Co-owner and head chef of Park Place, one of Texarkana's oldest and most iconic restaurants, is retiring after 40 years of delighting the taste buds and charming the hearts of locals.
Hooshang Naghad, who opened Park Place in 1979 with co-owner Susie Park, said he attributes his business' success to the community of Texarkana. Naghad said the restaurant's final night of service is Saturday, Sept. 22.
"I want the people of Texarkana to know how much I appreciate them," Naghad said. "We couldn't have done it without the people of Texarkana. They've been so kind, gracious and wonderful to us. I'll miss them."
While the 14-hour-a-day, six-day-a-week schedule he's lived for four decades is a challenge for a man in his late sixties, it is a longing to spend as much time as possible with his nearly 2-year-old grandson and enjoy family life that led Naghad to set a date for hanging up his apron.
"I don't think I ever came here a single day and gave less than 100 percent. I really don't know how I lasted this long at this kind of intensity," Naghad said. "I want this quality time with family."
Naghad's business sense and passion for food will be put to use despite his absence from a commercial kitchen. Naghad's and Park's son, Cyrus Naghad, is the public face of an investment group that has opened a Newk's sandwich shop in Keller, Texas, and at Texas Motor Speedway with openings scheduled for additional Newk's franchises in the Tarrant and Denton County, Texas, area. Hooshang Naghad is an investor in the Newk's project and serves as an adviser.
Naghad said he hopes someone will soon unlock the doors to the Park Place property and make use of the beautiful setting. The easily accessible property on Arkansas Boulevard includes two floors with a warm and cozy bar area, a dance floor and a sizable patio. Naghad said the restaurant's kitchen is large enough to accommodate any restaurant concept.
The property is listed with Reynolds Realty Management in Texarkana and is an ideal spot for any business hoping to become a legacy restaurant in the city, as Park Place has been for decades. Anyone interested in the Park Place property should contact Reynolds Realty Management at 903-832-3700.
Naghad said he believes the right person will come along and make the property a favored destination in Texarkana.
"This is a beautiful place," Naghad said. "It just needs someone with a vision."