Mike Copeland: Master Lube's new wordplay master; Jorge's in July; Popeyes on 11th; Neighborly CEO (2024)

“Lube it or lose it.”

“Beto change your oil, Cruz on in today.”

“Gas prices are high because oil is in Texas but dipsticks are in D.C.”

Pearls of wisdom or fighting words?

Travelers along North 19th Street may have seen, or felt, these jabs on the sign outside Master Lube over the years and years. New owner Craig Barker, who has worked there 30 years, said he won’t fix what’s unbroken. The signs, typically far from touchy-feely, have become favorites among customers and non-customers alike. Some loudly share their opinions.

“We can’t wait to lubricate,” the sign said once upon a time. That ditty had some seeing red and talking blue, thinking its message crossed the line.

Baker said the original owner, Donald Britain, had a salty side where the message board was concerned. Unlike many voters who kept returning him to Congress between 1991 and 2011, Britain was not a Chet Edwards fan. He regularly used his towering forum to relay that sentiment.

“We did lose customers over that, people yelling and cussing at us,” said Barker, who will swerve to miss political issues. Donald Trump, Joe Biden and others on the national stage, politically speaking, will get a pass.

Another posting took aim at Californians flocking to Texas, then raising cane about the state of things, saying, “Why did you move to Texas.”

Remember the high-flying balloons traced to China? Master Lube announced that “balloon rides are canceled until further notice.” An introspective message: “If life is a highway, I evidently took a dirt road.”

Barker said he or other team members come up with the sayings. If an outsider has seen a clever turn of phrase elsewhere, Barker may tweak it for personal use. He keeps a list and checks it often, and is not opposed to resurrecting a nugget. The sign typically changes monthly.

Barker, 55, said he and wife, Wendy, jumped at buying the lube center after Britain’s death. He said Britain’s children have their own careers, but he worried a corporate buyer would emerge and he would be canned.

Now, as owner, he is free to continue the tradition, one that includes a Fort Worth man so enamored with, “We deal with dipsticks every day,” a message he saw online, that he drove to Waco and Master Lube to take a photo.

Jorge’s in July

Jorge’s Cantina, a new Tex-Mex collaboration at 4225 Franklin Ave., will open in July, according to a Facebook post. Mighty big target, but indications are Kyle and Sammy Citrano will unveil their creation by July 4. They have invited guests to dine this week, giving staffers a chance to smooth rough edges.

“Have been living at Jorge’s the last 3 weeks as we (are) working on the final design touches, menu adjustments, tweaking bar recipes & going through an extensive training program with 300 employees,” Kyle Citrano said in a hastily written email response. “That number will even out around 250 when we do open. Training has been for the last 2 weeks and has included everything from the basics of service, mock waiting, practice on new POS system, presentation of food, menu tasting, bar service, drink presentation. … Being that we are a family owned and operated business we have a following of customers that have grown to understand our standard for service, value, quality and consistency.

“We know when we open the doors what people’s expectations for us will be, and although we will work hard to eliminate mistakes, it is a new restaurant and new concept so it’s very important we are as prepared as we can be to meet those expectations right away. We have worked very hard on this project and are so very excited to blow those expectations out of the water.”

The Citranos own and operate local George’s locations.

Baylor investments

Baylor University’s investment squad continues to turn heads, becoming a finalist for Team of the Year by The Allocator Prizes, which celebrate “the best and brightest in institutional investing,” a Baylor press release says. Winners will be announced Oct. 17 in New York City.

Announcing its finalists, The Allocator Prizes praised Baylor “for taking a small endowment in the middle of Texas and creating an investment program that could rival any of the best,” the press release says, quoting the finalist announcement. It notes that three of the five team members are younger than 32, and four are female. It also says several nominators praised Chief Investment Officer David Morehead for his dedication to his team, “noting that he fights to ensure they are paid well and is striving to make the endowment the best place to work for mothers in the investment industry.”

The team, which manages Baylor’s $2 billion endowment and other long-term investments, is made up entirely of Baylor graduates: Renee Hanna, Jin Dingmore, Maggie Woodhill, Kailey Ransom and Jeff Wallace.

The Wall Street Journal featured Baylor’s investment team, noting that during fiscal year 2023, Baylor’s endowment return was 6.4%, besting all Ivy League investments. It has a 10.9% annualized return the past five years.

Red Lobster reprieve

Red Lobster has released its list of restaurants closing and remaining open as its works through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Waco is among about 30 locations statewide that will continue to serve, according to the list.

Elsewhere, Dallas will lose two Red Lobster restaurants, with at least one scheduled to close in Houston, Lake Jackson, Longview, Lufkin, Pasadena, San Antonio, Tyler and Victoria.

Popeyes on 11th

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has opened a third location in Greater Waco, this one at 1106 S. 11th St., near the restaurant row that stretches along Interstate 35 and includes Velvet Taco, Freddy’s and Chick-fil-A.

Work on the $1 million project began about a year ago. Other Popeyes restaurants operate on Bellmead Drive and at 420 N. Valley Mills Drive.

Building permit roundup

Building permits of note issued the past week include one valued at $30 million to renovate Allen and Dawson dorms at Baylor University. Skate World, 401 Towne Oaks Drive, will spend $7,500 to add a service counter. Tenant space renovations at 6001 W. Waco Drive will cost $85,000 and welcome Tradehome Shoes. A $15,000 permit will allow repairs at the Burger King building, 1210 N. Valley Mills Drive, struck by a car.

Neighborly CEO

Waco-based Neighborly, which calls itself the world’s largest home services company, announced Monday that Mike Davis will become its new CEO, effective July 8. Interim CEO Jon Shell will resume his role as chief financial officer.

Davis most recently served as CEO of Mathnasium Learning Centers, and before that was CEO of Valpak, according to a press release. He also served 13 years in leadership positions at Universal Music Group.

“Mike brings an aligned strategic vision and commitment to innovation, making him the ideal leader to build on the incredible achievements and growth Neighborly has experienced,” David Brandon, executive director of the company’s board of directors, said in the press release.

Davis will succeed the late Mike Bidwell.