Contents

Letter from the President & CEO

Chamber Leadership

What is the Grubhub Community

Impact Fund?

Highlight of Grubhub Community

Impact Fund Grantees

Urban Eats Reaches New Heights

Sweet Timez Bakery Rises to the Occasion

Grubhub Celebration Photo Gallery

Tacos Doña Lena Grounded in Success

The Brownie Experience Embracing the Future

Team Spotlight: Meet Celinda Provost, Director of Marketing & Communications

Out & About

Member Directory

5340 Weslayan St. #25011

Houston, TX 77265

(832) 510-3002

info@houstonlgbtchamber.com houstonlgbtchamber.com

Mission

The Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce accelerates economic opportunity for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer + business community through a strong network of business allies, innovative

programs, strategic partnerships

and advance policies that foster

economic inclusion and equality.

Letter from the

President & CEO

In this issue of Business Intersections, we celebrate our Grubhub Community Impact Grantees. These grantees are small businesses that work hard all year long to bring delicious food to their customers.

This is the second year that the Chamber has partnered with Grubhub and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce on this grant program. We applaud both organizations for their commitment, to the program and to LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ Allied owned businesses.

From tacos, cakes, brownies, Vietnamese food, flavors of the Caribbean Islands, vegetarian, German food, seafood and much more to Houston’s South Side, Richmond, Schulenburg, Spring and in between…we have 16 amazing Grubhub Community Impact Grantees offering amazing food and tasty bites!

Read about the grant program and these grantees in this issue and then plan your Grubhub Community Impact Fund Grantee Tour to support these businesses, whether dropping by for a meal, using them for catering or getting your sweet tooth fix.

The Grubhub Community Impact Grant Fund is one way we support our small businesses. Highlighting them in this issue is yet another way to raise their profile. We are proud to call each of these businesses a Chamber Member and look forward to supporting them in the years to come!

We are incredibly proud of this issue of Business Intersections. We extend a huge thank you to our magazine advertisers for their investment and for the generous support from our cover sponsor, Galene Financial. Your financial backing helps the Chamber tell the important stories of our members and the LGBTQ+ community.

With Pride,

Tammi Wallace (she/her)

Co-Founder, President & CEO

Chamber Leadership

Tammi Wallace

(she/her)

Co-Founder,

President & CEO

Jack Berger

(he/him)

Director of

Programming & Events

T. Ray Purser

(he/him)

Director of

Government Relations

Ryan C. Wilson (he/him)

Director of

Corporate Relations

Thomas Lopez

(he/him)
Board Chair

Stephen Miranda

(he/him)

Vice Chair

Tiffany Tosh

(she/her)

Secretary /

Treasurer

Shenice Brown

(she/her)

Board Member

Jason Rocha

(he/him)

Board Member

Maureen Maiuri

(she/her)

Executive Administrator

Kristi Marchand

(she/her)

Executive Administrator

Not a member of the Chamber? Now is a great time to join and maybe your

business will be featured in an upcoming Business Intersections issue! Learn more here.

What is the Grubhub

Community Impact Fund?

Sixteen local restaurants were awarded Grubhub Community Impact grants this year, four of which we’ve highlighted in this issue. 

Once again, the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce, National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and your favorite food delivery service’s Community Fund have provided vital assistance for LGBTQ+-owned and Allied restaurants, cafes, bars serving food and other eating establishments. The NGLCC Community Impact Grant Program, supported by the Grubhub Community Fund, provides a financial lifeline to these businesses with financial grants.

Grubhub helps diners find and order food from wherever they are. Options can be searched by cuisine, restaurant name or menu items. The site also gives access to reviews, coupons and special deals. The Grubhub Community Fund, made up of donations from customers who can round up their charges from every order through the Donate the Change feature, was established to aid local restaurants during the trying times of the pandemic.  

“We often say at NGLCC that if you can buy it, an LGBTQ+ owned business can supply it,” said NGLCC Co-founder and President Justin Nelson. “That is especially true of the LGBTQ+ owned restaurants and establishments across America who kept our communities and first responders fed throughout the pandemic. We’re proud to again partner with Grubhub with support of a grant from the Grubhub Community Fund, which offers grants to support businesses throughout the nation. America’s 1.4 million LGBTQ+ owned business owners have shown incredible resilience over the last two years and now, in turn, we can help them recover and build strong business.”

