George Mickelis, owner of the Cleburne Cafeteria just 7 miles from UH, runs his personal and professional life through his faith and his motto: “family first.” Mickelis, a UH alumnus, graduated from the Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management in 1982. Mickelis’s restaurant was destroyed by a fire in April 2016 and reopened Nov. 14 after a complete rebuild. It’s a tradition for the Cleburne Cafeteria to be open on Christmas. The first year that Mickelis’ father owned the business, some guests showed up on Christmas Day, and the older Mickelis thought they should not be turned away. When he saw how happy those people were to have a place to spend their holiday, Nick Mickelis decided to remain open every Christmas. After Nick passed away in 1989, George decided that he would continue his father’s tradition.
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