Vern’s, perhaps the best soul food restaurant in town and a Dallas institution for almost 40 years, is about to have the property it sits on sold out from under it.
Deep Ellum architects Doug Aldridge and Scott Mager own the land, two parcels at 3600 and 3606 Main St., a couple of blocks southeast of Baylor hospital. The asking price is $425,000; the property is appraised for $129,740 (type in one of the owner’s names to get to the entry). David Sacks of David Griffin & Co., who has the listing, says there is "pretty good" interest in the property and that it should sell in what he called a normal amount of time. And why not? The land is in the middle of DART’s Green Line expansion, which will put stations in Deep Ellum, near Baylor, and at Fair Park.
Sacks says the current owners won’t ask Vern’s to leave. The restaurant is on a short-term lease, which is not unusual for Vern’s. But no one knows what a new owner might do.
I’ll call Vern’s on Monday and see if there are any developments on that end. If Dallas loses Vern’s, it’s another example of how we put shiny and new ahead of things that really matter.
