Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Posted: **07 Sep 2019 21:04**

^ I believe it's in the Deep Vellum bookstore.

Posted: **08 Sep 2019 11:02**

^Thanks, but unless something recently changed, there's a smaller Clearview sign inside Deep Vellum, but the one that was outside on Elm Street is much larger, about 20 ft tall... I hope it is safe somewhere and will be out on display again soon.

Posted: **08 Sep 2019 11:06**

Did that sign go to Marfa? I have a vague memory of coming across something about that sign, and that it was somewhere on display or whatever, but that's about all I can remember. Marfa doesn't seem right though, and I might be confusing the still existing dancing frogs with the big Clearview sign....

Posted: **10 Sep 2019 15:31**

New bar sows secret garden in Dallas' emerging new entertainment zone
The Good Latimer corridor heading into Dallas' Deep Ellum is shaping up to be the next hot bar zone, and here's a new one to add to the list.

Called Wishful Drinking, it's the newest concept from the Syn Hospitality Group, owner of popular bar-restaurants such as Social House and America Gardens in Fort Worth.

Wishful will be a European-styled bar and restaurant with loads of greenery including flowers and lavish gardens — a welcome departure from the shiplap-paneled rustic trend that's overtaken restaurants and bars.

It'll open in fall 2019 at 2511 Swiss Ave., a vintage brick building that was previously loft apartments. Only recently, this neighborhood was a sleepy, semi-industrial area with parts supply stores and the like.

But then Bottled Blonde, the nightclub juggernaut opened in 2017. Meanwhile, The Epic mixed-use complex is under construction at Good Latimer and Pacific Avenue, bringing along flashy Miami sushi concept Komodo and Biscuit Bar.

Uptown bar Citizen Dallas is relocating to the space next door to where Wishful will go. And the Clutch Group, owner of Concrete Cowboy, intends to open not one but two concepts in the same block.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/resta ... eep-ellum/

Uptown 2.0 in the making. I have a feeling that, while this will quickly become the new hot spot, it'll also quickly be replaced by high-rises shortly after. It'll certainly be fun to watch this area change over the next decade.

Posted: **12 Sep 2019 11:54**

For A Number Of Reasons, Including Repeated Vandalization And Corporate Overlord Takeover, Leather Masters Is Worn Out By Deep Ellum.
https://www.centraltrack.com/deep-ellum ... ighborhood

Since the Texas Refrigeration Butcher Supply store closed, I can't think of another retail store in Deep Ellum that's managed to hold on as long as Leather Masters, but this was inevitable. The question is where would be a good place for them to move to that has what they're looking for and isn't gentrifying as fast. My first thought was they should move to the Cedars, but I'm wondering if they should just follow Lula B's to West Dallas or the Design District.

Posted: **12 Sep 2019 13:19**

lakewoodhobo wrote:
For A Number Of Reasons, Including Repeated Vandalization And Corporate Overlord Takeover, Leather Masters Is Worn Out By Deep Ellum.
https://www.centraltrack.com/deep-ellum ... ighborhood

Since the Texas Refrigeration Butcher Supply store closed, I can't think of another retail store in Deep Ellum that's managed to hold on as long as Leather Masters, but this was inevitable. The question is where would be a good place for them to move to that has what they're looking for and isn't gentrifying as fast. My first thought was they should move to the Cedars, but I'm wondering if they should just follow Lula B's to West Dallas or the Design District.

Oak Lawn to be near a big part of their target market? The space where Zephyr was on the corner of Cedar Springs and Throckmorton might be too high budget (and really better suited towards a restaurant), but it's open. There's also the strip mall where Alexandre's is, and the refurbished 2 story strip mall next to the Eagle in West Oak Lawn (which also closed its leather shop).

Posted: **12 Sep 2019 14:40**

Matt777 wrote:Oak Lawn to be near a big part of their target market? The space where Zephyr was on the corner of Cedar Springs and Throckmorton might be too high budget (and really better suited towards a restaurant), but it's open. There's also the strip mall where Alexandre's is, and the refurbished 2 story strip mall next to the Eagle in West Oak Lawn (which also closed its leather shop).

There used to be a leather store behind Crossroads Market (now Hunky's) called Shade of Grey in the mid-2000s. Not sure if it didn't make it because it was tucked away, or parking was an issue or the economy sucked (probably some combination of the three) but yeah the Maple/Inwood area, which I guess is in the Medical District, is another good spot.

Posted: **12 Sep 2019 15:08**

lakewoodhobo wrote:Since the Texas Refrigeration Butcher Supply store closed, I can't think of another retail store in Deep Ellum that's managed to hold on as long as Leather Masters

Rudolph's Meat Market is a youthful 124 years old.

