Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Mathews.
Greg, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We’d come across the beautiful apothecary cabinets and an old pharmacy in Elgin that was for sale and purchased the cabinets and other inventory of the pharmacy for an unknown project we wanted to do. Shortly after, we met the family that owns the building that Hillside lives in and learned their history- that Mrs. Turner’s daddy was the first black pharmacist in Austin and this building was his old pharmacy. The writing was on the wall and we opened our restaurant in the building in 2012. Mr. and Mrs. Turner have since passed away but their legacy is carried by their sons, most notably Alton Turner who we’re grateful for.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Hahaha, I don’t know if these types of things are ever “smooth road(s)” I suppose it’s in your approach or outlook. I think when we reflect, we are proud of what we’ve achieved but if we were to look at specifics, I’d say it’s been a little bumpy. The biggest challenge obviously has been Covid. The uncertainties of Covid, all that came with it has been and continue to be a challenge but we are very grateful for our staff and Community that keep us going.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are locally owned, small business restaurant in Austin, TX that has been opened for over ten years that sources local and organic vegetables and proteins from the wonderful farmers here in central Texas.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The Covid pandemic has been an incredible challenge to our business and all businesses and ways of life for that matter. One takeaway is that anything can happen and being flexible so you can pivot is essential. We, as many, had to switch to a mostly takeaway restaurant and also had to find new revenue streams such as expanding our grocery section to include local farm produce. To stay operating & keep our staff employed, we teamed up with GWA (Good Work Austin) & Shift Meal Austin to provide meals for AISD families and out of work hospitality workers.
Contact Info:
- Email: Info@hillsidefarmacy.com
- Website: Hillsidefarmacy.com
- Instagram: @Hillside_Farmacy
- Facebook: @hillsidefarmacy
