Fort Worth Magazine - February 2021 by fwtx

Mattie Parker

Deborah Peoples

Ann Zadeh

Brian Byrd

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VOLUME 24 ISSUE 02

52 The Field

With Betsy Price hanging up her cowboy hat as mayor of Fort Worth, four of the first candidates to announce they’ll run for the seat are sharing their plans for the city’s future.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

60 The Fort Worthian’s Guide to Time Travel Dial back the decades for the staycation of a lifetime as you explore what Fort Worth was like back in the day, starting in 1878.

BY SHILO URBAN

Love at First Bite

Three couples dish about the challenges and rewards of working with the ones they love in the high-stress world of restaurants.

BY MALCOLM MAYHEW

143

The Giving City Increased need prompts increased giving in Fort Worth. Here’s how the city showed up to help local nonprofits amid the pandemic.

BY MARY MURPHY

the fort

know

14 The Lead

The American Medical Association has five requests for the new Biden administration as it crafts its strategy for COVID-19.

16 Buzz

Visiting South Main’s newest grocery, honoring a 94-yearold local activist, and more news from around town.

20 Calendar

Events are back in the Fort. Here are 15 things to do this month.

22 Fort Worthian

The power couple of the Fort Worth art scene shares their love story.

24 A House for Healing

A group looks to transform a building that once housed the Ku Klux Klan into a community and arts center named for a man who was lynched in 1921.

: live

28 Dream Street: Introducing Montrachet

A chat with Colby and Donnie Siratt, the brothers behind Fort Worth’s most anticipated new development.

32 6 Stellar Staycations

From bed and breakfasts to historic hotels, Fort Worth offers plenty of unique accommodations for a trip right here at home.

36 Bold Strokes

Nöelle Overturf chronicles her life as a mom, wife, and entrepreneur via abstract art.

38 Dancing on the Razor’s Edge

A Southlake dancer and “America’s Got Talent” alum turns quarantine into an opportunity to hone in on a new skill.

42 Good Reads

Four questions with the executive director of Deep Vellum Publishing.

44 A Three-Course Meal for Your Valentine

Impress your date with a multi-course meal made straight from the heart.

48 Restaurant News Southeast Asia meets the West.

CLOSE

The Ides of February

It’s become cliché to lament the difficult start to 2021. After a year of a pandemic, protests, and political upheaval, it seems that, instead of acquiescing to hope, the new year has doubled down on despair.

Mirroring the world at large, things were looking pretty grim for the magazine the same week that Mayor Betsy Price announced she wouldn’t seek a fifth term of office (the storming of our nation’s Capitol, impending second impeachment of our president, and the continuing COVID crisis all in our peripheral). I’ll avoid boring you with the details, but we had to make some major adjustments only a week before we went to press. As luck would have it, Mayor Price’s announcement turned into the story that would fill the void created by the chaos of that week.

We went to work quickly — and by “we,” I mean mostly our Fort Worth Inc. editor, Scott Nishimura — rounding up those who had announced, or were thinking of announcing, their candidacy for mayor of Fort Worth. Our last-minute idea was simple yet grand and, as someone told me, seemingly improbable. I wanted all of the candidates — all who by press had announced they were running — together in one photo on the cover of our magazine. My request was greeted with an understandably cockeyed look from Scott, who chuckled and said, “All right.” I knew we were swinging for the fences, but in this business, you can’t let strikes deter you from trying for that home run.

To my surprise, the four candidates featured in our cover story said yes, and it didn’t require any tricks or arm-twisting to get them in our photo studio at the same time. While they’re technically opponents who will soon embark on a campaign where criticisms and questions of character may fly back and forth, when they arrived, you would have thought they were best of friends. What ensued was a bevy of elbow bumps, small talk, jokes, and a request from Councilman Brian Byrd to play some Lyle Lovett. The mood, among these political rivals, was light, easy, and joyful. To put it in other words, it was a welcomed respite from the previous two weeks.

I’ll avoid stating the obvious irony in all of this and will, instead, reemphasize how much I love and appreciate the people of this city.

Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ON THE COVER:

Only a week after Mayor Betsy Price announced she was not going to seek a fifth term, Olaf Growald photographed the four candidates who, by press day, announced they would be seeking the vacated seat.

Corrections? Comments? Concerns?

Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@ fwtexas.com.

NEXT ISSUE

The Big Good: Leon Bridges, Chris Harrison, and Gary Patterson

The Faces Behind the Murals

Design Awards

owner/publisher hal a. brown

president mike waldum

EDITORIAL

executive editor brian kendall

managing editor samantha calimbahin

contributing editor scott nishimura

contributing writers hillaire baumgartner, tina howard, malcolm mayhew, mary murphy, lauren smart, shilo urban

copy editor sharon casseday

ART

creative director craig sylva

senior art director spray gleaves

advertising art director ed woolf

contributing photographers olaf growald, crystal wise

ADVERTISING

advertising account supervisors gina burns-wigginton x150, marion c. knight x135

account executive tammy denapoli x141

territory manager, fort worth inc. rita hale x133

sales development representative billy stevens x140

customer support susan peterson x131

MARKETING

director of events & marketing robyn lacasse

digital marketing & development director robby kyser

marketing strategist sarah benkendorfer

digital marketing specialist brenntyn rhea

marketing interns sydney fleet, jessica weigel-pena

events intern kristian hart

CORPORATE

chief financial officer charles newton

founding publisher mark hulme

Fast. Friendly. Fair.

Here's the deal.

AUTO GROUP

Let’s Chat

A few words from our readers

I had one with my dad while my wife was in labor across the street at All Saints. True story.

-Danny Gilliam

One of our absolute favorite places! If you’re in the mood for “lighter” fare, you’ve simply got to try the Garbage Salad with house dressing. They take every topping that goes on their pizzas and mix it in with a wonderful lettuce blend. It’s magical! (Hungry yet?)

-Steve Seaberry

Home Design Awards

The 2021 Fort Worth HOME Design Awards is going virtual this year. Keep an eye on our website and social channels for announcements on the virtual presentation, and don’t miss our next issue for an in-depth look at all the designs of our winners and finalists.

TRENDING ONLINE

Visit fwtx.com for the full story.

» Sweet 60: Amon Carter Museum Releases Exhibition Schedule for Anniversary Year One of the city’s most iconic landmarks hits a major milestone this year.

@td_or_teacup I love that Fort Worth has modern buildings. I love more that we are a city that repurposes unique architecture when we can. Let Dubai or somewhere else worry about the tallest. Let’s be the most unique.

DIGITAL EDITION: The virtual editions of both current and previous issues are available on our website. Flip through the pages to read more about the great city of Fort Worth by visiting fwtx.com.

» Hotel Brings ‘Bubble’ Dining Trend to Grapevine In the era of social distancing, the individual dining pod trend has reached the rooftop of one Grapevine hotel.

» Everyone’s Freaking Out About the ‘Monolith’ That Mysteriously Appeared by the Trinity River Social media had quite the field day over a mysterious metal box that recently appeared along the Trinity Trail.

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MORE THAN 20 LOCATIONS IN THE DFW METROPLEX

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Welcome to Entrada

Welcome to Entrada featuring townhomes, singlefamily villas, and condominiums. Entrada finally brings the mixed use lifestyle right to your neighborhood.

4 Comillas Dr

Comillas

Poetic Justice

Fort Worth activist Opal Lee is one of several individuals behind the transformation of a Fort Worth building once occupied by the Ku Klux Klan. Read more on page 24.

PHOTO

The COVID-19 Strategy

Fort Worth doctor and AMA president outlines recommendations on Biden response to COVID-19.

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

Fort Worth allergist and American Medical Association (AMA) president Susan Bailey is calling on President Joe Biden and his incoming administration to focus on five specific priorities as the country continues its fight against COVID-19.

In a speech delivered Jan. 12 via livestream through the National Press Club, Bailey said that despite the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, “this novel coronavirus remains a very deadly foe, and we are far from the finish line.”

She said the U.S. records about a million new confirmed COVID-19 cases every week, and in January, the country saw 4,000 dead in a single day, bypassing the number of Americans killed on 9/11 (nearly 3,000).

While she expressed confidence in the effectiveness of the vaccine, Bailey was also critical of the way it’s been rolled out, saying “the distribution mechanisms at state and local levels have been slow, inconsistent, and severely hampered by unrealistic expectations and a lack of coordination at the federal level.”

In an effort to improve, Bailey outlined five recommendations for the Biden administration as it develops a strategy to combat COVID-19.

“I call upon the incoming Biden administration to implement a national strategy and provide states and local jurisdictions with additional resources, guidance, and support to enable rapid distribution and administration of vaccines,” she said. “The AMA urges the Biden administration to talk with states to identify gaps in vaccine distribution and to work collaboratively to address areas of concern. And we call for the new administration to develop a more robust national strategy for continued COVID-19 testing and production of PPE by tapping into the full powers of the Defense Production Act.”

BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF BAILEY AND THE AMA’S RECOMMENDATIONS: »

1. PREVENT THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION AND “RESTORE TRUST IN SCIENCE AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION-MAKING.”

“All of us share some responsibility for stopping the spread of disinformation and for creating an environment where science and evidence rule the day ... And we must insist that our government’s scientific institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and others, are free from political pressure and that their actions are guided by the best available scientific evidence.”

2. ENSURE THAT THE HEALTH SYSTEM PROVIDES ALL COMMUNITIES WITH “ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND MEANINGFUL HEALTH COVERAGE.”

“In this new year, we urge the federal government to take necessary measures to protect not only lives but livelihoods at risk — measures such as a second enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act.”

3. REMOVE HEALTH INEQUITIES THAT ESPECIALLY IMPACT PEOPLE OF COLOR.

“Heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions that have led to devastating consequences for African American, Latino, and Indigenous communities — these have also made them more susceptible to the dangers of COVID-19. The road ahead demands that our health system acknowledges these inequities and works to integrate new policies to level the playing field in all communities.”

4. IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH DOMESTICALLY AND GLOBALLY.

This means protecting the patient-physician relationship from political influence, removing administrative burdens that can hinder response to a health emergency, and investing in public health infrastructure, Bailey said. According to Bailey, state and local public health agencies lost 40,000 jobs in the last 13 years, with the local health department workforce shrinking about one-quarter.

5. RECOGNIZE THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF HEALTH PROVIDERS.

Bailey applauded the Biden administration’s plan to rejoin the World Health Organization after President Donald Trump announced last year that the U.S. would withdraw from the group.

“We cannot act as if our country exists in isolation,” Bailey said. “We must recognize the global community of health providers and health care institutions and lead these efforts as we are called to do. Global alliances in health care are critical in helping prevent future threats before they sweep our planet.”

Coming Full Circle

South Main bodega serves up paninis and essential items at the old Sawyer Grocery Store.

BY BRIAN KENDALL

In the bustling north side of South Main, where everything is becoming a stone’s throw away, residents and visitors alike can now add grocery store to their ever-growing list of amenities.

Across from the new Nickel City bar, in what was long ago the Sawyer Grocery Store at 203 South Main St., the new Bodega South Main opened its doors on Dec. 21.

Owner Tasha Monticure feels the new bodega, which is a deli/grocery store hybrid that cooks up delicious paninis and sells all your essential grocery items, fills a large void that was present in the area.

“There was nowhere to just pick up a Coke or buy items like bread, condiments, or vegetables,” Monticure says.

It’s been a soft opening — no ribbon-cutting ceremonies or inflatable tube men in the time of COVID — that saw a crowd of people spurred on by nothing more than an Instagram post. But that didn’t stop locals, especially those who were already following Bodega on Instagram, to show in masses.

“We were inundated with people,” Monticure says. “People are beelining here saying, ‘I saw your sandwich on Instagram, and I gotta have that turkey panini.’”

The paninis are quickly becoming a Near Southside favorite. While customers are completely unaware of any special ingredients, the sandwich shop in the back serves up some shockingly delicious fare.

What she sells in the grocery store is largely based on what people would need, with Monticure imagining which small items South Mainers would want. Of course, as she’s just getting her feet off the ground, the items are also largely dependent on what she likes.

She carries both natural and organic foods. You will find such items as Hellmann’s mustard and Heinz ketchup next to free-trade coffee beans from Austin. So, if one is expecting a normal, urban grocery where you’d find exclusively organic and locally grown produce or items — though there’s still plenty of that — look elsewhere. But Monticure avoids being exclusive in her stock of items on purpose, allowing the store to be more inclusive.

“Sometimes, you just want a Coke, ya know?” Monticure says. Monticure was previously the director of catering at Lockheed Martin and has been in the catering business for 18 years. Yet, oddly enough, it was in her blood to open a grocery store.

Monticure comes from a family of grocery store owners. Her mother owned health food stores on Main Street outside of Madison, Wisconsin, and her grandfather owned a grocery store on Main Street in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. So, in her words, Monticure’s grocery store is very serendipitous.

Still at Lockheed Martin, Monticure signed the lease in early March before we were fully aware of the soon-to-be pandemic wreaking havoc on local businesses. Eddie Vanston, the owner of the old Sawyer Grocery Building, liked her concept and the idea of having a bodega serving the area.

After getting furloughed at Lockheed Martin, thanks to the pandemic, Monticure was able to focus solely on her dream of opening the bodega. As is customary in Fort Worth, she had to navigate red tape and jump through hoops to see the doors of her shop open, but she quietly did so just before the holidays.

The fact the bodega is sitting on property that was once a bustling grocery store is not lost on Monticure, and she again used the word “serendipitous” to describe how the space has come full circle. She even pays homage to the Sawyer Grocery Store with newspaper clippings from its heyday on display.

Bodega South Main is open Mon. – Thu. 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Fri. 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Sat. 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tasha Monticure

Here’s to You, Ms. Opal

Opal Lee to receive big honor from Visit Fort Worth

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

After leading a campaign that caught the attention of big-time celebrities like Jamie Foxx and Diddy, Fort Worth activist Opal Lee is receiving a major honor from Visit Fort Worth.

Visit Fort Worth announced that 94-year-old Lee would be the recipient of its annual Hospitality Award, which goes to an individual or organization that “has made significant contributions to developing, marketing, and delivering visitor experiences for Fort Worth’s travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.”

In 2020, Lee led her Walk 2 DC campaign, walking from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness and gather signatures for her petition to make Juneteenth — that is, June 19, when slaves in Texas learned they were free following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation — a national holiday.

Her initial goal was to gather 100,000 signatures for the cause. But when big-name celebrities like Jamie Foxx, Lupita Nyong’o, Usher, and Diddy caught wind of the effort and shared it to their social channels, Lee’s signatures rounded out to about 1.5 million.

“Opal Lee’s positive message about freedom captured national attention this year. In honoring her, we want to emphasize that everyone is welcome in Fort Worth, Texas,” Mark Nurdin, chairman of the Visit Fort Worth Board of Directors, said in a statement.

Previous Hospitality Award honorees include DFW Airport, Mayor Betsy Price, and Leon Bridges.

“We have simply got to make people aware that none of us are free until we’re all free, and we aren’t free yet,” Lee says. “As we address local inequality, we become a more welcoming city.”

Lee will receive the Hospitality Award Feb. 5 at the Visit Fort Worth Annual Meeting & Breakfast, expected to take place at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel. According to Visit Fort Worth, the event will implement social distancing, taking less than 50% occupancy of the Omni ballroom and seating tables of six instead of the usual 10. Visit Fort Worth also plans to enforce masks and temperature checks.

10 Things to Know This Month

Six Flags Over Texas turns 60 this year, and to celebrate, the iconic Arlington theme park has launched a new event, the Fire & Ice Winter Festival. A slew of live entertainment, from ice carving to fireworks, runs every weekend through Feb. 28.

The world’s highest-paying rodeo, The American Rodeo, is set to take place March 6 – 7 at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, offering a hefty payout of $2.3 million. Prior to the big event, semifinals will take place at the Fort Worth Stockyards starting Feb. 25.

“Miss Juneteenth” writer and director Channing Godfrey Peoples, just landed a big gig with NBCUniversal’s TV production company, Universal Content Productions. The Fort Worth native has signed a firstlook deal to write, produce, and direct projects for the studio — including a TV adaptation of “Miss Juneteenth.”

The first episode of Fort Worth entrepreneur Jonathan Morris’ show, “Self Employed,” is now streaming. Viewers can watch the episode via Discovery Plus, which includes a preview of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network.

The “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” — that is, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, as well as the accompanying Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo — will no longer be taking place in late March as originally scheduled; instead, the event has been rescheduled to June 11 – 13, still at Lake Ray Roberts, with the Outdoors Expo taking place at Will Rogers Memorial Center.

No Broadway-esque musicals at Casa Mañana for now. The theater has postponed all large-scale performances through the end of July but will continue to host smaller Reid Cabaret Theatre performances on the mainstage through the spring and summer. The next big show will be Apprentice Program’s “Bonnie & Clyde,” scheduled for Aug. 6 – 8.

As part of a new business strategy, Macy’s opened the second iteration of its Market by Macy’s concept at WestBend on Jan. 15 — what the retail giant is calling an “off-mall” location in a smaller, 20,000-square-foot space.

