The big news in East Dallas has been the four-alarm fire that changed the landscape of Lower Greenville . On March 2 at 5 a.m., a fire started at Terilli’s Italian restaurant and quickly spread through the adjacent attic to the other three tenants in the retail center, Greenville Bar & Grill, Hurricane Grill and Mick’s Bar. All four businesses were destroyed, and an estimated $1.6 million worth of damage was done to the 1930s-era building and its contents. Visit the Back Talk blog for updates on this story.
Potbelly is opening a sandwich shop in Old Town Shopping Center (5500 Greenville). It will be the sixth sandwich shop in the stretch of Greenville between Lovers and Caruth Haven, joining a Subway and Baker Bros. on the east side of the street, and a Jersey Mike’s, Quiznos and Schlotzky’s on the west side. But it will be the only one where you can listen to live music while eatin’ your sandwich.
Guerilla Arts, a new art gallery at 1900 N. Haskell, hosted its inaugural show last month. The gallery is the brainchild of up-and-coming artist Patrick Short, who spent the past year rehabbing the 5,000-square-foot warehouse himself. The structure was built in 1900, and had been vacant for five years. Part of Short’s mission for the new studio is to “nurture emerging artists in Texas by providing them with exhibition opportunities, work space and teaching experience.” Short plans to show artists working in graffiti, installation, video and site-specific media, and encourages other artists to propose their own shows for the space. Classes will open up later this spring and summer. Visit guerillaarts.com for information on upcoming shows, or contact Short at guerillaarts@sbcglobal.net.
Urban Acres, the organic food co-op, is opening a storefront next month at the Promise of Peace Garden, Gaston and Grand. At Urban Acres farm stands, members can pick up organic produce and other food items ordered in advance, or simply shop for goodies fresh from the farm. Items include farm-fresh local meats, dairy, produce, local raw honey, raw chocolate and other snacks, wild-caught fish from Alaska, and more. Membership in the co-op is $62 to join, and $50 for a food share (about a bushel) or $30 for half a food share. Once enrolled, members can pick up their share every other week. Urban Acres, which has three other locations in the Dallas area, works directly with local Texans who farm 100 percent organically. Visit urbanacres.wordpress.com to see what the hubbub’s about and find more information on joining the co-op.
Our neighborhood recently lost a couple of businesses: Needless Necessities, the oxymoronic furniture and home decor boutique on Henderson, closed after five years in business, and nearby Crush Wine Shop (3205 Knox) lost its lease. In a newsletter to customers, wine shop owner Jim Larkin said: “Future plans are uncertain, but stay tuned.”
Legacy Antiques in the Design District is a go-to shop for 18th- and 19th-century French, Italian, English, and Continental antiques, including furniture, accessories, lighting and decorative arts. Lakewood residents Victoria and Justin Garett own the shop, and their son, Justin Jr., has run Legacy since it opened 12 years ago. After the success of their retail shop and increasing internet inquiries and sales through their website, daughter Julie Van Dolen launched online web portal Latique to bring antique lovers and antique dealers together to meet and connect. Specializing in traditional antiques, the new website, which launched last month, has received a lot of buzz in the antique world, including some national and regional write ups.
