The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses
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Oak Cliff Soup Co. launches
Neighborhood resident Dina Light-McNeely has launched a soup-delivery service, Oak Cliff Soup Co. It works like this: Every Monday, she publishes a menu on her website, ocsoup.com. Typically, there is one vegetarian, one vegan and one other option. Orders are due by Wednesday, and delivery or pickup is Friday or Saturday, respectively. The soups cost $15 each and come in a 32-ounce mason jar, plus a $1 deposit on the jar. “It’s kind of like the milk man,” Light-McNeely says. “If you send it back to us, we don’t charge you the dollar again.” Light-McNeely says she “cooked her way through undergrad and grad school,” and friends have been urging to sell her delicious homemade soups for years, she says. She finally went for it after she was laid off from her job in marketing, after an 18-year career.
Oak Cliff Soup Co., 214.267.8362, ocsoup.com
Jefferson Boulevard is in for a major transformation. Photo by Can Türkyilmaz
Las Ramblas inspires Jefferson makeover
City Councilwoman Delia Jasso is working with City Design Studio in preliminary plans to create an open-air market and pedestrian thoroughfare on Jefferson Boulevard. The plan is inspired by Las Ramblas in Barcelona. The plan calls for taking Jefferson down to two lanes of car traffic, widening the median, removing curbs and adding concrete pavers. They’re also working on a safer, pedestrian friendly connection from Jefferson to Davis on Bishop. That work would be paid for with $1.47 million in bond borrowing approved in the November election. The Las Ramblas plan could be bolstered by Jim Lake Jr.’s plan to buy the Jefferson Tower office building and connecting retail in the 300 block of West Jefferson with plans to renovate it. The city approved a $1.5 million economic development grant for the project, for which it will be eligible once the developer has spent $6 million on renovations.
Safety Glass to move after 72 years in Bishop Arts
Brian Dimock, the third-generation owner of his family’s business, says he is moving Safety Glass Co. out of the Bishop Arts District. Dimock’s grandfather opened the business in 1940, and Dimock says he needs more space. He plans to reopen in a warehouse space at Sylvan and Seale in January or February, once the city issues him a certificate of occupancy. After that, he plans to lease out the 2,600-square-foot space at 316 W. Davis. Next door, Sarah Lombardi plans to open two restaurants. One is Oak Cliff Mercantile, in the building known by the same name. A “coming soon” sign for OC Mercantile describes it as an “eatery, taproom and commons.” In the former El Padrino taco stand, Lombardi is planning Dog House, serving hot dogs and frozen custard.
Safety Glass, 316 W. Davis, 214.941.0321, safetyglassco.com
Oak Cliff Mercantile, 330 W. Davis, facebook.com/oakcliffmercantile
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Lockhart Smokehouse pit master Will Fleishman last month appeared on the season premiere of “BBQ Pitmasters,” a competitive cooking show on Destination America.
Lockhart Smokehouse, 400 W. Davis, 214.944.5521, lockhartsmokehouse.com
Mighty Fine Arts is moving a few doors down, to 409A N. Tyler. The gallery will reopen Jan. 12 with “Doing Wrong Right,” featuring new work by Jennifer and Matthew Guest.
Mighty Fine Arts, 409A N. Tyler, 214.942.5241, mfagallery.com
Alta West Davis, the 200-unit luxury apartment complex adjacent to Winnetka Heights, opened in December. The Wood Partners property features a workout room with TechnoGym equipment, an in-house bike shop, a lounge-like community room and high-end finish outs.
Alta West Davis, 1836 W. Davis, 855.858.6008, altawestdavis.com
Hattie’s restaurant celebrated 10 years in business in the Bishop Arts District last month.
Hattie’s, 418 N. Bishop, 214.942.7400, hatties.com
Dude, Sweet Chocolate is expanding. Owner Katherine Clapner has opened a second location in the trendy West Seventh Street area of Fort Worth. She also opened a temporary holiday pop-up shop in Preston Center Plaza, which could become permanent depending on sales, Clapner says.
Dude, Sweet Chocolate, 408 W. Eighth, 214.943.5943, dudesweetchocolate.com