At the beginning of 2023, the NGLCC opened applications for the Community Impact Grant Program through its 50 affiliate chambers, including the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce. On August 30, the Chamber hosted an event at Star Sailor to announce the local winners. Business owners, Chamber members, community leaders and NCLCC guests attended.

“This collaboration between Grubhub, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce exemplifies the impact a strong partnership can have for small businesses,” said Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce Co-Founder President & CEO Tammi Wallace. “There are 16 businesses in our region that are receiving funding from this grant program to foster expansion and contribute to their success, not to mention the support for our chamber. We deeply value this partnership and the commitment to bolstering LGBTQ+ and allied businesses within our region.”

The 2023 grantees include: Cake Fine Pastry, City Cellars HTX, Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Terrace, Island Hop Catering, Kuji Kitchen, Low Tide Kitchen & Bar, Momma’s at Sengelmann Hall, PCCPA, Pho 518, ReBar Houston, Star Sailor, Sweet Timez Bakery, Tacos Doña Lena, The Brownie Experience, The Doshi House, and Urban Eats.

“NGLCC has been an incredible partner to Grubhub, and it was a no-brainer to renew this program which has supported so many LGBTQ+-owned businesses across the country,” said Dave Tovar, Grubhub’s senior vice president of Communications and Government Relations. “We’ve heard so many stories of how independent restaurants have used these grants to do amazing things for their business and in their communities, and I’m excited to see what new and exciting things come out of the next group of grant recipients.”

Be sure to try these local LGBTQ+ owned spots – they deserve our support, and they also offer some pretty amazing food. 

For more information on Grubhub, visit grubhub.com. For more on the grants, nglcc.org/programs-initiatives/communityimpactgrantprogram/.

GRUBHUB GRANTEE

By Marene Gustin

Urban Eats

“Eric and I both grew up around restaurants,” said Levi Lucky Rollins of his partner Eric Munoz and himself. “I spent 20 years in the beauty business and retired into the restaurant business. Eric retired from a sales executive position in HVAC. Who knew this would be the hardest work of our lives.”

The work, actually a lovechild, is Urban Eats Bistro + Bar + Market, a two-level Heights brick building that formerly housed an auto repair shop. It was a hit from day one, featuring bistro food, a bar and a downstairs marketplace stocked with artisanal goods.

“Urban Eats is a multi-concept that reaches customers at different points within their day and week,” Rollins said. “We see couples upstairs at the bistro and bar on date night (they were an OutSmart 2023 Finalist, Best Place for First Date Drinks), they stop for breakfast on their way to the office, meet clients for lunch, take their parents to brunch on the weekend and shop for snacks in our market and deli. Next month is our ninth anniversary in business, next April will be our 20th anniversary as life partners. We love what we’ve created and love the close relationships we’ve built with our community.”

But, like so many businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll.

“We accumulated significant debt, keeping our staff employed and the doors open,” said Rollins. “Because we had the market on the first floor, we were able to stay open and sell to-go food. It was a life saver. Our community kept us alive, ordering dinner bundles and meals for delivery and curbside. In addition, we borrowed $650,000 from the SBA to pay our people.”

And there were more issues even after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.

“After nearly a decade, key equipment needs updates and repairs,” said Rollins. “The Grubhub Community Impact Grant will be used for these outstanding repairs and maintenance. We’ve also purchased a new prep unit to support our latest venture -- Salt & Sugar, a grab-and-go concept that came from the ghost kitchen we created for delivery. We appreciate Grubhub, the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce’s support and their awareness of our continued positive engagement with the community. The grant funds will help us continue operations and grow our new business.

“Becoming a member of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce was one of the best decisions we’ve made as a small local business. From hosting events in our space to recommending and utilizing our catering services, to promoting us through their network of local businesses, we’ve gained amazing exposure and countless new fans. The Chamber has given us the security of support, a feeling that they are in it with us and have our backs. That alone gives us strength to continue forward with our mission: amazing food, in a great environment, with fantastic people.”

 For more information, visit feasturbaneats.com.

Sweet Timez Bakery

By Marene Gustin

Sweet Timez Bakery is a certified women and minority-owned business that values, welcomes and celebrates diversity. As an LGBTQ+ Allied owned business, Sweet Timez Bakery is a true reflection of the great Houston cultural fusion of flavor, fun and food by baking up decadent treats such as banana pudding cheesecake, pecan rum cake, sweet and creamy banana pudding, and flaky crust filled peach cobbler. 

