Moving from Chicago to DFW area and need some help please (Arlington: construction, incomes)

[PISDstudent]

Good website for school data, albeit with somewhat old numbers: Dallas, Texas Area School Information

The national merit numbers are also good to look at if you want to be around lots of high performing students. Here's the link for cumulative totals over the last five years:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/dalla...08-2012-a.html

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by Squirl

After you have done all the market research and have id'd a location for the business, then worry about where to live. There are great places to live all over. But to survive, you better focus on the business location first!

A Chicago transplant here too. Some of the chains I miss from Chicago are Portillos and Bakers Square, I'm secretely hoping that you're opening one of these 2.

I agree with Squirl, get the business location squared away and finding a home would be easier. People in Dallas love to eat out so even if you end up in an area with a lot of restaurants, you'll probably do well there too.

Get ready for a shock on the lot sizes here, they're pretty small, this is another reason that many buyers get a 2 story home. The footprint of the home would take so much of the land you won't have much yard left.

Naima

[pinipig523]

Originally Posted by nsumner

A Chicago transplant here too. Some of the chains I miss from Chicago are Portillos and Bakers Square, I'm secretely hoping that you're opening one of these 2.

I agree with Squirl, get the business location squared away and finding a home would be easier. People in Dallas love to eat out so even if you end up in an area with a lot of restaurants, you'll probably do well there too.

Get ready for a shock on the lot sizes here, they're pretty small, this is another reason that many buyers get a 2 story home. The footprint of the home would take so much of the land you won't have much yard left.

Naima

Bakers Square is nearly non-existent here. A lot of the branches have closed down.

Portillos, on the other hand, is still going strong. Though I doubt that the OP is opening up a Portillos since Dick Portillo does not franchise and if the OP is indeed Dick Portillo, his net worth of $20MIL+ should put him in HP without question.

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by pinipig523

Bakers Square is nearly non-existent here. A lot of the branches have closed down.

Portillos, on the other hand, is still going strong. Though I doubt that the OP is opening up a Portillos since Dick Portillo does not franchise and if the OP is indeed Dick Portillo, his net worth of $20MIL+ should put him in HP without question.

Thanks for the update , I've been out of touch obviously. BS had good pies from what I can remember. Oh well, I'll settle for the next time I go to Chicago and catch up.

Naima

[synchronicity]

Originally Posted by pinipig523

Bakers Square is nearly non-existent here. A lot of the branches have closed down.

Portillos, on the other hand, is still going strong. Though I doubt that the OP is opening up a Portillos since Dick Portillo does not franchise and if the OP is indeed Dick Portillo, his net worth of $20MIL+ should put him in HP without question.

FYI for Naima, there's a Bakers Square in Palatine on NW Highway. Dunno about other locations offhand but you can google them, I'm sure.

[TX75007]

There is a Bucca de Beppo on 121 near Preston.

There were a number of other Chi chains that opened about 10 years ago. A few are left.

Italian food does well here if that is what you intend to do.

The area from Flower Mound over to Frisco and then down to Allen seems to be doing well. I'd watch out for street and highway widening plans as these can really kill your business.

Areas south of PGBT and West of I35E outside of the above have been hit hard in the recession and a lot of places went out of business and I still do not see the crowds I used to see.

Like the other posters said, I'd lock down where the business will be then find a home in the area.

[vinmar4]

there is still a few BS in the south side and suburbs, I drive all over the Chicago area and I still see a lot of them around,
sorry but it is not Portillos wich we love also
We will probably have the delivered once we live Chi town

[vinmar4]

We need to get a really good realtor to help us find the right place
we are looking at demographics

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by vinmar4

We need to get a really good realtor to help us find the right place
we are looking at demographics

Which demographics are you looking at. There are many sources available to us to help you with that.

Naima

[Hate subzero]

I vote Grapevine and HEB for schools. Those areas have just about everything you could hope for. I don't know where your business will be but I hope it is very successful. Just learn how to kill fireants and keep your yard free of them