Keith Lee, an online food critic with over 17.3 million followers on TikTok, visited a restaurant in west Fort Worth as part of an American Express small business initiative.
Lee, whose viral TikTok videos of him sampling food and bringing attention to small businesses, came to Drew’s Place Restaurant in the Como neighborhood on Monday, Nov. 3.
Drew’s Place, located at 5701 Curzon Ave,. is owned and operated by Drew and Stephanie Thomas and their daughter, Krystal. They were recently chosen as one of 50 U.S. historic small restaurants that will receive $50,000 from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The grants are given as part of the organization’s Backing Historic Small Restaurants program, which invests in small, independent restaurants that serve as cultural and culinary landmarks across the U.S.
Yesterday, Lee released a new TikTok video where he is partnering with American Express to support small businesses for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29. In partnership with Main Street America, the Amex Shop Small Grant Program is a partnership with Main Street America to provide $20,000 grant to support small businesses across the country.
“He’s kind of like his videos that we see, the same person, very genuine, very focused on giving back to some of the places that may get overlooked like the smaller businesses.,” said Krystal Thomas.
Lee didn’t try out their food like he usually does in his videos, but was there to shine a light on the restaurant and its recent award.
The family plans to use the money it won from the grant for new exterior paint, an expanded outdoor patio seating area, a mural on the wall facing their parking lot, a covered area for their walk-up customers, new lighting and a remodeled sign.
Stephanie Thomas was thankful for Lee’s visit, as small businesses like theirs depend on their customers and have little marketing, so opportunities like this are worthwhile.
“You typically won’t see us on TV ads, radio, if we’re lucky, and newspaper print, billboards, and a lot of times those are struggles for us,” Stephanie Thomas said. “ We understand the importance of advertising, so anytime you get a Keith Lee and American Express that can bring awareness to your small business, it’s amazing.“
Kamal Morgan
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