Posted: **14 Sep 2019 11:54**

Their product appeals to not just the gay community so they are trying to avoid being lumped into the gay neighborhood as just another store in the gayborhood. A lot of the straight community buys leather goods too and they would be reducing their market appeal if they choose to just be in the gaybourhood. Some of those people would rather not have to visit a gay neighborhood to purchase what Leather Masters sells. Sure being in the gaybourhood doesn't mean you are labeled as gay as it used to but I imagine Leather Masters would prefer to be off the strip so they can market to both all without the pressure of being a "gay store".

Posted: **08 Oct 2019 11:10**

Beignets Are Coming to Deep Ellum This Weekend
On the eastern side of one of Dallas’ best entertainment districts is a new place opening this weekend, and they’ll sell only three things: coffee, ice cream and beignets.
Le Bon Temps, 2932 Main St. (Deep Ellum). Opening Oct. 13.

https://www.dallasobserver.com/restaura ... s-11775214

I'm loving the variety of retail coming to the Deep Ellum area. Based on the picture, it looks like this might be a walk-up window style of establishment, which is highly uncommon in Dallas, but I welcome it very much. I hope they do well here.

Posted: **08 Oct 2019 11:28**

Oh wow...Beignets...and it's somebody from New Orleans. Interesting, hope this does well!

Posted: **07 Nov 2019 08:42**

DPatel304 wrote:
Dallas is on its way to becoming Bowling Central, with another new bowling restaurant concept coming to town. Called Punch Bowl Social, it's a Denver-based chain that has claimed a prized location in a long unoccupied space at the corner of Main Street and Good Latimer Freeway, where it will combine bowling alley, restaurant, and bar. According to a spokesperson, it'll open in mid-2018.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/enter ... eep-ellum/

I haven't checked out Punch Bowl Social yet, but it looks like a friend is planning a birthday party there next month. However, a coworker who lives in Fort Worth told me the Punch Bowl Social there recently closed after barely three months. Anyone know how the Dallas location is doing? I've heard mainly positive things.

Posted: **07 Nov 2019 09:23**

vman wrote:I haven't checked out Punch Bowl Social yet, but it looks like a friend is planning a birthday party there next month. However, a coworker who lives in Fort Worth told me the Punch Bowl Social there recently closed after barely three months. Anyone know how the Dallas location is doing? I've heard mainly positive things.

I've been there a couple times, and it seems to be like the hit spot these days. I don't really know much about what's good and not good when it comes to nightlife, but I could see this place doing well long term as it seems to have something for almost everyone which is what makes it popular.

Posted: **07 Nov 2019 09:24**

The PBS in San Diego was a lot of fun. That's really odd about Fort Worth's closing...I wonder why.

Posted: **07 Nov 2019 20:43**

Lots of fun. Dynamite location. Hard to go wrong.

Posted: **07 Nov 2019 22:04**

vman wrote:
DPatel304 wrote:
Dallas is on its way to becoming Bowling Central, with another new bowling restaurant concept coming to town. Called Punch Bowl Social, it's a Denver-based chain that has claimed a prized location in a long unoccupied space at the corner of Main Street and Good Latimer Freeway, where it will combine bowling alley, restaurant, and bar. According to a spokesperson, it'll open in mid-2018.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/enter ... eep-ellum/

I haven't checked out Punch Bowl Social yet, but it looks like a friend is planning a birthday party there next month. However, a coworker who lives in Fort Worth told me the Punch Bowl Social there recently closed after barely three months. Anyone know how the Dallas location is doing? I've heard mainly positive things.

Punch Bowl Social closes its $2.5 million location in Fort Worth, just 10 weeks after opening

http://www.dallasnews.com/food/restaura ... r-opening/

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 08:54**

My question is, have we as a city now become "Bowling Central"?

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 10:05**

vman wrote:
DPatel304 wrote:
Dallas is on its way to becoming Bowling Central, with another new bowling restaurant concept coming to town. Called Punch Bowl Social, it's a Denver-based chain that has claimed a prized location in a long unoccupied space at the corner of Main Street and Good Latimer Freeway, where it will combine bowling alley, restaurant, and bar. According to a spokesperson, it'll open in mid-2018.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/enter ... eep-ellum/

I haven't checked out Punch Bowl Social yet, but it looks like a friend is planning a birthday party there next month. However, a coworker who lives in Fort Worth told me the Punch Bowl Social there recently closed after barely three months. Anyone know how the Dallas location is doing? I've heard mainly positive things.

Surprised to hear you guys say this. I've only been able to check it out once, on a nice weather saturday night where deep ellum as a whole was pretty busy, and while they was certainly traffic at PBS it didn't look like nearly enough to sustain a facility of that size. Their total footprint is MASSIVE (maybe the biggest indoor bar space in DE? what else could be bigger?) and a lot of it is 'low revenue' space (like their bowling lanes...)