With RV travel on the rise, a duo of developers is looking to build an RV park just north of downtown, adjacent to Delga Park off Interstate 35. Mitchell Eberenz and Cole Frederick, who also co-founded Fort Worthbased oil and gas company Peak Land Services, are behind the project. They expect to break ground in the spring.

The City of Fort Worth is looking for a developer who can bring a mixed-use project to the Historic Stop Six neighborhood — specifically, an approximately 4-acre site between 5401 and 5425 E. Berry St. Prospective developers can submit ideas between now and Feb. 19, and residents will have a chance to comment on the project in March. The city expects construction to begin within the next three years.

After spending a month gathering public input on the city’s redistricting plans, the Redistricting Task Force will meet Feb. 4 to discuss comments and draft final recommendations for the Fort Worth City Council. The task force is expected to present to the city council on March 2, with the council adopting a resolution to accept the final report on March 16.

FAMILY

FOOD & DRINK

FITNESS

ARTS & CULTURE

*Please visit each event’s website for information on COVID-19 protocols.

FEB. 6, MARCH 6

Rahr & Oktoberfest 5K – Tailgate Time Social Run/Walk

Rahr’s hosting social runs to get everyone warmed up for the Oktoberfest 5K taking place this fall. Run 3 miles, then head back to the brewery for breakfast and beer.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

701 Galveston Ave., 817.810.9266, rahroktoberfest5k.com/ social-runs

FEB. 9 – 14

Bennett & Babs

Hum along to tunes like “The Way We Were” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” as Casa Mañana’s Reid Cabaret on the Mainstage pays tribute to two of Broadway’s most iconic crooners, Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand.

Casa Mañana

3101 W. Lancaster Ave., 817.332.2272, casamanana.org

FEB. 20

A

FEB. 9 – 20

Paint in a Box: Painting for One

A ticket to this virtual play also gets you a canvas and paint, sent in advance via mail, so you can partake in a paint-by-numbers activity while following a live theater performance on Zoom.

Stage West Presented on Zoom 817.784-9378, stagewest.org

FEB. 11

Trout Stocking at Trinity Park

The Tarrant Regional Water District and Texas Parks & Wildlife are releasing more trout into the Trinity River for your fishing pleasure. Fishing license required.

Trinity Park 2401 University Drive, trinitytrailsfw.com/fishing

FEB. 12

A Night of Ghost Hunting

Summon the spooks of Ridglea Theater at a ghost hunt hosted by Haunted Texas Paranormal.

Ridglea Theater 6025 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.738.9500, theridglea.com

FEB. 14

Lone Star Murder Mystery

Texas Ranger Jim Courtright attempts to catch a killer in a quirky comedy show taking place at the World’s Largest Honky Tonk.

Billy Bob’s Texas 2520 Rodeo Plaza, 817.624.7117, billybobstexas.com

FEB. 19 – MAY 16

Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again

Debuting in February, this exhibit highlights the video and photography work of Iranian artist Shirin Neshat, who explores the country’s history, both in ancient and recent times.

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell St., 817.738.9215, themodern.org

FEB. 20

The Fort Worth Ripper

Assemble your team of sleuths and scour the city for clues to catch the notorious Jack the Ripper — fictionally, obviously.

Secret location cluedupp.com

Gala Evening with Yo-Yo Ma

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra joins the legendary cellist as he takes the stage at Dickies Arena. Dickies Arena. 1911 Montgomery St., 817.665.6000, fwsymphony.org

FEB. 20 – 21

Panther City Marathon

Run a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon in a socially distanced event hosted by Cox Running Club.

Farrington Field 1501 University Drive, 817.793.3064, panthercity.athlete360.com

FEB. 22

Michael Lee

Sip on a cocktail while you enjoy an intimate performance by musician Michael Lee at one of Race Street’s buzziest venues.

The Post at River East 2925 Race St., thepostatrivereast.com

THROUGH FEB. 28

Mythmakers: The Art of Winslow Homer and Frederic Remington

Just a few weeks left to admire the works of two iconic American artists. The exhibit explores the relationship between Homer’s depictions of the ocean and Remington’s portrayal of cowboy life.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. 817.738.1933 cartermuseum.org

FEB. 27

Tulips Grand Opening

Celebrate the grand opening of the Near Southside’s newest music venue, Tulips, with a performance by The Band of Heathens.

Tulips 112 St. Louis Ave., 817.367.9798, tulipsftw.com

FEB. 28

Fort Worth Bridal Show

Whether you said “yes” or just want to dream, browse vendors, and get up to speed on the latest wedding trends, while also participating in door prizes and giveaways.

Fort Worth Convention Center

1201 Houston St., 972.7139920, bridalshowsinc.com

WinterFest

Festivities continue even after the holidays at the Gaylord Texan with the resort hosting activities like escape rooms, animal encounters, and improv comedy shows starring Fort Worth’s own Four Day Weekend.

Gaylord Texan 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, 817.778.1000, christmasatgaylordtexan. marriott.com

Letitia and Sedrick Huckaby

BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN

Artists

LEFT AND TOOLS PHOTOS BY OLAF GROWALD

Letitia Huckaby met her husband, Sedrick, around the time she was beginning to launch her career as a fine-art photographer. A colleague, Beverly Fletcher, who was leading the art department of the Fort Worth Independent School District at the time, suggested the two become acquainted. She figured, hey, a photographer and a painter would certainly have a lot to talk about.

“‘I think y’all will fall madly in love and have lots of kids,’” Letitia recalls Fletcher saying.

Fletcher was right. As predicted, Letitia and Sedrick did fall for one another. They eventually married, settled down in Fort Worth, and — three babies later — continue to both raise a family and build careers as established artists.

In fact, they’ve become something of a power couple in the local art community. Sedrick paints, sculpts, and does woodwork, while Letitia does photography. They live in Benbrook now, but the South Fort Worth home they first moved into as a married couple has been converted into an art studio, decked out with full-size sculptures, Letitia’s photos on the walls, and several works in progress standing beside an arsenal of paint-stained supplies.

Between artist residencies and work showcased in various galleries and publications, the Huckabys have also been using their art as an instrument for activism. In 2020, they helped spearhead the painting of a temporary “End Racism Now” mural in downtown Fort Worth. Prior to the presidential election, they also took part in a nonpartisan initiative, Vote = Voice, painting murals around town encouraging residents to cast their ballots.

Their next venture is the renovation of Sedrick’s grandmother’s house in the Stop Six neighborhood. They’re turning it into an art space called Kinfolks House, which will host exhibitions, film screenings, and workshops aimed at inspiring

the next generation of creatives. The Huckabys hope to open the space later this year.

They also continue to create at home, looking to one another for both inspiration and critique — whether the other likes it or not.

“A lot of times you go to art school and you leave and you lose that ability to get good critique of your work,” Letitia says. “Because we live together, not that we always want to hear the other person’s critique … [“We don’t,” Sedrick says, laughing, and pointing to Letitia] … but there’s always somebody there to bounce ideas off of or look at what you’re doing and say, ‘This is working’ or ‘This is not working.’ Even if you don’t take the advice [she laughs], it gives

1. Admiring art in Italy. 2. The Huckabys’ house project, a future artspace called Kinfolks House. 3. The Huckaby family on a hike. 4. The broom Letitia and Sedrick jumped over at their wedding. 5. Letitia and Sedrick have three children together. 6. The sixth member of the family, the Huckabys’ Akita, Eden. 7. Family time in the studio.

A House for Healing

In 1924, the Ku Klux Klan built a large meeting hall on North Main Street. Today, there’s a fight for that building to become a museum and community and arts center named in honor of Fred Rouse, a Black man who was lynched by a mob of white people in 1921.

BY BRIAN KENDALL

PHOTO

It is said that, after purchasing the building that sits at 1012 N. Main St., the then-owners took down the metal sign that reads “Ellis Pecan Co.” only to quickly put it back up. What they revealed were the words “Ku Klux Klan” embossed in the building’s bricks. The building, the third largest in the city when built, is thought to be the only building remaining in the world that was erected for the sole purpose of housing the white supremacist hate group.

Built in 1921 — and rebuilt in 1924 after a fire — the large bricked structure sits halfway between downtown and the Stockyards, easily within view of the Tarrant County Courthouse. Stand on your toes, and you can get a glimpse of its façade from the famed Joe T. Garcia’s. In other words, this building that once housed hate wasn’t tucked away on the fringes of the city — it was constructed in the middle of one of Fort Worth’s busiest streets.

According to Fort Worth historian Richard Selcer, while most old Klan halls were small storefronts or borrowed meeting places, this building was raised for the purpose of intimidation. And the building remains one of the biggest structures on the North Side — a part of town that has a large immigrant, Black, and Latino population. It has for nearly 100 years cast a large, daunting shadow.

