Ice cream shop that employs adults with special needs back in business after donations

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    Dallas, TX (KTVT) — A Dallas business owner says he hopes restaurants operating at 75% capacity will lead to more business for his ice cream shop that employs adults with special needs.

Earlier this month, Howdy Homemade announced it was having to close due to lack of sales, but because of donations from the community, the owner said they’re back in business.

“It feels like the Dallas Stars!” owner Tom Landis said. “This is just an incredible time right now!”

Just a couple of weeks ago, Landis announced he was having to close his Highland Park shop due to lack of sales and all 11 of his employees would be out of work.

The community stepped in, donating more than $100,000.

It was enough for Landis to open a new, smaller shop off Inwood in North Dallas.

Everyone kept their job and the donations haven’t stopped there. This weekend, he got another big check.

“One of my employees, Kalin wanted to give Howdy $3,000,” Landis said.

“I thought I needed to do something,” Kalin O’Brien said.

O’Brien said his boss has done so much for him, it just felt right to donate the money he’s made at the shop.

“He helped me move up to shop manager and has helped me out with a lot of things and given me gifts so I thought you know, maybe I needed to do something for him,” he said.

“It’s truly something that’s just so humbling,” Landis said. “Guy has got a heart of gold.”

“Now, it feels like we can accomplish just about anything,” O’Brien said.

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