September Letter from the Editor
Grand Opening. Not so grand closing.
That’s exactly what I thought to myself just the other night as I watched a moving crew haul out kitchen equipment, furniture and a small piece of my dining heart. Under the veil of darkness, and just before the end of the month one of my family’s favorite restaurants just up and closed. Good food, great happy hour and prices to match- you could find us there quite regularly. I had to park the car for a moment and stare in disbelief as yet another Southlake restaurant threw in the proverbial towel.
I don’t know what will occupy that space in the near future, but one thing we can count on is a new restaurant will take its place. In my eight plus years of calling Southlake home, I’ve laid eyes on this version of Restaurant Roulette where as many as four restaurant concepts have occupied a single Southlake address. Maybe too many smart professionals have gone over the numbers and realized Southlake is a great opportunity. With names like Truluck’s, Brio, and Copeland’s we have more than our share of established eateries, but the frequent closings and requisite openings of late have me wondering, “Are the eyes on us bigger than our collective stomachs?” Economic pressures aside, the competition for our dining dollar has skyrocketed from the not so distant “Dairy Queen Days.” Those who survive have to be more than well funded.
I believe I speak for many of us when I say we would like restaurants to fill more than just our bellies. I for one appreciate the way several Southlake restaurants fill us with pride while adding a real taste for the local flavor. I’d like to see more area restaurants become active members of our community and not just our tax rolls.
Putting an end to the games of roulette are locally owned and operated places like Johnny B’s, FeedStore BBQ and Dave Garner’s Wildwood Grill. They care about food, and obviously they care about our community. In turn, we continue to fill their tables with family and friends. This month we spoke to Southlake’s resident restaurateurs to learn a little more about their specific recipes for success-which invariably include heaping portions of hard work.
Yours in Southlake Style,
MT…