Page 8 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2026 - Online Magazine

Local
History

A Surprise at

LUBBOCK’S HIDDEN GEM

by Cindy Waters

Jason & Shawnna Waters

oy Furr of Lubbock owned Cliff’s youngest brother, Harold, Tech with a degree in Restaurant
several supermarkets. In 1946, started in Odessa as a butcher in Hotel Institutional Management.
Rhe opened a cafeteria adjacent 1958. In 1961, he moved with his His grandfather Bill Waters
to his supermarket in Hobbs, NM. family to Albuquerque, eventually worked for Furr’s in the 1980s as
When he needed a new manager becoming president of the company. Director of Management Training
for the cafeteria, his baker, Clifford At its peak, Furr’s had over 90 before becoming a professor in
Andrews, approached Mr. Furr with cafeterias in seven states including Texas Tech’s RHIM department.
a proposition. “Build me a super Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, After graduation, Jason worked
cafeteria, and I’ll run circles around Arizona, Oklahoma, Nevada, and out-of-state for many years in the
your supermarket.” Mr. Furr used to California. restaurant industry. When the
say, “I did, and he did!” property that had been County
Harold’s son-in-law Byron Waters Line became available, Jason moved
The new cafeteria was in Odessa. joined Furr’s in 1977. He worked back to Lubbock to open his own
Cliff was from the small town of in Albuquerque, Lubbock, Clovis, restaurant—E&J Smokehouse and
Olney and one of eight brothers. and then back to Albuquerque. He Grill, specializing in Texas barbecue.
Over time, he recruited all but one left Furr’s in 1990 to manage Texas He married Shawnna in 2019, and
of his brothers and many other Tech’s Athletic Dining in Lubbock. the restaurant was renamed The
young men from Olney. His brothers In 2000, he went to work for Cliff’s Escondido Grill.
were Elbert, Thelbert, Arthel, son Randy Andrews as general
Harvey, Don, and Harold. The manager of Lubbock’s County Line In 2021 Furr’s closed the last of
others were Donald Dodson, Ray Restaurant. their cafeterias. The Waters family
Rue, Kenneth Rue, Truman Hobbs, mourned the end of the era and
Guy Vawter, Fred Burleson, and Bob Byron’s son Jason grew up in frequently talked about how much
Hamilton. Many Andrews nephews Lubbock and graduated from they missed Furr’s. Jason discovered
also worked for the company. Coronado High School and Texas (on Facebook) that other people

8 Lubbock Senior Link