Desert Horizon Nursery, Arizona’s premier locally owned and operated plant nursery, is getting ready to open a new restaurant and bakery on-site in Queen Creek at 19250 S Ellsworth Rd.
The nursery, which is located on about 10 acres at Ellsworth and Ryan Roads, is owned by Billy and Kerry Stevenson, who have always wanted to turn the nursery into a special place for the community. Now, they are partnering with well-known restaurateur Michael LaPidus to launch True Story, which will be built in the project’s first phase, according to AZ Central. After this, the team will build an on-site standalone bakery and cafe. All three concepts will use fresh, hyperlocal produce, herbs, and citrus from the nursery.
The owners have been working on this idea for a long time. The recent popularity of “agritainment” venues inspired them to bring the concept to life. Now that they have a team and a plan in place, they will present it to the Town Council for final approval at an upcoming meeting. The town’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the proposal at its meeting on Aug. 14. If plans are approved, construction on the restaurant would likely begin in late fall and is expected to last about 12 months. Additionally, Billy Stevenson will have an ownership stake in the restaurant.
“Billy and Kerry always had plans to do something more,” LaPidus tells AZ Central. “Now, we can do something more, something the community will be floored with. We are creating this community hub, where people can walk out to our grounds, be met with beautiful landscaping, and have a meal in a dining room where you feel like you’re in this gorgeous garden setting. We want to be sure we are telling stories in everything we do. We want gorgeous ambiance, to be cooking over wood, to be playful with our specials. We want a playful intersection with food and cater to the tastes that are out there.”