After serving as the Klan’s Fort Worth headquarters for three years, the building exchanged hands several times. It served as a professional wrestling arena, a home for a local boxing team, and a hall for dance marathons before being sold to the Ellis Pecan Company in 1946. The company kept it as a warehouse until 1991, and it has since remained vacant — a canvas for graffiti artists and a makeshift shelter for homeless.

Sugarplum Holdings LP bought the building as an investment opportunity in 2004 and applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition in the summer of 2019. The owners were granted the COA at a public hearing on July 8, 2019 — albeit with a 180-day delay — which ultimately restored conversation around the fate of the historic structure.

but a museum and an incubator for micro businesses, serving both the culture and opportunity and economics of the North Side and other communities that were disenfranchised by being historically targeted by the Klan and by hate.”

According to its website, DNAWORKS is “an arts and service organization dedicated to furthering artistic expression and dialogue, focusing on issues of identity, culture, class, and heritage.” Banks and McKinney hope to begin difficult conversations and open community dialogue through an arts process that includes dance, theater, and film. The group recently started the Fort Worth Lynching Tour, where participants bike or drive through various stops throughout the city and experience the final hours of Fred Rouse’s life before he was lynched on the corner of Commerce and East Third streets in 1921.

Banks and McKinney, who moved to Fort Worth from Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2016, saw the importance of including different groups, organizations, and businesses in their quest to purchase, renovate, repurpose, and rename the structure.

“We’re hoping that this place could function as a space where groups like [Sol Ballet Folklórico] or other groups in the city could come to as a refuge.”

Freddy Cantu, co-founder and artistic director of Sol Ballet Folklórico and member of the 1012 Coalition

At the city meeting was Daniel Banks and Adam McKinney, co-founders of DNAWORKS, an organization that not only wants to save the structure but, in a rare form of poetic justice, turn the building into a community and arts center named after Fred Rouse — a Black man who was lynched by a mob of white people in 1921.

“At that time, it felt serendipitous to use our creative problem-solving skills, as artists and as activists, to develop some plans to think about the acquisition and transformation of that space,” Banks says. “1012 N. Main St. is something that Adam and I lit the match to. To transform that building into not just an art center

“We knew that the two of us coming from outside of Texas, it was not a project that should be a DNAWORKS project,” Banks says. “It was never DNAWORKS’ intention to own that building. We wanted to catalyze a community conversation and create a community conversation and bring people together to figure out what should happen to this building.”

Ultimately, they created the 1012 Coalition, which includes the Welman Project, Juneteenth Museum, Tarrant County Coalition for Peace and Justice, Sol Ballet Folklórico, Window to Your World, Mass Design Group, and the Projects Group.

While it’s still very early, the process is well underway to purchase the site and begin its transformation. The coalition meets monthly, and some preliminary renderings of the renovation are already making the rounds. Following the expiration of the delay of the demolition, in February of 2020, Transform 1012

N. Main St. was a finalist for a North Texas Community Foundation ToolBox grant and appeared in the foundation’s subsequent donor catalog. Fundraising efforts to acquire the land are expected to begin sometime this year.

According to a brochure provided to us by the coalition, the Fred Rouse Center and Museum for Arts and Community Healing will include an amphitheater, park, pop-up event space, museum and exhibit space, theater, and a makerspace.

Freddy Cantu, who’s the co-founder and artistic director of Sol Ballet Folklórico and member of the 1012 Coalition, hopes to capitalize on the center’s theater

space by promoting different cultures through dance and, ultimately, help raise funds for dance groups.

“We’re hoping that this place could function as a space where groups like [Sol Ballet Folklórico] or other groups in the city could come to as a refuge,” Cantu says. “As somewhere where they could share their art, collaborate with other dance teachers, make it multicultural, multiethnic style location for people to come and use the resources that we can give them.”

Similarly, the Welman Project, an organization that repurposes surplus materials for education purposes, looks to have an open-to-the-public makerspace that would make tools and equipment accessible to everyone.

Each partner brings something different and unique to the table that will ultimately make the Fred Rouse Center a fuller more realized community space.

“Together, we represent all the groups that the Klan targeted in the early 20s,” Banks says. “And we bring our full cultures and our full selves to this building and to this project … It’s a model whereby every culture is fully represented, and our hope is that when you have that kind of model, then you also have lots of people from different cultures coming to the space or gathering.”

The coalition understands that some may feel the building, with its dark history, should be demolished. But, the coalition argues, an awareness of the city’s history is important to create the dialogue necessary for Fort Worth to reach its full potential.

“The people in Fort Worth, I think we’re so laid back and we’re so busy trying to survive in some instances that we’re not aware of our history and the things that have occurred down through the years,” Opal Lee, activist and member of the 1012 Coalition, says. “It’s like it never happened because they don’t know about it.”

And, as for the proponents of demolition, the group is also open to the dialogue.

“We are aware that there are, in some corners of the city, people who still have questions about the philosophy of the project,” Banks says. “But really, nobody has brought it to us directly. We hope to engage with folks. We don’t want to just push this through. We’ve not had the opportunity to share the vision with people beyond the philosophical vision, to actually share what the building will provide for these communities.”

The word “healing” is used a lot in conversations with Banks, McKinney, and the rest of those who make up the coalition. There is a strong sense that saving and transforming 1012 N. Main St. would go a long way toward the city acknowledging and reckoning with its dark past.

“I’m thinking about what racism does, and it separates, it dehumanizes,” McKinney says. “A contradiction to racism is community-building and relationship-building with people, with whom or from whom we’ve been separated. Demolishing the building won’t get rid of racism. Developing relationships with people with whom we’ve been taught are not our allies might get rid of racism.”

PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD

Colby and Donnie Siratt

PHOTO BY OLAF GROWALD

Dream Street 2021: A Dream Development

Full of amenities, open spaces, and beautiful views, the new Montrachet development is home to this year’s Dream Street, featuring three luxury homes.

BY FWTX STAFF

The sequel to last year’s successful inaugural Dream Street is set to feature three luxury homes in the new Montrachet development in west Fort Worth. The houses, built by some of the city’s most sought after homebuilders, will also feature various high-end subcontractors who will ultimately deliver three homes that will showcase everything new and cutting edge in home design and technology.

The three homes will be open for touring in November when the finished products will also be featured in our magazine. Proceeds from these tours benefit a Wish with Wings, the magazine’s flagship charity partner, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening conditions.

VENDOR LIST:

Lot 22

Builder: Windmiller Custom Homes

Architect: Montebello Design

Interior Designer: Amira Windmiller Interiors

Lot 23

Builder: Heritage Homes

Architect: Heritage Design Studios

Interior Designer: Susan Semmelmann Interiors

Lot 24

Builder: HGC

Residential Development

Architect: Karl Hahnfeld Design Group

Interior Designer: Celeste Wegman Interiors

Montrachet, the new development that lies just west of its sister development, Montserrat, is primed to become the city’s trendiest spot for new home builds. The developers, brothers Colby and Donnie Siratt of Siratt Partners, got into the development business in 1999 with Covered Bridge Canyon in Parker County. Their second project became Montserrat after their father initially purchased the property as a family ranch. We caught up with the brothers for a brief chat about their new development.

FW: How is this property unique or different from Montserrat?

Donnie: “This one is unique for a bunch of different reasons. You have the Crown Orchard; you have the creek frontage that you can access — and that we plan to access for the community. You have the hills and the valleys. There will be trails that are accessible and walkable and bikeable. So, it lends itself to lots of outdoor hiking and biking space. So out of the development’s 255 acres, there are only 169 home sites on it. So, it’s really spread out; it’s not dense. It’s some big lots and some smaller lots also. There’s a good mix of size of lots, but there’s so much green space. That, again, kind of what we wanted for our kids and our families and the eventual grandkids, place to run and play outside and not be cooped up inside.”

Colby: “We do spend a lot more time, I think, than a lot of developers, really hiking the property and finding ways to make a property unique. Like, the big tree that you have to drive around in the middle of the road. We found that tree and said, ‘We’ve gotta save this.’ So, we shaped the

road around it. We try to let the land dictate what should go where.”

Donnie: “The engineers and the contractors kind of laugh at us. We’ve been called the ‘tree-hugging developers.’”

FW: So, who would this development be ideal for? Who would love to live in a place like this?

Donnie: “At Montserrat, because of the price point, we really thought it would be few families. And, especially, few young families. We thought it would be empty nesters. We thought it would be a more mature crowd. And we were shocked when the young families started showing up, and it turned out to be a ton of families that lived in Montserrat. So, when we got to this one, we know what’s coming; we’re like, ‘They’re going to be a lot of young families. So let’s also plan it, for the young families this time.’”

Colby: “And All Saints is only .9 miles away. All the private schools are really close. It’s convenient. When people first hear about it, they think ‘Oh, that’s outside of town,’ and it feels like you’re in the country, but then you hop on the highway, and you can be anywhere.”

