We had the good fortune of connecting with John Humphreys and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My wife and I have a combined 29 years of service in the military. That servant leadership model provided focus for what came after the uniforms and salutes. We wanted the opportunity to bring home some of the wonderful experiences we enjoyed around the world. Case and point is offering a British gastropub that offers many authentic dishes and beverages. Our experiences in the United Kingdom were amazing and we wanted to share a part of that with our home here in DFW! The “From Across the Pond” opportunity hid an additional added opportunity to serve. The majority of the menu (95%) is gluten free and caters to the growing number of people who require gluten free options. We did not realize at the start that we would be able to serve a community that is so historically under-served and over-charged. The reward is seeing the face of a customer that has not been able to eat onion rings for over 12 years and finally can with our gluten free options. That smile is priceless!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Beach bum & carnival worker enlisted in the Navy for a four year tour to see the world and earn an education. 25 years later a naval officer armed with a wonderful family, a couple of degrees and an attitude to tackle challenges embarks on a new mission, To make a fun and safe place for people to learn of other cultures through food & drink. The road was not easy and I am not sure if it suppose to be. Calm seas never made a good sailor. Everyone will fail at some point and will come up against roadblocks never anticipated. I was never good at giving up so I just kept looking for solutions. They do exist, you just have to look, and look some more.
I believe there is still a place in the world where hard-work and authenticity is respected. We believe in empowering our team. I personally tell each person I have the honor of working with that I will never ask them to do something I have not done or am not willing to do myself. That mantra has served us well and I pray it continues to do so in the future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Are you kidding? The metroplex has so much to offer! As a restaurant owner I cannot even imagine a week vacation. I can, however work with a weekend. Hope it suffices. I would have to break the weekend apart and tackle Dallas the first day. Start off with a trip to the Perot Museum and Dallas Aquarium. Lunch at the Record Grill where Bonnie met Clyde. Then a brewery tour and dinner in Deep Ellum.
The next day would start with breakfast in Fort Worth at a little diner like the Beacon Cafe. Go check out the trinity river trails on bike to work off breakfast. Grab a couple of street tacos just off the trail. Dinner would have to be at an authentic British pub (Not unlike From Across the Pond) and after dinner if anyone has any energy left…Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The obvious answer would be the scores of friends, family and mentors that have helped us achieve our goal. Without them, we never would have made it to the starting point. We love and cherish them all. However, the true credit for “From Across the Pond” goes directly to the devoted staff and dedicated customers that make us who we are, the Texan wit with the British spirit. We work for the customers and staff, everyday and are so very thankful to each and everyone!

Website: https://www.acrossthepond.site/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatpcolleyville/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pondcrossers

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/from-across-the-pond-colleyville-2

Image Credits
Photos: Rendition Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.