Dear Ma, I hope you’re doing well up there in Heaven. We are doing better down here in the Big D.
So Ma, the state of Texas has finally allowed bars to open. We are under 25% capacity inside, but no limit for our outdoor patio. That’s actually OK because we have a HUGE patio that holds about 1,700 people! It’s pretty cool because after being closed for almost three months, people are ecstatic to be back hanging out at Strokers Ice House again! It’s also very humbling because my customers are telling me how much they missed me and they have come to realize that we are an important part of their lives that they don’t want to lose!
My beer joint has been in business for 25 years and it is the hangout and meeting place for anybody and everybody on two wheels, mainly Harley-Davidson enthusiasts! We actually get visitors from all over the country and even internationally, most of whom have seen us on TV or maybe they follow my social media.
We are lucky enough to have done a lot of TV over the years and that is great for our business. Over the last few months, we have had many visitors from Sweden and Europe who have seen us on a European TV show called “Job Swap.” That’s where I sent my daughter Lena and my sister Denise to Sweden to “Job Swap” with a five Star Hotel and they sent me two girls that work in that fancy hotel. It’s pretty cool, because my girls are a couple of Rednecks who showed up with holes in their jeans and wearing backwards baseball caps. The Swiss girls showed up here with their traditional Swiss girl garb. The gag on the show is the people swapping jobs have no idea where they are going to wind up. Anyway, it was cool and now we are getting lots of European visitors! Thank you, TV!
Just when the COVID-19 virus is starting to settle down a little, now people are rioting in the streets and looting in major cities all over the country. Four knucklehead cops killed a man in Minneapolis, so now the people are demanding the arrest of the four police officers. It’s a tragedy that a man lost his life for a minor offense, but rioting and looting shops owned by innocent store owners only makes matters worse.
So Ma, as you know, Strokers Dallas and Strokers Ice House are about four miles straight down the street that I’m on from downtown Dallas. I’m worried that some of the meanness may spill its way over here to my joint. I pray it don’t, Ma, because none of that stuff has anything to do with me or even the city of Dallas. It happened in Minneapolis, but the riots are taking place in many major cities anyway. My opinion is that the officers involved need to face charges and be investigated for their actions in the death of George Floyd.
Enough of that heavy stuff Ma, let’s talk about fun stuff. My daughter Lena (Bigun) and I have been doing a FB live show on my Rick Fairless fan page, every day, Monday through Friday, at 1 p.m. It’s fun because she and I talk about all things related to my business, like motorsickles and hot rods and all the BS that surrounds us every single day! We even bring in some special guests like my good pal Herschel Walker and some big cats like that! We call it “The Bigun Rick Show!” We started the show as a way to take people’s minds off the virus quarantine. But the show has taken on a life of its own, so we are keeping it going, ya know, milking it for the social media exposure!
So anyway Ma, I better go for now. It’s close to quitting time and I’m driving my 1977 Dodge Goodtime Van home for the first time tonight! I’ve owned it for many years, but we are customizing it now because I want to make it into a Hippie Van! Imagine that Ma, me owning a Hippie Van! I always wanted one when I was a kid and now, I have one! The customization has begun and the interior is next. Let’s see, red shag carpet on the walls, tie dye seats, checkerboard shag on the floor and the Texas flag on the roof, surrounded by tie dye material! Tie dye flames painted on the outside of the van. I call this van the “Sea Hag!” It’s gonna be swell! t
Love ya, Ma!
RF
Rick Fairless owns Strokers Dallas, Strokers Ice House & Punch Wally Garage, as well as a few other businesses.