FW: Do you mind going into some detail about the amenities and security?

Colby: “As far as amenities, we’re going to have a pavilion that can be used for parties and events and movie nights and stuff like that. People can also access a creek. There’s always water in it, so there will be fishing. We’ll also have a pool, bocce courts, pickleball, and a grill, like a resort type thing that everyone can walk to. And, of course, a lot of trails for hiking and biking.

“Security is big in both neighborhoods. And we’re working with some consultants this time on a lot more technology instead of just building fences. We’ll have the guard house, of course. We’re also working on implementing some ground sensitive [technology] that will alert the guards if people cross over it at certain hours.”

Donnie: “They’re talking about video cameras, electronic sensors, motion detectors, and stuff that can actually read the body weight of something. So, if it’s a turkey or something, it won’t set it off. But if it’s a 180-pound guy, it will set off. So that they’re not down here and chasing squirrels.”

And the winners are...

Don’t miss our next Fort Worth HOME section in the March issue of Fort Worth Magazine, where we will showcase the finalists and announce the winners of our 2021 Fort Worth HOME Design Awards!

The Fort Worth HOME Design Awards recognize the top well-designed spaces in the Fort Worth/Dallas area. Designers submit their recent projects in 11 categories, and a team of distinguished judges in the design industry determine the top three applicants for each category. The projects, finalists, and winners are featured within the Fort Worth HOME section of Fort Worth Magazine.

Due to COVID-19, we will forgo the inperson awards ceremony, and winners will be honored through our website and social media.

6 Stellar Staycations

Did the pandemic play havoc with your vacation plans? You don’t have to travel far to treat yourself to a little respite.

BY MARY MURPHY

In the early 1900s, Fort Worth’s locally owned bed and breakfasts offered rest and respite (and occasionally, a little bit of excitement) to cattle drivers passing through town.

If you look around, you’ll find several of these hundred-year-old homes still standing tall. They may no longer be frequented by men traveling through the Wild West, but they still have their stories, and they still offer a much-needed escape from everyday life.

Alongside five historic Fort Worth hideaways sits one new hotel that offers a contactless, luxurious stay.

Poke around a bit more, and you’ll find forward-thinking locals taking part in the new era of bed and breakfasts (Airbnbs).

Sometimes, all you need to reset is a staycation in a new space. With warmer weather on the horizon and love in the air, what better time to treat yourself (and one or two of your favorite people) to a little getaway close to home?

Fairmount

Preserved from the Past Rosen House Inn Park Place Avenue and Allen Avenue When you stay in a bed and breakfast,

there’s always someone (or something) that has a story to tell. Rosen House Inn is owned by “native western New York gal” Kelly Bowden, who’d always dreamed of owning a B&B and says that (like the classic phrase) she “wasn’t born in Texas but got here as quick as [she] could.”

Bowden’s B&B — the bright yellow house in historic Fairmount — was built by William M. Robinson in 1910. It’s survived two known fires and was once the go-to hotel for Fort Worth travelers arriving by train. They’d stay at the Rosen hotel and drink at the Rosen bar (also managed by Robinson). “Hell’s Half Acre” clientele came through his doors from time to time, so he made sure to keep the party going with liquor and gambling.

Look upwards at the intricate ceiling or peek around the entryway staircase and pause to picture what this house has seen, then step out on the wraparound patio. The inn offers hundreds of books to choose from, including one in every room that tells the history of the Rosen House. Better yet: This B&B

Rosen House Inn

is pet-friendly, so your four-legged friend can tag along for the fun.

Three rooms available

$129 – $159 per night rosenhouseinn.com

Art-Filled Oasis

Texas White House

Eighth Avenue and West Myrtle Street

Tucked along bustling Eighth Avenue sits a 110-year-old house. It’s painted white and has a wraparound porch. There’s a gazebo out back, and just one hint that it’s a B&B: the artsy bronze sign out front that lets guests know that they’ve arrived — TXWH.

There are three rooms in the main house and three in the carriage house. All of the rooms and the main house’s living room act as an art gallery where guests can view and buy local artists’ work.

Rent out the main house (or two modern suites in the carriage house) for an exclusive escape and add an extra touch to your stay with a package like Texas Wine & Cheese.

Since buying the Texas White House B&B in 2012, innkeepers Cindy and Javier Lucio have turned it into a charming place to spend a weekend away from it all. Out back, you’ll find a native Texas garden and (if you keep an eye out) a “hidden hammock.”

Six rooms available

$100 – $175 per night texaswhitehouse.com

New-Age Bed & Breakfast

Walk and See – Fairmount Community Garden // Historic homes // Murals along Magnolia Avenue

Walk and Eat – Anywhere along Magnolia Avenue // Wabi House // Esperanza’s

hotel. The building’s blue slats and concrete paneling will make you stop in your tracks with a “ooh, what’s that?”.

Good news: The inside of the hotel is just as cool as the outside. It has clean white walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and everything you need to feel like you’re living the high life.

The one thing it doesn’t have? Onsite staff. Check in with your phone (Hotel Revel will email you an app for your room key) and enjoy decked-out amenities in every room. You’ll have everything you need to enjoy your stay on your own, without having to talk to any strangers at all. Huzzah!

If you’d like to class it up, you can ask Hotel Revel to provide champagne for two or unwind with some of the CBD goodies that they offer. This spring, guests will be also able to enjoy Sugarmans (a new speakeasy on the ground floor) and Cast & Hook (a new seafood kitchen and raw bar from chef Stefon Rishel).

Stretch your legs during the day with a walk along Magnolia Avenue or around the Historic Near Southside ... just be sure to make it back before the sun begins to set. A Texas sunset from the Hotel Revel SkyDeck is a can’t-miss affair.

15 rooms available

$130 – $315 per night thehotelrevel.com

South Main House of Hygge

Three Danes Inn

Hotel Revel West Rosedale Street and Eighth Avenue

“Welcome to the Revellion”: Fort Worth’s one-of-akind contactless

West Leuda Street and May Street

Located slightly southwest of Rosen House Inn is another century-old yellow house. It’s an adults-only historic inn with a vibrant history, cozy rooms, and gorgeous wraparound porch.

A visit to Three Danes Inn is a must for anyone who’s looking to

slow down their pace and rest in the moment. It’s owned by Fort Worth locals Darlene, Erna, and Jim, a trio known for their hospitality and kindness toward guests. They’ve revitalized the home on May Street and turned it into a place of “hygge,” where you’re sure to find the peace and quiet you’ve been craving. hyg·ge

['h(y)oog , 'hoo g ] (pronounced hoo-gah)

noun a Danish word meaning “a cozy environment where one can enjoy life’s simple pleasures with family

and friends.”

The Texas Historic Landmark was built in 1904 by Charles W. Maxwell and later bought by James Liston, an Irish immigrant who owned several saloons in the famous “Hell’s Half Acre.”

Evidence of his tragic murder still exists. Late one night in 1917, Liston was shot to death on the back porch by a group of crooks, in front of his wife, Delia. You can see one of the bullet holes in the B&B’s kitchen, which has since become Three Danes Baking Company.

The three Danes have lovingly restored the little yellow home, where guests can savor peace, quiet, and fresh Danish pastries.

Five rooms available

$100 – $175 per night threedanesinn.com

Texas White House

Three Danes Inn

Hotel Revel

Walk and See — Leaves Book and Tea Shop // Tulips // Murals around South Main

Walk and Eat — Cannon Chinese Kitchen // Rahr & Sons Brewing Company // Roots Coffeehouse // Arcadia Coffee

WHILE IN SOUTH MAIN

Stockyards

Paranormal Paradise

Miss Molly’s Hotel North Main Street and West Exchange Avenue

If you’re a fan of history, ghosts, and the Stockyards cattle drive, by golly, you need to stay at Miss Molly’s. The once-well-known brothel was built back in 1910. You may have seen it while strolling along Main Street. It’s above Star Cafe (one of the Stockyards’ oldest and best restaurants), right across from M.L. Leddy’s.

All of the B&B’s eight rooms are filled with Old West antiques, and seven of them have been restored to their original condition. Bathrooms with old-timey iron tubs, pull-chain toilets, and pedestal sinks are down the hall from the rooms.

You can also stay in Miss Josie’s Room: the old madam’s quarters where you could once rent girls along with your stay. It has Victorian décor and a private restroom. Classy. All of the rooms are showcased in videos on Miss Molly’s site. This is helpful because you may only want to stay

here once in your lifetime. Word on the street is, it’s haunted.

This old brothel-turned-B&B is one of the most haunted places in Fort Worth and is considered to be one of the most active paranormal sites in Texas. One Google review reads: “A ghost was trying to grab me whilst I was trying to sleep. Would not recommend if not wanting to see a ghost. Rating: 3/5.”

