Howdy Homemade was born out of one man’s conviction, grown by the family who supported him, and is accelerating now thanks to the perfect partnership. This is a story of people, passion, and purpose.
Tom Landis spent the first chapter of his career running restaurants in Texas, including the cheesesteak chain Texadelphia and a string of pizza shops. Even as a successful operator, Tom felt that something in industry was lacking when his amazing teammates with special needs were being left on the sidelines rather than given a chance to play in the big game.
The ultimate moment of breakthrough for Tom came from his hero, the legendary Texas A&M and Alabama football coach Gene Stallings, and Stallings' son Johnny, who was born with Down syndrome. Tom read Coach Stallings' book Another Season and visualized a playbook that almost no one in the industry was running. Tom knew it was time to suit up and get in the game.
In 2015, Tom mortgaged his home and opened the first Howdy Homemade scoop shop in Dallas. The name came from the Texas A&M tradition of saying “Howdy” to everyone you encounter. "It's hard to say the word with a frown on your face," he likes to say.
The first new hires to join the team, aka Howdy Heroes, were adults with special needs, a tradition that has continued with every frontline employee ever since. The Howdy Heroes are the heartbeat of the brand.
Tom Landis, Founder
Tom's mother had polio as a child. The empathy she carried, and passed down, shaped Tom’s view of the world. He talks often about the difference between being wanted versus being needed. Being wanted is beautiful. Being needed is changes everything.
Howdy Homemade is built around that distinction. The people behind the counter are not there to make a statement or to create a “feel-good” moment. The Howdy Heroes run the shops. They train new hires. The whole company would cease to exist without them.
"We are taking faith on a joyride," Tom says.
It is a funny line. It is also the company's strategy.
Howdy has always been a Landis family undertaking.
Margaret, Tom’s wife and co-founder of Howdy, has played every imaginable role in the success and growth of the organization. Their children, Kate and Jack, grew up around Howdy and credit the Heroes for so many incredible life experiences.
For a decade we have proven the model. Now, with Undivided Life’s leadership, capital, and operating muscle behind us, we can scale it. More shops. More cities. More jobs for adults with special needs, faster than we could have done alone.
Tom and Margaret Landis remain majority owners. Our founders still lead. Our team members are still the stars. Every new shop will open with the same simple promise we made on day one in Dallas.
“Together, we are scaling a mission that changes the way the world sees people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Jeff Schiefelbein
CO-FOUNDER, UNDIVIDED LIFE
“We couldn’t imagine a better aligned partner than Undivided Life. Their leadership, experience, and belief in our mission will help us reach more communities and incredible team members who deserve meaningful work and a chance to shine.”
Tom Landis
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, HOWDY HOMEMADE
Team members with IDDs employed
Years building the model
Scoop shops open today
New shops planned by 2030
Jobs we will create for adults with IDDs
Tom Landis, Founder
The National Down Syndrome Congress named Howdy its 2025 Employer of the Year. The TODAY Show, ABC World News Tonight, and a long list of community leaders have shared our story. Hoda and Jenna handed us a $50,000 grant on national television.
We are grateful for every spotlight. The recognition we care about most, though, is quieter. It is the parent who watches their adult child walk into work for the first time. It is the regular who comes back every Friday because of who is behind the counter. That is the win.
We are hiring. As we open new shops across the country, we are looking for extraordinary people, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, managers, coaches, and culture carriers, who want to be part of building something that matters.
When you walk into a Howdy shop, you are not just buying ice cream. You are funding a movement that is rewriting the rules of who gets to work, who gets to lead, and who gets to be seen.