“Our rum cake is my absolute favorite,” said co-owner Adria Magoti who, with partner Masija Magoti, runs the bakery. “I literally cannot get enough!” In addition to those treats, Sweet Timez Bakery creates cake designs for occasions such as weddings, birthdays, holidays, showers and ceremonies.  

“In addition to our bakery, we are parents to two lovely little boys, Caleb and Jeremiah,” said Adria Magoti. “We are advocates, philanthropists, and we strongly believe in equality and justice for all. We are also strong in our Faith, and we are followers of Jesus. One of our favorite scriptures is 1 John 4:7. ‘Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.’”

Their beliefs have been important over the last year when things were hard.

“This has been a tough year,” Adria Magoti admitted. “With rising operating costs and the ups and downs in the economy, many buyers are choosing to delay purchases or simply not buy. The Grubhub Community Impact grant gives us a little more breathing room to continue to improve and grow our business and make needed investments to keep the business thriving.” 

They also train and educate the next generation of bakers and decorators and find it rewarding to witness the amazing talent that is developed in their kitchen. 

“Our business helps others to learn about the rich African American food culture,” said Adria Magoti. “We have created a welcoming teaching and training environment for inexperienced culinary students and graduates. We have hired several culinary arts students and graduates and partnered with local trade schools and Houston community college to hire their talented students and graduates.”  

Sweet Timez Bakery also values the LGBTQ+ community and the Chamber, donating baked goods and food sponsorships to the local nonprofits including the LGBTQ+ marriage club annual conferences, Queer Kouture fashion show, local churches and local Houston schools near the bakery. 

“We provide above average pay jobs because we want to create meaningful and impactful careers that can support a household,” said Adria Magoti. They are also proud to be able to provide retirement plans for long-term employees and access to low-cost healthcare plans. 

“Moreover, we are allies for social injustices advocating for protections against any minority and unprotected groups of people,” added Adria Magoti. 

And they bake a mean rum cake.

For more information, visit sweettimez.com.

GRUBHUB GRANTEE

Tacos

Doña Lena

By Marene Gustin

Angel Cabrera of Tacos Doña Lena makes some mighty fine street tacos.

The LGBTQ+ and immigrant owned restaurant first opened its doors amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with the Cabrera family, including his husband, Brian Ponce. The timing was not easy, but they hung in there. Cabrera focused on selling homemade and authentic Mexican food with a menu ranging from tortas to handmade gorditas and to his iconic dish: birria, a traditional Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco made from slow-cooked, fall-apart juicy and tender beef in a rich and flavorful broth. The birria tacos are topped with cilantro, onions, lime and rabanos (radishes). You can also sample the beefy delight in a sandwich, quesadilla, queso or ramen dish.

And his is a generational talent.

“Doña Lena happens to be my mother and Master Chef at the restaurant,” Cabrera said. “Before opening the restaurant, Doña Lena sold tacos out of her front door apartment for over 25 years to provide for her family. Due to her delicious recipes and passion for food, people from all over Houston visit to get a taste of her tacos. In just a few years we have received national recognition for our delicious food, and we are beyond proud and happy for all the amazing support from everyone.” 

And some of that support has come from the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce and National LGBT Chamber of Commerce through the 2023 Grubhub Community Impact Grant.

“Receiving the grant could not have come at a better time,” he said, “since we have been having recurring electrical issues owing to the fact that the plaza we are located in is fairly old. Therefore, these issues have remained a burden since opening. The grant will be allocated toward the costly repairs revolving around the electrical issues.” 

That strip mall in Spring Branch that houses the little taqueria may not look like much, but inside Tacos Doña Lena you’ll find papel picado banners, crucifixes, family photos and Our Lady of Guadalupe depictions. Cabrera and family put blood, sweat and tears into the build-out to make it authentic. Cabrera even put all of his savings from working at Barnaby’s Café into the taqueria – it was hard, but he found support in the Chamber.

“Engaging with the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce proves essential for any business owner as it fosters a great many opportunities to network and evolve as an entrepreneur,” said Cabrera. “The support has not only been lucratively rewarding, but it has allowed us to meet other LGBTQ+ and Allied entrepreneurs who all share in both the struggle, yet rewarding, world of running one’s own business. Hearing and sharing one another’s stories serve as a reminder that we must always continue to support and help each other grow and prosper, for at the end of it, we are family.”

For more information, visit donalenatacos.com.

GRUBHUB GRANTEE

The Brownie Experience

By Marene Gustin

Larissa Tucker has been teaching at the same elementary school for 20 years, but she’s actually well known for something else.

