Why a Fort Worth Couple Bought a Block on Camp Bowie Boulevard
by Stephen Montoya
Long before Lisa and Jeff Schuessler became the owners of a block on Camp Bowie Boulevard, they were neighbors watching the corridor change.
“We’ve always lived off Camp Bowie,” Lisa says. “Monticello, Ridglea North, and now Ridglea Hills. And so, we’ve experienced the charm of The Brick’s side of Camp Bowie, which everyone loves, and it’s so nostalgic. And now being on the other side of I-30, we’ve just always hoped for an opportunity to help create some of that same charm on this side of the boulevard.”
That opportunity became Bowie Hills, a three-phased redevelopment project transforming three adjoining properties at 6501, 6517, and 6521 Camp Boulevard. The project will include renovations to existing buildings, exterior improvements, interior finish-outs for new commercial tenants, streetscape upgrades, and landscaping enhancements.
The properties sit between the Village at Camp Bowie and Ridglea Village, serving surrounding neighborhoods including Ridglea North and Ridglea Hills.
The Schuesslers were not initially looking to become developers; they were simply seeking a way to be part of Camp Bowie’s future.
“We had been working and scouting properties for a long time, hoping for something to rent,” Lisa verified. “And as you can imagine, it’s really hard to get a piece of real estate on Camp Bowie, especially in an ownership way.”
After building relationships with property owners and aligning on the corridor's future, the Schuesslers found an opportunity they couldn’t pass on.
“We got our hands on the entire block, which we named Bowie Hills with a hope that we can build a community-driven block where we can curate very specific concepts that support what we believe we want and what we believe our neighbors want,” Lisa said.
A major part of that vision is transforming the property’s outdoor environment. Plans call for significant landscaping improvements, including more than 40 trees, creating a greener, more inviting space for the surrounding neighborhoods.
The first major addition to Bowie Hills will be The Morning Bar, a coffee, breakfast, and lunch concept located in the former Taco Casa building. The renovation will also bring back a drive-through component to the property. The Schuesslers are targeting an early October completion date for the first phase of the project.
The Morning Bar also represents the type of local partnership the Schuesslers hope to build into Bowie Hills. Jeff worked with the Fort Worth Culinary School, located across the street from the development, to tap the next chef who will lead the concept.
“We found a chef to work alongside us that we’re really excited about,” Lisa says. “But that’s just one component of the Bowie Hills vision.”
Another piece of the development, which is already open and running, is Southern Sno, a portable snow-cone business created through the entrepreneurial efforts of the Schuesslers’ teenage son, Wade. After struggling to find a traditional summer job, Wade began exploring ways to create his own opportunity. Now Wade is learning first-hand what it takes to run a business of his own.
“He kept talking about options of, could I start this? Could I do this?” Lisa shared. “Now, he’s doing it and working long hours to ensure everything is running correctly.”
Southern Sno is operated by high school students who manage all the aspects of the business, including making syrups, scheduling employees, and handling daily operations. The long-term plan is to create a permanent walk-up location within Bowie Hills.
“Southern Sno is just another example of how we’re trying to curate family-friendly things on that block so that the neighborhoods can have one place that can meet several of their needs that they can drive to, walk to, bike to, golf cart to, whatever that might be,” Lisa says. “And there’s a little something for everyone.”
Additional spaces within Bowie Hills will be filled with businesses that align with the couple’s vision, including health, fitness, and retail concepts.
“We’re doing it ourselves because it’s very important to us that who comes in really reflects the culture of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Lisa says. “We are very excited to see what this new development will bring to the boulevard.”