly a big accomplishment, especially in the restaurant business.
We have been very fortunate to have employees who have been with us for years. I also think when you consistently put out a good product and offer good service you will have good return business.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
When you think of serving and knowing the people of Waxahachie (and beyond)… but mostly the locals, what thoughts come to mind as you think of these years y’all have been here in one special place?
CINDY BURCH:
What I love the most about this business are our loyal and wonderful customers who over the years have become like family to us. We have watched multiple generations grow up shopping and dining with us. Grandparents, their children and now their grandchildren share with us daily what a special place they feel this is. I love hearing their stories about how a certain Christmas gift or dining event at Doves Nest is a favorite family memory. We have had the opportunity over the years to cater many rehearsal dinners and weddings, milestone birthdays, fundraisers and corporate events for so many residents in Waxahachie. We are honored to be a go-to place for special celebrations and humbled to be the place many call when a loved one passes away and wants us to cater a celebration of life reception.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
What have been some of the struggles over the years, and how did y’all overcome them?
CINDY BURCH:
It is always a challenge to find new and different merchandise for our store that other retailers don’t have. More so than ever we struggle with online competition and big box stores. The key element seems to be giving customers a shopping experience. The combination of a store and restaurant together has been the answer for us. Each one feeds off of the other. People also enjoy coming to a historic town and absorbing the history and beauty of our courthouse that a strip mall can’t offer.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
What are some of the highlights and best times you have had in running this business?
CINDY BURCH:
For me personally it is the big catering events. So much effort goes into a production like the annual CNB of Texas Christmas party, or Navarro College’s annual Brilliance fundraiser. There are so many details and moving parts to catering an event for hundreds of people, but I thrive on the planning process and seeing it all come together from table décor to the food presentation. I also love the changing of seasons in our store, especially when we put up all of the Christmas trees and get the store decked out for the holidays.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
Funny story(ies) that have happened behind the scenes?
CINDY BURCH:
There are so many. Some not so funny, when it was happening, but we can laugh about it now. One story that comes to mind is catering the wedding of Diane Sawyer’s producer from ABC’s Prime Time Live. When we arrived at the venue someone had already set up the rented folding tables with white linens. We loaded one of the tables with champagne flutes for a planned toast and at the very moment the bride and groom lifted the glasses the entire table collapsed. Hundreds of glasses crashed to the floor as we stood there in utter shock, but to my amazement the bride burst out laughing and yelled “Mazel Tov”. To this day I always check to make sure rented folding tables have been locked into place.
Another memorable night was a rehearsal dinner for the daughter of our former Waxahachie mayor, Kevin Strength. About a half hour before they arrived at Doves Nest for dinner a transformer blew in our alley and we had no electricity to our building. Fortunately our kitchen runs off gas so we hooked up flood lights to a small generator and our chef continued to cook their meal while I gathered up every candle I could find and we covered the dining room with a warm glow. It was actually very pretty and romantic and most of the guests didn’t even know the chaos behind the scenes.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
When you think of the future of The Doves Nest, what are things you’d like to see happen for y’all?
CINDY BURCH:
We are excited about the growth we are experiencing in Waxahachie and the revitalization of our downtown over the last few years. We welcome more and more businesses, shops and restaurants. We would love to open in the evenings as well as Sunday Brunch. Unfortunately, we have had a hard time finding kitchen help to take on the added shifts, but hopefully we will be able to do that soon.
ELLIS DOWNHOME:
If there’s anything you’d like to say to the people of Ellis County, what would it be?
CINDY BURCH:
There has been a sign hanging above our kitchen door from the first day we opened. It reads HE IS LORD. My mother painted it on a piece of old barnwood she found many years ago on a farm we owned in Waxahachie. Never in 25 years has that sign come down and I fully believe God has blessed us because of it.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being a Doves Nest customer & friend. We LOVE you and appreciate your continued patronage. Supporting small businesses in our community is vital to our downtown. Please continue to shop and dine local and we hope to see you soon at Doves Nest.
We will also be celebrating our 25th Birthday on Thursday, November 14. Please stop by and enjoy the festivities from 4-8pm. We will have trunk showings by Dian Malouf Jewelry, Fabulous Faux Furs and Klutch Handbags. Cookbook signing by June Naylor & Marshall Harris. Live Music, hors d’oeuvres and champagne!
