Community gifts Grandslam Pizza with remodel

Grandslam Pizza has a new look thanks to the Dripping Springs community. The restaurant, which has been in operation since 2000, now boasts new floors, new tables, fresh coats of paint and more. “It was on my heart to help them,” local resident Cheryl Leonard said. Leonard and her family are big fans of Grandslam Pizza and she wanted to do something to help the owners, Kyeong Jae Lee and Byung Ok Lee. “I think they’re in their 70s. Bless their hearts, they work six days a week. They get one day off. They’re in here from 10 in the morning until 8, 8:30 at night sometimes,” Leonard said.

So, she started a go fund me page, offered table sponsorships and with the help of donations (about $20,000) and volunteers, she was able to spearhead a remodel of the restaurant. The timing also worked well with the launch of Leonard’s new business, Magic Make Readies. “I have employees and I needed a place to train them to use their new paint sprayers,” Leonard said. Leonard said that when she approached the Lees about doing the work, tears were shed. “They said ‘we’ve been praying for somebody to come in and help us’ and it’s just the sweetest thing. I said all right, I’m going to throw my whole self into this.”

Leonard has been at the restaurant almost every other night for a few weeks now working on the remodel. The Lees’ initial reaction left them speechless.

“It took a while to understand what was going on and what was being proposed. But as it progressed and as we talked with Cheryl and saw more and more people coming and giving their support, we were overcome with awe,” the Lees said. “We were grateful that the community would think of us during this time, thankful that they supported this idea, and seeing it all come together is like a dream, really. We don't know what we did to deserve such love and support from the community but will work hard to give back the love we received. We love you guys and am keeping the Dripping Springs community in our thoughts. No amount of words can express what we feel, thank you so much. God bless you."

Leonard said over the years, the Lees have always given back to the community and supported numerous local sports teams. “They deserve this,” Leonard said. “I want to take no credit for this. It couldn’t happen unless the entire community financially got behind this.”

To celebrate the remodel, Grandslam Pizza will have a grand opening on Saturday, October 3, form 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.