Who We Are
THE WALLACE FAMILY
For DeShea and Zac Wallace, Howard Street Pub is the coming together of passions that have been growing long before the restaurant ever had a name.
Both raised in southeastern New Mexico, they each found their way to food from a different direction. DeShea grew up connected to the agriculture industry and went on to judge livestock and meats in college while studying agricultural communications. Her love for good food, the people behind it and the business of bringing it all together started early — she was dreaming about someday owning a meat market, small deli or farm-to-table restaurant before she even graduated high school.
For Zac, the passion was always in the kitchen. After attending Le Cordon Bleu in Phoenix, his culinary career took him to Las Vegas, where he spent seven years honing his craft in professional kitchens, including Culinary Dropout at the Hard Rock Hotel and eventually as a Sous Chef in the Bellagio’s main kitchen.
When DeShea and Zac came together more than a decade ago, so did those two worlds. They found a shared love for talking about food, what makes a really great steak and, eventually, dreaming about what they might build together someday.
That dream started taking shape with Twisted Grub. Zac found his place creating food and pushing ideas in the kitchen, while DeShea found hers connecting with people, building the brand and putting her background in communications, marketing and business to work. Their different strengths have proven to be a pretty great combination.
And it has always been a family affair. Their children, Liam and Tate, have grown up alongside Twisted Grub — riding along in the food truck, spending time at events and learning that being part of a family business sometimes means pitching in, working hard and taking pride in something you helped build. Passing that work ethic on to their kids is something DeShea and Zac value deeply.
Along the way, Oxford became home. They fell in love with the people, the small-town way of life and the strong sense of community that makes Benton County special.
Howard Street Pub brings so many pieces of their story together — Zac’s love for the kitchen, DeShea’s love for people and business, their shared passion for food, the family they’re raising and the community they now call home.
Together with Connie and Shawn and the family behind Leuck Construction, they’re excited to turn all of those passions into something built to last on the Oxford Town Square.
THE leuck family
For Connie and Shawn Leuck, Oxford and Benton County aren’t just where they live — they’re home. With deep roots in the community, the Leuck family has a passion for investing in their hometown, taking on big ideas and finding new life for spaces that are part of Oxford’s story.
Through Leuck Construction, Connie and Shawn have brought that vision and a hands-on approach to projects throughout the community. Most recently, that has included restoring and reimagining spaces on the Oxford Town Square — from transforming a former church into a unique place for visitors to stay, to taking on the massive renovation that would become Howard Street Pub.
The Howard Street project was much more than a construction job. Connie and Shawn saw the potential for the space and poured countless hours, ideas and hard work into turning it into a place where people could gather again. Their craftsmanship, determination and willingness to tackle just about anything have shaped Howard Street Pub from the ground up.
That same love for Oxford is what made the partnership with DeShea and Zac feel like such a natural fit. The two families share a desire to invest in the community they call home, create something their families can be proud of and contribute to the continued growth of downtown Oxford.
For Connie and Shawn, Howard Street Pub is another chapter in that story — preserving a piece of the town’s past while creating something new for its future.
BUILT TOGETHER.
Two families. Different backgrounds. A shared love for Oxford.
Howard Street Pub brings together the food, hospitality and entrepreneurial spirit behind Twisted Grub with the vision, craftsmanship and hard work behind Leuck Construction.
What started as an idea became a true partnership — built on friendship, family, a love for our community and the belief that something special could be created right here on the Oxford Town Square.
We’re proud of where we come from, proud of what we’ve built together and incredibly excited to welcome you in.