I wouldn't be surprised if their deep ellum sport bit the bullet sooner rather than later.

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 10:10**

Just read this quote from the DMN article that you guys had linked to:

Dallas Morning News wrote:Punch Bowl’s success rests largely on food and drink: All the games and hoopla are merely the “cheese in the mousetrap” that lures millennials in to order drinks and dinner, Thompson said in a 2017 interview on Food Newsfeed, an industry website. Food and drinks account for 89 percent of Punch Bowl’s revenue.

Funny way to run a business, I would guess that more than half of their 25k square feet at their dallas location is dedicated to the part of their business that apparently makes up just 11pct of their revenue.

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 11:23**

As a millennial, there are two things I love more than anything else:
1) Games and hoopla
2) The satisfaction in knowing that I am leeching value from square footage that could be put toward more profitable endeavors

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 12:29**

Is it too soon to propose a plan that would close Elm, Main and Commerce to most vehicular traffic in the evenings and get a French Quarter situation happening? Strategic parking, service vehicle access and improved pedestrian infrastructure could make the party atmosphere something that draws people from a much much larger base of tourism.

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 12:35**

exelone31 wrote:As a millennial, there are two things I love more than anything else:
1) Games and hoopla
2) The satisfaction in knowing that I am leeching value from square footage that could be put toward more profitable endeavors

...and free Wifi

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 12:51**

As a millennial, if there is a place to plug in my phone and a selfie station I'll be set.

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 22:39**

exelone31 wrote:My question is, have we as a city now become "Bowling Central"?

No, that's Arlington.

https://www.bowlingmuseum.com/Visit/Hou ... Directions

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 22:53**

tamtagon wrote:Is it too soon to propose a plan that would close Elm, Main and Commerce to most vehicular traffic in the evenings and get a French Quarter situation happening? Strategic parking, service vehicle access and improved pedestrian infrastructure could make the party atmosphere something that draws people from a much much larger base of tourism.

For Texas OU this year the city brought in extra cops from other divisions to Deep Ellum. For some unknown reason someone unfamiliar with the area ordered Main Street -- just that one street -- closed to cars around 9 or 10:00 on Friday night.

The result was what you would expect. Main Street was a ghost town. The sidewalks and business were empty. Go read the Facebook group posts for October 11 and 12. The bars and restaurants lost tens of thousands of dollars on what should have been one of their best nights of years. Absolutely no one was happy. The DPD had to apologize the next day and promise not to do it again except in an emergency.

Posted: **08 Nov 2019 22:59**

willyk wrote:Lots of fun. Dynamite location. Hard to go wrong.

The DMN critic gave it their first and only zero star review.

I would comment about the food, except I never got any. I tried brunch there with my kid. They were out of iced tea for me and they tried substituting something else for my son's Dr Pepper, hoping he wouldn't notice. Never got our food. Eventually walked out after almost an hour.

The S.O. and I still go there, but just to play pinball and darts.

Many, many better places in Deep Ellum.

Posted: **15 Nov 2019 14:54**

Read today that Biscuit Bar is opening a 3rd location in The Epic with extended hours (morning and late night).

Posted: **15 Nov 2019 14:59**

With Uber signing on a number of businesses will be banging on the developer's door to be right underneath all the workers. We will probably see a lot of local chains not sure if the Jimmy John's of the retail market will be offered space here.

Posted: **15 Nov 2019 17:29**

jetnd87 wrote:Read today that Biscuit Bar is opening a 3rd location in The Epic with extended hours (morning and late night).

The Biscuit Bar, a Dallas biscuit chain in the making, opens a location in Deep Ellum at 2550 Pacific Ave. on Thursday, November 21.
http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/resta ... lic-crust/

I haven't actually been to the Epic development yet, but I didn't realize they were so far along that they were ready to handle some new retail already. Looks like Biscuit Bar will be wasting no time and will open next week.

Posted: **26 Nov 2019 22:38**

A New Bar From Double Wide’s Owner Rethinks a 62-Year-Old Gas Station
https://www.dmagazine.com/food-drink/20 ... s-station/

This will go in the space that used to house Bowls and Tacos.

Posted: **16 Dec 2019 09:59**

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... ghborhood/

Westdale Real Estate is building the two-block Epic development in Deep Ellum.

“Westdale Real Estate Investment and Management will enhance and repurpose six buildings at the quadrant of North Good Latimer Expressway, Main Street and Elm Street, adjacent to The Epic development,” a spokesperson for Westdale said in an email. “The six buildings — named the Good E Project — total approximately 52,000 square feet, and Westdale will remodel the existing buildings, keeping the exterior historic appearance while implementing all new underground utilities, roofs and interior shell space.

“Westdale hopes to commence the renovation in mid-January 2020 and deliver landlord shell improvements in September 2020.”