Several people who study paranormal activity have come here for research — and they haven’t gone home disappointed. Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it; you can book a stay and experience it for yourself — the past just might come greet you while you’re there.

$100 – $175 per night missmollyshotel.com

Eagle Mountain Lake Lakeside Escape

Old Liberty Schoolhouse Liberty School Tap Road

This B&B is a short jaunt from downtown Fort Worth, located in Azle (about a 30-minute drive). It’s a two-room hideaway in an old schoolhouse that was functional from 1917 to 1942.

This property has a relaxing charm, and the old rooms have stories to tell. In the past, this was a traditional gathering place for weddings, town meetings, and performances when school wasn’t in session. If you’re a fan of history, schedule a short tour before your stay.

Two quaint rooms are available and include complimentary room service with homemade breakfast: The Liberty Suite (reminiscent of a little apartment, complete with fireplace and a porch swing) or the Let Freedom Ring Suite (which offers phenomenal views of Eagle Mountain Lake) — everything you need to enjoy a home away from home.

$100 – $175 per night

theoldlibertyschoolhouse.com

Drive and See – Eagle Mountain Lake Park // Umbra Winery // Antique stores along State Highway 199

Drive and Eat – Mak’s Burgers & BBQ Breakfast All Day // Sam’s Southern Eatery

Old Liberty Schoolhouse

Walk and See – Mule Alley // Rodeo Park // Longhorn Viewing Deck // Cowtown Cattle Pen Maze

Walk and Eat – Star Cafe // H3 Ranch // The Railcar Coffee & Spirits // Rodeo Tacos

WHILE IN THE STOCKYARDS

WHILE IN AZLE

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Bold Strokes

There’s clearly some magic in the bristles of Nöelle Overturf’s paint brush. Her abstract art that chronicles her life as a mom, wife, and entrepreneur is creating some buzz.

BY BRIAN KENDALL

There are faces behind those highly engaging social media accounts of the Fort Worth neighborhoods we love — Near Southside, River East, River District, etc. Whether we reside in these areas of town or not, a good city dweller should occasionally venture outside their bubble and check out what the rest of the city has to offer — and posts about an area’s best shops, venues, bars, and restaurants do a decent job of tickling locals’ wanderlust for these districts. But, like the person behind a radio voice, one wonders who’s pushing this massively appealing content.

For the River District, that person

is Nöelle Overturf — yes with the diaresis over the “o” — who also has an Instagram account devoted to her passion: painting. A click on her page will treat you to subdued strokes of color with patches of vibrancy that flood her canvases. Yet, what might seem like a smattering of watercolors (something akin to the chaos of a Jackson Pollock), there’s a measured and detailed approach to her distinctive paintings, something that would be difficult to replicate.

“My aesthetic is always evolving,” Nöelle says. “I’m always learning new things and just trying to experiment with different colors and mediums and paints. I love working with colors.

You look at my art, and you’ll notice I love putting colors together that you wouldn’t normally see.”

Growing up in Glen Rose — a small town whose claim to fame is the dinosaur tracks found in the aptly titled Dinosaur Valley State Park — Nöelle and her husband, Zach Overturf, moved to Fort Worth soon after graduating from Stephen F. Austin University, where she studied nutrition and dietetics.

“I do nothing with that right now,” Nöelle jokes.

Once in the Fort, she quickly became an employee of the Bass Companies and began dabbling in home renovation as she and her husband moved around different areas of the city. After four years, Nöelle left her job at Bass Companies and pursued entrepreneurship with Zach, who is the broker of LEAD Property Management. The couple eventually started a family, and, now, Nöelle must navigate being a mom, artist, social media coordinator, and entrepreneur. Yet, this doesn’t stop her from pursuing her passion every day.

“I mostly paint during nap times and that’s usually in the afternoon. I have a two-year-old, so it’s kind of hit or miss, but my family knows that art is an outlet for me and so they try to make time for me to just kind of go in my little office/studio and just do my thing. It’s just kind of a really cool escape.”

Since a day doesn’t go by without Nöelle picking up her brush, she sees her painting as a chronicle of her life.

“I decided to create an art Instagram, kind of as a diary for myself,” Nöelle says. “I decided to just put it out there after I became a mom, and that’s kind of where I am right now. The art is all over the map, but it’s been really a beautiful story.”

You can follow Nöelle Overturf on Instagram @noellegrace_designs

Dancing on the Razor’s Edge

From a reality show to a Vegas production, at 20 years old, Southlake’s Molly McKinnon is quickly twirling her way to the top of her field.

BY LAUREN SMART

Last March, Molly McKinnon was packing to board a cruise ship for the next nine months. This high-kicking, Southlake-Carroll graduate had landed her first professional full-time dancing gig. She would perform in a nightly show while she traveled around the world. But, as you probably already guessed, her ship never left the port.

Instead, when the pandemic began to take hold, she moved from her new Las Vegas home back to North Texas to be with family. While the rest of the world stocked up on toilet paper and caught up on TV, she learned aerial silks, an acrobatic dance form popularized

Continued on Page 40

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college experience to pursue her dreams. Maybe. But it’s more likely McKinnon is the driving force behind her own destiny. At 20 years old, she is 5 feet, 4 inches of muscle topped with a sparkling smile and long blonde locks. When she dances, she seems to light up. She’s graceful and saucy and precise. All of that shines through on the demo reel she was sending to casting agents throughout the pandemic, but it was the newly acquired aerial silks skills that put her in an audition room in the fall.

by the Canadian big-top troupe, Cirque du Soleil.

“I never stopped training during that time or sending out my materials to see what was out there, which at the time was not a lot,” McKinnon says. “I figured I should make my talents more diverse, so that’s why I started aerials.”

It would be just a few months before the hard work of learning this new skill would pay off, but for McKinnon the work is part of what she enjoys about a dancer’s life.

a scholarship to Pace University.

“I have always been a mover,” McKinnon says. “[My parents] wanted me to try every sport imaginable. However, nothing gave me the joy I felt every time I stepped into the dance studio.”

Her story checks a lot of the mythmaking boxes of a prodigy: 1) Her parents say she was dancing before she was even walking. 2) Two knee surgeries as a child left doctors believing she’d never dance again. 3) She risked everything to pursue her dreams of becoming a dance star. OK, not everything, but she did turn down

In 2019, McKinnon moved west after graduation. By that time, she was already well on her way to stardom. Just two years earlier, she was featured as a company member on “Dancing Queen,” a Netflix reality show that chronicled the Mesquite studio, Beyond Belief Dance, and its owner, Justin Johnson, aka drag superstar Alyssa Edwards.

She jumped from streaming to primetime when her high school dance troupe, The Emerald Belles, made it to the quarterfinals of “America’s Got Talent” her senior year. As the captain, McKinnon stood face to face with the judges, including Simon Cowell, who told her as he voted her team into the next round, “I think Texas will root for you; America will root for you.”

Maybe these superlatives gave her the courage to forgo a typical

Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino was going to open the first show on the strip since the original shutdown — it is still one of the only live dance productions in the country. When “Extravaganza” opened in November, McKinnon was backstage in costume, glittery mask and all.

As the understudy for the female lead, she performs in the ensemble nightly but has already stepped into the main role several times. The dancers perform with strict adherence to mandatory masks and social distancing. It’s a challenge, McKinnon says, but being able to dance on a major Vegas stage is what she moved there to do.

“It has always been a dream for me to be a dancer in a Vegas show, but I never thought it would happen at a time when no one is dancing, at a time when everyone in the city is looking for a job,” McKinnon says. “I’m so lucky to be on stage right now.”

Good Reads

A chat with Will Evans, executive director of Deep Vellum publishing, and three books to check out in February.

BY TINA HOWARD

FOUR QUESTIONS: WILL EVANS

1 Tell me a little bit about yourself and Deep Vellum Publishing. I’m Will Evans, executive director of Deep Vellum Publishing. Inspired by a lifelong love of Russian literature and a curiosity for stories that process this shared human condition, I founded Deep Vellum in 2013 with the mission to bring the world in conversation through literature by publishing boundarypushing, mind-expanding stories from every corner of the globe. We are a nonprofit publishing house and literary arts center that publishes books from around the world in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, and children’s. We have six editorial imprints led by individual editors with singular visions that fulfill our mission. Our goal is to make literature fun, inclusive, tear down the walls of elitism in the literary world, [and] bring into the foreground the conversation that happens between authors and readers privately during the reading experience and communally in public events.

We opened our Dallas bookstore, Deep Vellum Books, in 2015 to continue hosting literary programming and help readers discover books by some of the most com-

pelling writers and independent publishers that don’t get the attention they deserve.

