Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachelle Fox and Chadwick Leger.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As an Austin native and Louisiana transplant with more than 35 combined years in the service industry, We have helped people create memories, dry tears, and celebrate achievements all through unpretentious, guest-focused food and beverage service and management. So, when we sought to open a bar/restaurant in East Austin serving cold beers, great cocktails, and good old fashioned southern home cooking with classic Austin vibes, our dream came to fruition. As a local refuge for neighbors and friends, it only made sense that we feature scratch-made comfort food and straightforward craft cocktails. When the Cavalier opened, we were seven-months pregnant with our first child. We faced many challenges in launching a new business and raising a newborn. With the support of our community, we are proud to have created a welcoming space for everyone. We say “you be you,” just don’t be a jerk. As a true Mom & Pop shop, we are happy to share our space with such great friends, neighbors, and visitors. And happy to watch our young daughter grow up around good folks.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As the pandemic swept through the nation, our industry, in particular, was placed in great peril. When our business was shut down as part of local safety precautions, we were forced to pivot our business model. Folks could no longer come together to celebrate or commiserate. We looked to our core values and goals as a business and as community leaders and found that our duties still lied in serving the community, albeit in new ways. Our Bodacious Bodega grocery popup alleviated the need for one to enter a crowded grocery store or wait weeks for a curbside order. Our Picnic Kits and BBQ Kits offered opportunities for households to get outside, if only in their own backyard. Included curated playlists provided a sense of the Cavalier’s atmosphere to enjoy in the comfort of one’s own home. Our Puppy Payroll ™ program was edited so that dog lovers could still benefit from our rewards program and we could still provide cute dog pics to our social media followers. In one of our greatest accomplishments, we worked with community partners to provide hundreds of meals to out-of-work service industry workers in their greatest time of need. As we faced so many challenges, we kept our eye on our core values as a north star, steering our way through this long dark year.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
One afternoon years ago, Rachelle sat at a Chipotle restaurant reading the inspiring story on the side of a soda cup. It noted the creator of wind turbines as saying he believed his life’s work should outlast his lifetime. She looked down at her restaurant uniform, wondering in worry about how she could possibly live up to that high bar. An epiphany came as she realized that her life’s work comes in a more “up-close” format. Every day spent working in the service industry is an opportunity to improve someone’s day. If they are having a great day, we help them celebrate. If they are having a bad day, we are there to make it better. With that notion in mind, it is our life’s work to find empathy in human connections and create a safe and welcoming environment while providing good food and drink for our patrons.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Our entire Webberville District has been incredibly supportive of one another. Filled with locally owned small businesses, that group of entrepreneurs has held fast to each other, providing a strong network of kind collaborators. Kitty Cohen’s, Gourmands, The Lost Well, and Fleet all share in the notion of creating a safe space for our neighbors. The team at Good Work Austin have been exceptional leaders in our community, providing health and safety guidelines that far exceed those of other basic government and industry recommendations. Their supportive and informative community make our industry stronger.
Pricing:
- Average Beer/Cocktail $3-$10
Contact Info:
- Email: GetSpicy@theCavalierATX.com
- Website: www.theCavalierATX.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/theCavalierATX
- Facebook: Facebook.com/theCavalierATX
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-cavalier-atx-austin
Image Credits
Hilary Higgins
Taylor Elliot
Rachelle Fox
