Since moving to Celina in 2021, Cleve and Kim Wickliffe have been down a long, winding road to opening Celina’s newest haven for blue-zone-initiative believers, and lovers of all things delicious and nutritious: The Wick. The journey started with their original concept, Swirls Bakery. Swirls was slated to open on the other side of town, but kept running into issues with the historic building, as many of the buildings in downtown Celina are. Eventually, the Wickliffes came to a point where their dreams for Swirls Bakery were losing momentum, but there was a silver lining.
“Right about the time that place was dissolving, this place became available, and we had a great relationship with the people who were starting the renovation,” Kim said.
From there, The Wick was born with a new vision, but the same spark.
“We had always wanted to do a restaurant, but we thought it would come along later,” Kim said. “We thought we’d do a bakery first, then kind of feel it out and do the restaurant second, but that didn’t happen. So, we ended up jumping right in.”
The heart behind Swirls Bakery was not completely abandoned, though.
“We did talk about how to incorporate the Swirl into some of the dishes: that was a big deal for us,” Kim said. “He used to do that for me at home, and it was fantastic.”
About 10 years ago, Kim had breast cancer twice and when the chemotherapy gave her congestive heart failure, they were very careful about what they ate, how foods were prepared, and what type of ingredients were used.
“We felt like there was a void there, that when we went out to eat…we found delicious or natural, but not really delicious and natural at the same time,” Kim said. “That really was the catapult for a lot of these dishes: he made them for me, and then we were like, ‘Okay, well this would be a really good thing on a menu.’”
The menu was collaboratively designed by both Cleve and Kim, crafted to incorporate food items that are both nutritional and delicious, and Cleve has assumed the role as head chef, he says they like to call him. The Wickliffes pride themselves in their blue-zone-initiative business model: they don’t buy food; they buy ingredients. From the bread to the cinnamon rolls, to the pasta noodles, nothing is bought premade, and all of their food is made in-house. Maple syrup, syrups in the cocktails, and dressing for the salads are also made in-house. In fact, the only two items that are ever frozen are ice cream and the ice cubes for old fashioneds. Kim says everything is fresh and handcrafted.
Their commitment to handcrafted didn’t stop with their menu. Celina local Jill Parsons, owner of Media High Ground, created The Wick’s logo to include an homage to the original concept of Swirls Bakery. Also reflective of that handcrafted feel, renovations on the 1940s home began in the middle of 2022 and took about 18 months for both the inside and the outside. Building the inside, Kim said, was a long process.
“There were a lot of choices to be made for the interior, and a lot of permitting,” Kim said. “Because we had some time, we really focused on all the details.”
From the light fixtures and the bathroom details to the large wall of wallpaper, Kim says they were intentional to support locally whenever they could.
“It was a lot of work, but really worth it in the end: because it all really came together in a nice way,” Kim said.
Terramania designed the hostess stand and the décor in the restrooms. DC Endeavors, an off-duty fireman and Celina local, did both of The Wick’s exterior signs. Shades of Green and Junior Landscaping, both Celina landscaping companies, did all of the landscaping outside.
“Every time we could, if there was somebody available in Celina, we used them.”
The Wick’s tables were custom-made and branded with their logo by local Celina company Rustic & Modern. Pulling in another Celina local, Pullman Duckworth made their cornhole boards and champagne wall: home of the Mimosa Club.
“We have this fun Mimosa Club: you can purchase your glass, and have it etched with your name or your business name—and there’s a one-time fee—and then you get reduced mimosa pricing whenever you come in and use your glass,” Kim said. “So, that’s kind of fun.”
One of the things The Wick is starting this fall is their Old-Fashioned Club.
“There’ve been quite a few gentlemen who have said, ‘Well, I don’t drink mimosas; I’m an old-fashioned guy, and I want my own glass.’ So, we’re probably going to roll that out shortly.”
Since their opening in July, the Wickliffes have already seen the benefits of chasing after their dreams and rooting themselves in the Celina community.
“Particularly our opening weekend, I think it was really cool to see all of the faces that we have seen all over town when we’ve been catering, and we’ve been at events,” Kim said. “To see all of those faces come back to us, that was really rewarding. And I think one of the coolest things was the event that we recently had with Celina Lifestyle, Back to School Mimosas, because I saw so many faces that said, ‘I’ve never been here before.’ ‘I haven’t had time to try it; we’ve been on vacation all summer, and we’re really excited to try things,’ and they sat down, and they had food. They loved it and wanted to come back.”
The Wick is located at 107 S. Colorado Street in Celina, or online at thewickcelina.com.