Hurley House: A Sweet Invitation

Back in February, TanglewoodMoms.com was thrilled to have Katherine Sasser, owner of Hurley House, a bakery she began in her home kitchen, write a blog article for us.  She then related to us the personal struggle it takes to begin, maintain, and grow a successful business.  She announced that her dream of opening a retail location was finally becoming a reality.  We have the pleasure to inform our readers that today is the day!  Hurley House has opened its doors to the public in its brand new space!

Hurley House offers baked goods, take away meals, and is a lovely venue for special occasions.  Baked goods include (but certainly not limited to) their famous Sparkle Sandwich Cookies, cakes, brownies, muffins, scones, homemade granola, Truffle Butter Popcorn, Maple Chipotle Nuts, and these amazing chocolate chip cookies.  Take away meal menus will rotate on a weekly basis and will include entrees such as Spaghetti Pie, King Ranch Chicken, Hot Hammies, Lasagna, Poppyseed Chicken, and Chicken Enchiladas.  Attend one of their Hosted classes to learn more about the art of hospitality.  Also, rent out the beautiful space for special occasions (décor and food included) or reserve a table for business meetings and smaller gatherings.

Katherine’s business bloomed out of the love she and her husband Timm had of being hospitable to others.  “The real thing we both enjoyed was inviting people over to our home, creating space for them, and watching what happened.” This inspired them to open their beautiful Fairmont home on Hurley Avenue time and again to folks in the community.  The Sasser house became better known as the Hurley House.  The budding business was to be built on a solid foundation:  “I decided hospitality would be the heart behind the business.”

Standing in the present day Hurley House, chatting with Katherine, it was hard to believe that such a well manicured and spacious place had such humble beginnings.  It was clear that those days working out of their small kitchen must have been difficult.  Just the sheer volume of equipment and supplies would prove a challenge to store.  She admitted that almost every room in the house showed some kind of evidence of their home’s double identity.  Katherine, now working 60-hour workweeks to meet growing demand, knew that eventually a change would be necessary.

The search for a new location was not easy.  “For two years, every opportunity we pursued didn’t make sense. Then in December of last year, we heard about a vacancy in a shopping center one mile from our home.”  Finally, things began to fall into place. “We kept taking the next step, and the doors continued to open.  Seven months later, we are ready to open our own store!”  Admiring the new commercial-grade appliances, well-organized cooking utensils, and impeccable work surfaces, I could appreciate all of the hard work and dedication it must have taken to make the transition. Katherine is now away from her kids during work hours, and she has the added responsibility of managing both the debt and the staff that are involved in opening and running a store.  But speaking to her, you can see that she’s up to the challenge.

Although the kitchen meets obvious code requirements for any commercial kitchen, her goal was to make it feel like home.  Everything is open, attractively displayed, and in the line of sight of customers.  One item, a beautiful drawing of the original Hurley House, serves as a reminder of her unchanged mission.  It was evident to me that hospitality is still at the heart of Hurley House.  Also evident is the loving support of her spouse, her children, her friends, and an entire community who has rallied behind her.  Speaking as a woman who finds herself at somewhat of a crossroads career-wise, it’s such a pleasure and an inspiration to see a family woman (a mom of FOUR) who has re-invented herself and made a successful business out of the thing she is most passionate about.

Hurley House, located at 5512 Bellaire Drive South, Suite A, opens today and will be open every Tuesday through Friday from 9AM to 6PM and on Saturdays from 9AM to 2PM.  Swing by and order treats to-go in the drive thru, sit inside for a leisurely cup of coffee, or book that dinner party you’ve been meaning to plan.  Hurley House is open for business, and you’re invited!

Christy Ortiz is a Fort Worth native, and proud to say so.   She earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Arlington in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She taught for FWISD for eight busy years before switching gears and staying home with her two small children.  Her hobbies are interior decorating for friends, photography, and flying kites with her kids.  Her South American roots and love for the Spanish language and Latin cultures add to the diverse voices of our group.