Sherman’s Blue Door Closes

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Editor’s Note 5/18/11: The Blue Door reopened under a new owner in the fall of 2010, but it was just not to be. It closed again several weeks ago.

Even before the new chain restaurants arrived in Town Center, Sherman’s Blue Door Cafe struggled, despite its status as the classiest restaurant in Texoma. The off-the-square, downtown location at 219 N. Travis Street no doubt contributed to the shortage of business. Of course, the regulars like Sherman attorney Ron Uselton were loyal right up to the last night the restaurant was open. “The Blue Door is one of those rapidly disappearing local treasures—so much better, so much warmer and friendlier than the franchise places,” Uselton remembered. Venu “Das” Menon and his wife, Shanta, worked like a well-trained tag team between the kitchen and the dining room. This March, Das turned 69 years old, and that plus the drudgery of operating a restaurant was a consideration in their decision to close their doors and move to the east coast to be nearer their grandchildren. FOB chatted with Menon by email recently upon his return to the U.S. from a two month vacation to India for his mother’s 90th birthday. “The Blue Door had its time. We did something that was almost impossible to do in a place like Sherman. We will always hold wonderful memories.” An industrial designer by trade, Menon hopes to establish a web-design business.