2 Why do you feel the work of translation and reading international authors is important for American readers? Reading takes you outside of your head for a second, into the head of another person who is sharing their vision, their way of seeing the world, and their understanding of processing the human condition. That is a radical act that we need more of in this world. Without reading the world’s literature, we have no idea how the world is sharing stories, creating art, understanding history, and we have no idea the connections between us all. Reading brings the world together in some small way, a word at a time.

3 What have you read recently that has impacted you? Kendra Greene’s debut book, The Museum of Whales You Will Never See: And Other Excursions to Iceland’s Most Unusual Museums, is beautifully written, humane and tender in its treatment of the characters within it, and transportive in the best way — the most valuable book I read in the past year. It hit me in a way that made me want to hug everyone in the world, especially in Iceland. We are so lucky to have Kendra, one of my favorite writers in the world, living right here in Dallas.

4 What’s ahead for DVP in 2021? We are ﬁnalizing a merger with the legendary publishing house, Dalkey Archive Press, as an editorial imprint under Deep Vellum. We publish our ﬁrst kids’ book this summer, Uncle Rabbit and the Wax Doll, narrated by indigenous Mexican Nahuatl storyteller Silvestre Pantaleón Esteva and illustrated by Inocencio Jiménez Chino, translated from the Nahuatl by Jonathan Amith. We have a forthcoming book about Dirk Nowitzki and what he means to Dallas by Zac Crain, as well as the latest book, In Concrete, by our bestselling author, Anne Garréta, of France. It’s going to be a great year, and we’re so grateful to independent booksellers for helping to connect our books with readers through it all.

a story of war, immigration, and the ability to create beauty out of horror through 26 pieces built around the alphabet. First-person narratives of the memories of family members are woven with ghost stories, fairytales, old family photographs, and medieval-style watercolor illuminations to create an origin story of loss and remembrance.

Honey, I Killed the Cats by Dorota Masłowska, translated by Benjamin Palo The title itself should indicate a wild ride of wit and whimsy. Honey, I Killed the Cats is a satiric novel by acclaimed Polish author Dorota Masłowska about two American women inﬂuenced by consumer culture, manipulating even their friendship with each other. The novel’s prose is as profound as it is hilarious.

Meditations on Being by Rachel Fox

A Dallas-based meditation studio leader, Rachel Fox pulls readers through life’s bittersweet journeys, one poem at a time. The book’s beautifully sculpted wordplay offers the reader a chance to pause, to reﬂect, and to breathe in the midst of the chaos of life. The book also features an intro from worldrenowned meditation teacher and public speaker, Benjamin W. Decker.

Tina Howard, along with her husband, Todd, is the owner of Leaves Book and Tea Shop on St. Louis Avenue in the Near Southside.

Above Us the Milky Way by Fowza Karimi Afghan author Fowza Karimi shares

Bone & Joint Clinic

ORTHOPEDIC CARE FOR THE MATURE ATHLETE

Steven J. Meyers, M.D.

Non-Operative Sports Medicine

Fellowship Trained in Primary Care Sports Medicine

Dr. Steve Meyers is a sports medicine physician specializing in the non-operative treatment of all sports injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. He manages all general orthopedic diagnoses and has a special interest in Regenerative Medicine, using one’s own cells to heal damaged tissue and improve pain and function.

Joseph C. Milne M.D.

Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon

Fellowship Trained in Sports Medicine, Shoulder & Knee Surgery

Dr. Milne has been practicing in Fort Worth since 1993. He has served as the orthopedic team physician for many of Fort Worth’s sports teams, including TCU for 23 years. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at TCU, teaching in the Kinesiology department. Dr. Milne is board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. He has authored numerous articles and book chapters on surgery of the knee and shoulder.

Torrance A. Walker, M.D.

Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon

Fellowship Trained in Adult Reconstruction

Dr. Torrance Walker earned his Medical Degree and specialty training in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He completed fellowship training in Adult Reconstruction at the world-renowned Campbell Clinic in Memphis, TN, where he

and

A ThreeCourse Meal for Your Valentine

A box of chocolates and a dozen roses will look like child’s play after preparing this delectable feast for your sweetheart.

BY HILLAIRE BAUMGARTNER

KOMBUCHA MULE

A simple, zingy take on the classic Moscow Mule.

5 minutes, serves 2

Ingredients

• 6 ounces ginger kombucha

• 1 ounce fresh lime juice

• Ice

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka, optional

Instructions

1. Fill ice to the top of a copper mug.

2. Add the lime juice, vodka (if using), and kombucha.

3. Stir and garnish with fresh lime and mint.

MIXED GREEN SALAD WITH LEMONY CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

This tender and crisp salad is mixed with crunchy chickpeas, browned capers, and shallots, then tossed with a delicate champagne vinaigrette dressing.

20 minutes, serves 2

Ingredients – salad

• 3 cups spring mix lettuce

• 1 cup endive, chopped

• 1 cup radicchio, chopped

• 1 shallot, sliced into rounds

• 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

• 1/2 cup capers, drained and rinsed

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• Pinch of salt and pepper

• 1 cup fresh shaved Parmesan cheese

Ingredients – dressing

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• Zest from 1/2 lemon

• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, warm the butter over low heat. Add the garbanzo beans and spices and cook for 8 minutes or until the chickpeas are slightly browned.

2. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until lightly browned and fragrant or about 5 minutes. Then, add the capers and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Take off heat and set aside to cool.

4. Make the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

5. In a large bowl, add the lettuce, endive, and radicchio. Toss the chickpea mixture with it.

6. Drizzle the dressing on top and finish with Parmesan cheese.

CAULIFLOWER STEAK WITH MASHED SWEET POTATOES AND WALNUT PARSLEY PESTO

Cauliflower is roasted and tender and served with mashed sweet potatoes, then topped with a homemade pesto.

70 minutes, serves 2

Ingredients – cauliflower

• 1 small head of cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

• Heavy pinch of salt

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Ingredients – pesto

• 1/2 cup walnuts

• 1 cup olive oil

• 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

• 4 cups parsley, leaves and stems roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients – mashed sweet potatoes

• 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup

• 1/4 cup warm almond milk

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Heavy pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Carefully trim the stems from the cauliflower, making sure to keep the core intact.

3. First, cut through the middle of the cauliflower. Then, starting from the inside of each half, cut thick 1- to 2-inch slices.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes. Brush both sides of the steaks with the mixture.

5. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway.

6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes.

7. Drain potatoes and add to a large bowl with maple syrup, almond milk, butter, and salt. Mash until smooth.

8. Make the pesto by combining all ingredients, minus the oil, into a food processor or blender. Slowly stream in the oil until the pesto is thick and well combined.

9. Serve the pesto with the cauliflower steaks and mashed sweet potatoes.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE SKILLET COOKIE

Full of peanut butter flavor and drizzled with a creamy fudge sauce, this skillet cookie is a beautifully rich treat.

70 minutes, serves 2-4

Ingredients

For the cookie

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup peanut/chocolate chips combination

For the peanut butter fudge sauce

• 3/4 cup evaporated coconut milk

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions – make the skillet cookie

1. Preheat oven 375 F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and white and brown sugar. Using a stand or hand mixer, mix on medium speed for 5-8 minutes or until whipped.

3. Add the eggs to the bowl, one at a time, and beat after each addition.

4. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until combined.

5. Pour the flour in, 1 cup at a time, and continue to beat. Then, add the baking soda and salt and beat on medium speed a final time until all incorporated.

6. Fold in the peanut/chocolate chips.

7. Spray a small cast-iron skillet with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the skillet and spread evenly with a spatula.

8. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Instructions – make the fudge sauce

1. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients over low-medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t burn for 15 minutes or until thickened.

2. Serve the skillet cookie with ice cream and fudge sauce.

Ramen Redux

Local chef Jesus Garcia brings his acclaimed ramen back to the West Seventh area — to the exact same spot where he helped popularize the Japanese soup.

BY MALCOLM MAYHEW

In what can only be described as pure serendipity, local chef Jesus Garcia will soon open his new ramen restaurant — in the exact same place where he opened his first ramen restaurant.

“A friend of mine said, ‘If a spot is meant for you, it’s meant for you,’” Garcia says, laughing.

In February, the Houston-born chef will open his new ramen spot, Kintaro Ramen, at 2801 W. Seventh St. Those who have followed Garcia’s career know this is the exact same address where, four years ago, he opened

another ramen concept, Oni Ramen. Garcia sold off his share of Oni’s business last year before the restaurant closed in July due to the pandemic. As luck would have it, he and a business partner held on to the lease, which is good for another four years.

“I started looking for a place around the same time Oni closed,” he says. “It just made perfect sense. I already know the building, the kitchen, the landlords. It’s one of those things that was meant to be.”

