To open or not to open Bar in Deep Ellum

[Lakewooder]

Nobody is going to drive to Arlington for a pub for one or two beers (all you can drink and still drive). Arlington has been in the news quite a bit lately for crime (or is that "East" Arlington to get into the Plano parlance?). Also it is appropriately named Area "86" in the Real Estate Report - it had a 10% decline in sales and only a 1% appreciation rate - the median price of $130K is very low so the demographics may not work. OK, yes I hate Jerry Jones - full disclosure - and I once had to live in Arlington for a brief period.

Diatribe aside, I would also reiterate hamilton's suggestion of downtown. And hamilton Deep Ellum wasn't really a war zone 20 years ago, a lot of us thought it was great. The crime publicized a few years ago was mostly after closing time on Saturday night and the rest of the time everything was fine.

Actually the DART line is scheduled to open in 1 1/2 to 2 years. Developers (especially Westdale) have been buying up Ellum and have torn down an entire block in the last week. Also see the huge project going up at Baylor Station. Many people are upset we are going to lose all the historic buildings and laid-back vibe.

If you can find the right building I think a pub would do well. Lower Greenville and Lakewood already have some pubs and there are loyalties -- so that might be iffy.

[TinManTap]

I know Uptown/McKinney seem like the place to be but you also pay for it. Per sq. ft. rents are in the $35 to $45 range where I have some quotes in Deep Ellum for around $15 to $20 per ft. The thinking is to get a 5yr lease with two 5yr options with 1st right of refusal to buy the bldg if a developer tries to swoop in. Now this may be wishfull thinking but it's a goal. As for Arlington, it's just not my scene. In Chicago, there are "Character" pockets of area's like DE with all the art and interesting people and that is the customer I'm after. An Irish pub (which are around almost every corner in cities like Chicago, New York & Minneapolis) is the gathering place for good conversation, food & drink. Live traditional and modern Irish music on many nights. Again, the plan is to get in when the time is right and Tough it out for the 1st few year's and let the developement bulid around me...

[unexpected]

You can try Deep Ellum, but honestly a lot of dive bars there have closed down there. Same with downtown.

I'm with the others when I say Uptown is your best bet. You can't beat the combo of apartment dwellers within walking distance (which is a real luxury in dallas) and the amount of disposable income in the area.

I know the rents are high, but I'm accustomed to paying $6-$7 a drink in Uptown, and I'd scream bloody murder if they charged me that much in Deep Ellum. There's a reason the rents are junk.

Plus Uptown could really use an Irish pub. The closes pub type experience in the area is the Gingerman, and that place is always packed. Uptown is full of random lounges, I can totally see my friends and I saying "ugh, do I really want to go to Tribeca/Republic/Wish again? No, man, let's do something chill, let's go to Irish Jack's."

[hamiltonpl]

Actually there is an Irish Pub in Uptown. It's called the Idle Rich Pub. It's across from the S & D Oyster Company.

[blueskies49]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

As for Arlington......... won't find me getting all excited to go all the way over there just for a club/bar. No thanks. Even if it is all that and more I still would rather stay closer to home and have fun and know that home is REALLY close or I can call a friend to come get me. More clubs have come and gone in Arlington than anywhere else over the years. There are also two other negatives for the Ballpark and JerryDome: the amount of dates and attendance.

Depending on one's viewpoint, I am either lucky or unlucky enough to be living about 10 minutes from the new Cowboys stadium. I work for the testing lab on the stadium and we test the concrete and structural steel including the huge arch trusses that over going up over it right now. I mentioned in another thread what a shame it was that people were forced out of their homes in that area and businesses are being torn down around it. There are some old little dives left across the street. The little Stars Bar, a number of small restaurants including the Fish Bone. I love their catfish. These may not be staying, though, I don't know.

Is TGIFridays still even open at the Ballpark? It was never even packed on game nights. Our neighborhood TGIF's here in Garland at the mall is packed every night.

There's still a restaurant there but it's no longer TGIF's, I think it's called the Bullpen Grill or something. I drive by the Ballpark often and there are always people going in and out of the ballpark for tours, to eat, the museum and the local businesses that house their offices inside. I think Troy Aikman has an office in there, too. Obviously, the Rangers aren't exactly a winning club but since we do live so close, we like to attend a game occasionally just for the fun of it.

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Nobody is going to drive to Arlington for a pub for one or two beers (all you can drink and still drive). Arlington has been in the news quite a bit lately for crime (or is that "East" Arlington to get into the Plano parlance?). Also it is appropriately named Area "86" in the Real Estate Report - it had a 10% decline in sales and only a 1% appreciation rate - the median price of $130K is very low so the demographics may not work. OK, yes I hate Jerry Jones - full disclosure - and I once had to live in Arlington for a brief period.

I still live in Arlington but I despaired in the 90's whenever they allowed a glut of apartment complexes to be built. Yes, Lakewooder, east and central Arlington, moreso east, have alot of crime. I wondered why the city had been going downhill and then I read a few months ago in the Star-Telegram that the city had allowed it, that for some reason they were making it conducive to large waves of lower income people and were now trying to reverse it. What a shame. There are older, very nice neighborhoods in the northern part of the city over by Martin high school and the west and certain sections of the central part of the city are old but good neighborhoods, Interlocken (where they have the Christmas lights every year) and others. Some of these good neighborhoods are hard to get into because there are generations of old families living in them who pass their houses and property down to family members.

[jabbit]

if the price is right... yes go for it.


talk to some of the folks in the area (deep ellum) who have been there for awhile and ask them what u are asking here to get their word.

start here...

Save Deep Ellum - [Deep Ellum Association : Deep Ellum Residents Council : Deep Ellum Enrichment Project]



i think in a couple of years that area is going to blow up... in a good way. it might take awhile but yes u are looking at the new hot spot of the future in dallas. deep ellum is changing yes.


greenville is a good spot too. its a different vibe there though. deep ellum has more grit. greenville is too young to have charachter yet. its still infant. it doesnt have the same depth of personalty that deep ellum has thats for sure. greenville is like a young kid trying to find himself/herself. but talk to those cats from that website.


goood luck.