Posted: **16 Dec 2019 10:16**

Nice. Those buildings could use some life.

Posted: **16 Dec 2019 10:41**

Long Live the Gypsy Tea Room.

Posted: **16 Dec 2019 22:56**

Nice job of capturing additional appreciation from their own project.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 11:37**

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/ret ... eep-ellum/

Patagonia, a retailer that’s against rampant consumerism, is coming to Deep Ellum.
The outdoor clothing and gear retailer will open on Main Street in a building where Filament restaurant closed in 2017.

Patagonia hasn’t announced an opening date yet. There’s only one other Patagonia store in Texas, in Austin on South Congress. The company has opened more than 30 stores, including a handful of outlet stores, in 18 states.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 11:39**

DE is hot, not sure I have ever been in one but would look forward to doing so when they arrive.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 12:04**

Oh wow, I think this is awesome news. Sure it's yet another retailer, but it's rare that such a household name invests in the Dallas urban core, and we're getting a trendy one to boot. I'm not sure I can remember a time that has happened.

I think the last few big names that have opened up shop in urban Dallas have all been fast food chains and even that isn't all that common either.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 12:08**

Actually this is good news cause Retail hasn't been Deep Ellum's strong suit. Restaurants and bars have. Deep Ellum needs more shoppers to balance out the nightlife element that continues to make all my friends avoid Deep Ellum after dark at every cost.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 12:15**

Yeah, I think the only piece Deep Ellum is lacking in retail is a place where you can buy Registered and Unregistered Drivers Licenses, Passports and ID Cards.

If only someone knew of a place I could find them.....

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 12:22**

cowboyeagle05 wrote:Actually this is good news cause Retail hasn't been Deep Ellum's strong suit. Restaurants and bars have. Deep Ellum needs more shoppers to balance out the nightlife element that continues to make all my friends avoid Deep Ellum after dark at every cost.

Agreed. Some of my friends just avoid the area all together (unfortunately), because they only associate as a place where people go to get rowdy.

These days, I tend to avoid it Fri/Sat nights, but I love the area all other times. Even Fri/Sat nights are fine as long as you're not in the heart of Deep Ellum. I've been to Cold Beer Company a couple times on a Saturday night and the place is pretty dead honestly (which is what I was looking for).

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 13:01**

This is great news, thats a big get for the area.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 13:38**

It's a surprising location for Patagonia. Seems like they'd be a much better fit for Knox Street, but maybe there's just not any room left on Knox. This is cool though! Perhaps it'll start a movement for others to follow. A downtown location would have been sweet too!

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 14:36**

Kelley USA wrote:It's a surprising location for Patagonia. Seems like they'd be a much better fit for Knox Street, but maybe there's just not any room left on Knox. This is cool though! Perhaps it'll start a movement for others to follow. A downtown location would have been sweet too!

That's what I wonder, if this makes the case for other big names to start making the move into the city center.

Posted: **18 Dec 2019 15:46**

Kelley USA wrote:It's a surprising location for Patagonia. Seems like they'd be a much better fit for Knox Street, but maybe there's just not any room left on Knox.

Not for now, at least. The new developments will bring some additional space, though granted some of that has already been spoken for. E.g., the YETI store is planning to move into the new Weirs building once it opens in two years.

Posted: **23 Dec 2019 13:49**

Deep Ellum’s days as a dodgy district may be over
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/rea ... y-be-over/

Nothing really new here, just discussing the current state and potential future for Deep Ellum. I think it's been obvious for years now that Deep Ellum would change, but I always assumed it would just become the new party spot and that would basically be it. I assumed, at best, it would be something along the lines of Bourbon St or 6th Street.

I am pleasantly surprised to see that we now have Uber and Patagonia calling Deep Ellum home and this will likely only be the beginning.

Posted: **23 Dec 2019 14:21**

I think the cedars will/should be the "edgy" part of town now.

Posted: **23 Dec 2019 14:24**

Cedars sounds about right, but once the HSR station is built, it'll be pretty short lived.

Posted: **23 Dec 2019 14:34**

The same guy who bought the core of Deep Ellum redeveloped it and sold it is buying land in The Cedars right now. 42 Real Estate. They have plans to do some of the same things there as well.

Posted: **23 Dec 2019 15:11**

cowboyeagle05 wrote:The same guy who bought the core of Deep Ellum redeveloped it and sold it is buying land in The Cedars right now. 42 Real Estate. They have plans to do some of the same things there as well.

That's awesome, I wasn't aware of this. Have any details been released regarding this, I couldn't really find anything?

Posted: **24 Dec 2019 16:54**

I remember a few years back there was some talk of the Peak & Elm area, northeast of Deep Ellum ("East Ellum"), as a new frontier for development. Besides It'll Do, is there much happening there?

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