It didn’t take long for new PK entrepreneur to invest in area
Story by Steve Nussbaum | Photos by Erika Carter
Bob Hart purchased this historic old building on the Graham square and used his restaurant expertise to open Brickhouse Pizza Pasta & Taproom
A ride-along to his wife’s hair appointment opened the door to a new business venture in Graham, Texas, for self-described “serial entrepreneur” Bob Hart.
Hart and his wife, Penny, moved from Pagosa Springs, Colorado, to Possum Kingdom Lake in July 2022 to be closer to their four children and 10 grandchildren. They knew they wanted to be on a lake, and their research led them to a great location off Ellis Sod Road in Possum Kingdom.
Hart was a homebuilder for more than four decades, including the last 23 years in Pagosa Springs, where he also operates two restaurants. His business background also includes starting 32 different businesses and selling several of them over the years.
The idea for the couple’s move to Texas was to wind things down and enjoy time with their family at the lake, but their plans changed on an afternoon trip to Graham, where Penny Hart had an appointment to get her hair done. On this trip, Hart dropped his wife off at Salon 525 and decided to explore the town, and soon a large older building on the north end of the square caught his eye.
Hart said he loves the history and character of old buildings, and this one had a “for sale” sign on it along with a telephone number on the door. He called the number and was able to get a tour of the historic property. On the tour, Hart saw the exposed 18-inch brick walls and tin ceiling tiles and immediately thought that the building could be a great spot for a restaurant.
Hart noted that old buildings don’t scare him; he once revitalized a building in Colorado for one of his restaurants that was built in the 1920s, and the couple’s home in Pagasa Springs was built in 1896.
It didn’t take Hart long to begin meeting with the sellers and working on the engineering of the building almost simultaneously. He bought the building in April 2023, and by early November he had completely transformed the lower floor of the old building into a new and modern restaurant he calls Brickhouse Pizza Pasta & Taproom, located at 609 Elm St. in Graham.
Brickhouse has many unique features that offer a great dining experience, and Hart drew upon his extensive business experience to make a unique space in the community.
For example: Brickhouse’s modern kitchen, which has a glass exposure so customers can see the entire space, is a feature not found in many small-town restaurants. The brick walls and tin ceiling provide a contrast to the modern kitchen and offer the character that customers might otherwise expect in a historical old building.
Hart also has added a beautiful, hand-carved mahogany bar that is the center of the restaurant and is the perfect spot for a happy-hour crowd. In addition, the soaring ceilings feature 32 chandeliers that add warmth to the space, and Hart built the booths along the back wall himself.
In the center of the restaurant is a baby grand piano, which Hart said was his wife’s idea. The piano adds to the atmosphere of the space, and a professional piano player provides the music on most Saturday evenings.
The star of the restaurant, though, is the food. Brickhouse specialties are the artisan pizzas and made-from-scratch pastas. Hart said the secret to any good pizza is the dough, and Brickhouse brings in specialty flour from Colorado for the crusts and pastas.
Hart also installed a huge pizza oven that cooks with wood, gas and electricity. The oven can reach temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit and normally cooks the pizzas in minutes at 680 degrees, while the rotation of the oven gives each pizza an evenly cooked crust.
The menu at Brickhouse is constantly changing to meet the requests of the local customers. The eatery also serve up salads, sandwiches, steaks and they feature their prime rib daily, as well as a wide assortment of appetizers, and desserts, including the “Graham” chocolate mousse cake that has become a huge hit. It’s a recipe from Hart’s grandmother, and the sweet treat is smooth and delicious.
Brickhouse is about a 25-minute drive from the east side of PK, and the drive is even shorter from the west side. More than 500 five-star online reviews help make the case that the trip is worth it.
Hart expressed his thanks to the Graham Chamber of Commerce, Graham Economic Development and the Graham city manager for their support to get his project off the ground.
“The local support from the city and our customers has been unbelievable,” he said.
When he isn’t starting a new entrepreneurial endeavor, Hart and his wife can be found enjoying their PK home. One of the couples’ favorite things this winter was watching all the birds in their cove, with the American White Pelicans being their favorite.
The Harts spend most of their time at Possum Kingdom these days, but now that Brickhouse is open they do plan to spend time in Colorado and traveling to see their grandchildren. They still have a home in Pagosa Springs and now own three restaurants – two in Colorado and the Brickhouse here in Graham – so Hart, a longtime pilot, recently bought a plane to shorten the couple’s travel time.
It takes a certain type of entrepreneur to take on such a project in a new community, but as Penny Hart said, “Bob just has a vision for things and makes it happen.”
Of course, that means no rest or retirement yet for this busy couple, but they are enjoying their PK life and investing in the local area.
Brickhouse Pizza Pasta & Taproom
609 Elm St., Graham, Texas
(940) 282-4040
Bob and Penny Hart moved from Pagosa Springs, Colorado, to Possum Kingdom Lake in 2022 to be closer to their four children and 10 grandchildren.
Adding a baby grand piano was Penny’s idea and is now located in the center of the restaurant. The self-playing piano adds a nice touch to your dining experience.
The custom mahogany bar add to the design and historic feel of the restaurant.
Bob Hart designed and built the wood booths along the brick wall himself.
The tin ceiling and exposed brick sold Hart on the historic building the first time he saw it. They have since added 32 crystal chandeliers to the restaurants design.
The large pizza oven at Brickhouse can reach temperatures up to 900 degrees and cook a pizza in minutes.
Bob Hart, a longtime pilot, recently bought a plane to shorten the couple’s travel time between their two homes.
Bob and Penny Hart enjoying the view from their back deck located on the peninsula of Possum Kingdom Lake.
