Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen’s McKinney location (photo from Facebook)
A couple weeks ago Sugarbacon Proper Kitchen announced it would be taking over the spot Dixie House recently vacated in Lakewood Shopping Center.
If we want to know what to expect, all we have to do is look at Sugarbacon’s original location in McKinney, according to the managing partner Johnny Carros.
Carros teamed up with chef Jon Thompson to open Sugarbacon in McKinney just nine months ago, and it has already been enough of a hit that they plan to open a second location. Although this is Carros first venture in Lakewood, he’ll be right at home with plenty of local connections.
“Phil Cobb and Gene Street, who owned Dixie House, gave me my first management job in 1992,” Carros says, adding that he’s excited to work in the same shopping center as Gene Street’s daughter, Mariel Street, who owns Liberty Burger. “Also, Alberto Lombardi gave me my first general manager job, and he’s right next door at Penne Pomodoro, so it has kind of come full circle. That happens if you work long enough in this city.”
Right now Lincoln Property Company, which owns the Lakewood Shopping Center, is in the process of gutting the space while Carros nails down the details. Carros is aiming to open by the end of the year, but he also doesn’t want to rush the process.
“We still have to do the design and get permitting,” Carros points out, “so we’ve still got some time.”
The square-footage of the two locations is almost identical, and Carros wants the look and feel of the interior to be very familiar. If you walk into the McKinney location, you’ll see a bar along the left wall and a dining room directly in front of you. Carros plans to lay out the Lakewood location the same way, with the same textures and decor — brick walls, glazed concrete floors, a mix of raw and polished wood and bulky metal pieces.
The menu will also stay the same, featuring tantalizing dishes like the barbecue brisket-cheddar enchiladas, shrimp and grits and honey-glazed salmon. Folks who frequented Dixie House will miss its low prices. Sugarbacon’s prices are definitely on the high side. Their cheapest side is $6 and their sandwich list includes a $11 grilled cheese. Unless it’s dipped in chocolate and hand-delivered by Channing Tatum, I personally don’t understand how a grilled cheese can be $11. But what do I know?
One thing that will be different is the artwork, Carros says. They had art custom-made for the McKinney location, and Lakewood will have its own unique set.
Check out the website for more information and photos.
