Ruben on the Road: Childress pizzeria continues to create connections

CHILDRESS, Texas (KFDA) - Ruben makes his way to Childress where he visits a local pizzeria and learns what growing, creating connections and being a part of the community means to them.

"We decided to build this when we retired or before we retired. And I worked on this for five years while I was finishing up my high school career," said Cliff Johnson, co-owner of Wheat's Artisan Bakery & Pizzeria. "And then the last year I retired, I came down and finished everything up."

Wheat's Artisan Bakery & Pizzeria officially opened shortly afterwards.

"And then we opened, and it was COVID, really saved our lives, not having any idea how much pizza we would sell. It was all to-go, so people would just come in, grab it and they would leave," said Johnson.

Johnson says they had a really soft introduction to the restaurant business.

"And then it got busy, and it really got busy and I love it," said Johnson.

He says the greatest feature of the bakery is the customers that come in and the people that they get to meet.

Johnson grew up in Austin and says he would never go back. He says he will stay in Childress.

"Childress is one of those salt of the earth places. You got people in here that are just the best you could ever meet," said Johnson. "And we'd been selling bread out of the house from the Texas Home Bakery Law, and we already had clientele built up for our bread."

When the restaurant opened up, the customers already knew who they were.

"You know, you can't be a shop teacher in high school in a small town without knowing everybody. And everybody came in and tried the pizza, and they just keep coming back," said Johnson.

According to Johnson, 60% of his business is repeat locals that come in all the time and 40% is off the highway.

Johnson says they have made some really good friends just by coming through town.

"They look up, they see the sign, stop in, love the food," said Johnson. "We have a guest book. Ann counted up this morning, and I think we have 51 countries and 46 states. That's just who sign the book. A lot of people don't sign."

Johnson says it's really fun meeting people and just making new friends.