“Anyone who knows a teacher knows that we love sweets!” said Tucker. “After a few years of bringing different desserts to potlucks and parties, I started getting special requests, and even ventured into the specialty cake realm for birthdays and even a wedding. But my brownies were always a hit and my go-to.”

In 2021 she and her wife, Brandy, had to get very expensive surgery for their dog and it was Tucker’s wife’s idea to sell brownies to raise the funds. 

“We did have some success with that plan and are forever grateful to our friends and family that helped us out,” she said. “Additionally, ‘the seed’ was planted. We mulled over taking the brownie hobby onto a more serious path for a few months and finally decided to jump.” 

In March of 2022, The Brownie Experience was born. “We tested the waters at a few outdoor markets while also using social media to get the word out and make sales,” Tucker said. “In June we were extremely blessed to be granted access to the Tomball Farmers Market and have not looked back since!”

As one of this year’s Grubhub Community Impact Fund Grantees, Tucker is elated.

“This year has been particularly difficult for small businesses, particularly food-based and especially bakeries,” she explained. “We watched similar businesses in our area struggle and eventually close. We don’t want to follow in their footsteps. Being awarded this grant has been validating. It’s the sign that we needed to keep going. It’s the ‘we support you’ that we needed. This grant will help us take the next steps needed to get situated in a commercial kitchen!”

And the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce has helped most recently, as well as the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce through the Grubhub Community Impact Fund. 

“I have been part of many communities throughout my life: music, athletics, fitness, education, church, etc., and none have been as loving, uplifting and encouraging as the LGBT community,” said Tucker. “We have had complete strangers celebrate small and large victories with us as if they were the ones being impacted. We have been able to meet like-minded business owners and form business relationships that I am not sure we would have found outside of our community.” 

So, what exactly is The Brownie Experience?

“I don’t want you to take one of our brownies, throw it back, chug some milk and go about your day,” she said. “You can do that with a box mix. I want you to bite into one and have to stop everything. I want you to wonder what ‘that one’ ingredient is. I want you to feel all the textures and flavors. I want you to have to turn to whoever is near you and try to explain what you just experienced!”

For more information, visit thebrownieexperience.com.

TEAM SPOTLIGHT

Meet Celinda Provost

By Marene Gustin

Celinda Provost, Director of Marketing and Communications, joined the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce team in August. She has a B.A. from Auburn University and a master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C. with an extensive background in political and communications consulting. 

But despite being a new Chamber hire, she’s been familiar with the Chamber for a long time.

“Thanks to Ellen Cohen (former Texas State Representative and Houston City Council Member) I’ve had the good fortune to know Chamber President & CEO Tammi Wallace for 15 years,” Provost said. “When Tammi worked in the Texas Legislature for then-State Representative Cohen (who represented Montrose – the Houston center for social and civic life of many in the LGBTQ+ community), my firm worked as Rep. Cohen’s political and communications consultant. My communications work about and for the LGBTQ+ community began at that time and continued for over a decade. I’m delighted and excited that Tammi and I were not only reunited these years later but have been given an opportunity to work together again to serve, strengthen and advance the LGBTQ+ community and the businesses they own.”

Her mission in her new job is to help raise the visibility of the Chamber, its members and partners and to increase awareness of the Chamber’s impact and members’ investment in the LGBTQ+ and Allied business community.

“I grew up in Houston and I’m deeply committed to ensuring that my hometown is a shining example of diversity, equity and inclusion, and that it be one of the best cities in the U.S. for all people to live and work,” she said. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to help increase visibility of both the Chamber and its members and to amplify the voice of LGBTQ+ businesses in our region.

“The Chamber is a very exciting place to be right now. Its membership is growing by leaps and bounds, resulting in an energy and dynamism that matches what is going on in the Houston region at large. The LGBTQ+ and Allied business community are key contributors to Houston’s economy today and will be a key part of the economic foundation we build for tomorrow. Our Marketing and Communications Department will work tirelessly to help solidify and grow our place in the city’s economic landscape by effectively communicating our impact and amplifying our voice and the voice of our members.”

When not hard at work, Provost has a creative hobby.

“My passions are travel and photography,” she said.  “Travel keeps me interested in so many things and, I hope, a bit more understanding of others. Taking photos while I’m on my adventures is my gratitude practice. I’m keenly aware of and appreciative of my surroundings when I’m viewing them through a camera lens.”