2 days ago
End of an era: Sneaky Pete's closing its North Texas lakeside location after nearly 40 years
After days of speculation on social media, the longtime owner of Sneaky Pete's has confirmed the lakeside restaurant and bar will close its doors at Eagle Point Marina next month.
Nick Mehmeti, who has operated Sneaky Pete's for more than 25 years, said the business will shut down on Sept. 28 after the City of Lewisville declined to renew its lease. Mehmeti said the city plans to build a hotel and conference center on the site.
"I got involved 25 years ago — it's been a great run," Mehmeti said. "Unfortunately, we're not going to run anymore, obviously, but we'll get beyond this. There will be another business."
Mehmeti said he had previously offered to build a hotel resort that would include a new Sneaky Pete's, but the proposal was not accepted.
"We offered the city ten years ago to build the hotel resort," he said. "We offered to build a 150-room hotel, bulldoze it from square one and start fresh. They would have had a brand-new building in 18 months."
For many longtime patrons, the news is bittersweet.
Krista Williams, who worked at Sneaky Pete's as a waitress 25 years ago, returned recently as a customer, dining with friends during a lunch break.
"It means fun. It means summertime. It means every year, every season of the year," Williams said. "We can always find something fun."
Williams said the restaurant has always felt like family.
"You never met a stranger here," she said. "Everybody just came up to everybody, and everybody was out for a good time and helped one another."
Mehmeti said he plans to relocate Sneaky Pete's to a new location, possibly in The Colony, though details are still being finalized. In the meantime, customers can continue to visit the original location until the end of September.
"I'm sad. I'm not gonna lie," Williams said. "I'm very sad. And there's a lot of memories out here."