During the pandemic last year, Garcia launched two Kintaro concepts — a brick-and-mortar restaurant in

Arlington and its Fort Worth sibling, a ghost kitchen in Ridglea Hills. Last year, Fort Worth Magazine named both locations as two of the area’s best new restaurants.

The ghost kitchen will close as soon as the West Seventh store opens, Garcia says. It was always his intent, he says, to move the Fort Worth store, which only served food to-go or through delivery, into bigger digs.

“I wanted to test the waters first,” he says. “A ghost kitchen is a great option if you want to keep your overhead low and focus solely on the food. It was also a good way to see if this is a style of food people were still wanting.”

The new location will be modeled after the Arlington store, Garcia says, noting customers will order via kiosks, then grab a seat for table service.

There will be at least four to six types of ramen, including a curried oyster ramen, a birria ramen, and a veggie option, plus small plates.

It wasn’t far from West Seventh where Garcia built his name and following, first as a chef at Sushi Yoko on Camp Bowie Boulevard, then across the street, as the executive chef at Little Lilly Sushi. At the latter, he won accolades for his imaginative takes on sushi and Japanese cuisine.

Garcia left Little Lilly in 2014 and headed to Seattle, where he learned the ropes of ramen, training at restaurants such as the acclaimed Hokkaido Ramen Santouka.

When he returned to Fort Worth, two years later, he opened Oni Ramen in the West Seventh area, garnering praise from critics and mortals alike

for his cutting-edge varieties of ramen.

A second store opened in Dallas to similar acclaim.

Although no longer affiliated with the Oni location in Dallas, he does want to keep his foot in Dallas’ door.

Later this year, he’s planning on launching a food truck that’ll service the north Dallas area.

But for now, he’s focusing on Fort Worth and bringing his former haunt back to life.

“I have a major advantage this time — I know what worked the first time I was here, and I know what didn’t,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot since then as both a restaurant owner and a chef, and I’m anxious to put that knowledge to work.”

2801 West Seventh St., kintaroramen.com

Bits and Bites

Fort Worth may never warm up to the food hall concept, but maybe it’ll fly in Grapevine, where a new food hall will soon open. Part of the city’s $114 million Grapevine Main development, Harvest Hall will feature a half-dozen kitchens, plus a coffeeshop, bars, and live entertainment space. The hall will mark the first brick-andmortar location of ZaTaR, a Mediterranean spot whose popular food truck originated in Fort Worth.

Other food vendors include two familiar faces, Monkey King Noodle Co. and Easy Slider, and a pair of spinoffs: Italian spot Spuntino comes from the owners of Loveria in Colleyville, and Chick & Biscuit is a sibling of Mason & Dixie, a Southern-inspired restaurant in Grapevine. There’s also a Latin-inspired kitchen called Arepa TX; its menu of tacos and arepas was created by YouTube chef Mary Ann Allen, best known as the Frugal Chef. Harvest Hall will also be outfitted with a coffee shop, which will offer treats from Fort Worth’s Dough Boy Donuts, and two bars. Connected to the new Hotel Vin, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the hall is scheduled to open Jan. 30. 815 S. Main St., Grapevine, harvesthall.com

* Speaking of Dough Boy Donuts, Melvin Roberson’s popular doughnut shop is scheduled to open in its new home in Burleson in late February or early March. Look for it at 291 West Hidden Creek Parkway in the Standard at Chisenhall development. doughboydonuts.net

* More coffee is coming to Fort Worth’s south side. Says CultureMap, White Rhino Coffee, which has locations in Waxahachie, Cedar Hill, and Red Oak, will open a Fort Worth location by spring, next door to the new Hotel Revel, in a space recently vacated by Potbelly. We’ve been into White Rhino for a couple years now, having raved about the Waxahachie location’s lattes and sprouty sandwiches in a 2018 story. The mini chain was founded by Chris Parvin, an estate planning attorney and former Cedar Hill City councilman. 1201 Eighth Ave., whiterhinocoffee.com

All Fired Up

Up-and-coming chef Edward Gutierrez makes his mark at the city’s hottest new hangout, Smokestack 1948.

You only need to talk to Edward Gutierrez for, oh, a minute or three to get a sense of his fearless enthusiasm for Fort Worth’s food and restaurant community.

The pandemic, a shaky economy, political unrest — none of it can bend the spirit of the Fort Worth native and North Side High grad. Get him talking about pizza, the dish du jour at Smokestack 1948 — the new outdoor food and drink hangout where he’s executive chef — and you better set aside at least half an hour.

Opened in December, Smokestack 1948 comes from another Fort Worth native, Carter Froman, who spent years in the food truck park worlds in Austin and Colorado. A desire to open a similar concept in Fort Worth led him to rehab a cluster of vintage industrial buildings near Eighth

Avenue on the south side. Froman named the concept after the year one of the buildings was erected.

The property includes two bars — a sports bar and a more laid-back lounge — as well as a food trailer, called 817 Pizza, that serves gourmet pizzas, salads, and sandwiches. To oversee the operations of the food trailer, Froman tapped the talented Gutierrez, a rising star in the city’s chef community.

The 33-year-old chef has gained the respect of his peers by insisting on doing things the hard way, making just about everything by hand, down to the sauces and pizza dough for his pan-style pies.

His “Texas-style” pizzas include a pepperoni and pickled jalapeño pie drizzled in Texas honey; a chicken fajita pie with a housemade avocado crema; a white pie with mushrooms, scallions, and black pepper; and what

may be the city’s best pizza at the moment, the Bacon Jalapeño Popper, made with house bacon jam, smoked and diced jalapeños, and caramelized cream cheese.

Gutierrez applies the same amount of time and energy to sandwiches, making most of the ingredients himself, including the brioche-style bread. There’s a BLT with housemade chipotle mayo; a pepperoni grilled cheese; and a barbecue sandwich, made with brisket smoked on-site.

Salads are a big deal to him, too. Currently, there are three on the menu, but he’ll be expanding that number soon.

“They’re not going to be weight-loss salads, but they’re not going to be stacked a mile high with ingredients that wouldn’t make it a salad,” he says. “To me, a good salad is something you can eat as an entrée and feel full but also feel good about what you just ate.”

Gutierrez’s love for cooking is rooted in his childhood, when he would follow his grandparents and greatgrandmother around the kitchen, tugging at them to let him help. In his 20s, he traveled to Paris, where he worked under master pastry chef Laurent Duchêne. As a seaman in the U.S. Navy, he also spent time cooking in Japan, expanding his culinary knowledge.

When he returned to Fort Worth, he worked as the executive chef at The Bearded Lady and Trophy Ranch; he also spent nearly four years as an instructor at the Culinary School of Fort Worth.

Some of the Smokestack employees are former students, Gutierrez says.

“I love that I’m getting to work with some of my former students again,” he says. “They’re all hungry to learn and have a lot passion. I plan to harness this by letting them take the lead on designing daily specials and learning what it feels like to create and share. The goal is to create a unique dining experience — when you come back, you won’t see the exact same things on the menu.”

2836 Stanley Ave., smokestack1948.com

PHOTO BY CRYSTAL

Family Tradition

A member of Fort Worth’s beloved Hedary family opens a new food truck dedicated to his family’s Mediterranean food recipes.

One of the most wellknown families in Fort Worth food circles has launched a new food truck on the city’s south side.

Hedary’s, a mobile kitchen specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, recently started rolling through the Near Southside area. It can usually be found at the intersection of Rosedale and Main streets from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

The truck is run by Antoine Joseph Hedary, whose grandparents opened the original Hedary’s restaurant on White Settlement Road in 1976.

“Most of the recipes come directly from my family,” Antoine says. “I’ve changed a few small things here and there to give the food my own flavor. But mostly this is the food people will remember being made by my family.”

The menu includes grilled lamb and beef gyros; a kafta sirloin sandwich, comprised of ground beef mixed with chopped parsley and onions; Mediterranean-style pizzas; falafel; chicken kebabs; and salads.

“Our family was known for offering big portions of food for not a lot of money,” he says. “I definitely want to carry that on.”

Other Hedary family members have owned or managed restaurants in the area. Antoine’s uncle runs Byblos on North Main Street. Another relative runs a Hedary’s location in Allen; there’s also a Hedary’s in Las Vegas.

Perhaps most memorably, Antoine’s father, Joseph, ran one of Fort Worth’s most unusual — and much-missed — restaurants, Celaborelle Phoenician. Diners often acted as their own servers, writing down their orders, then handing them to Joseph, who prepared the dishes on the fly.

Joseph also momentarily ran the Hedary’s location on Camp Bowie, where Antoine sometimes worked, but has always vowed to reopen Celaborelle.

“I know he’s still hoping to do that,” Antoine says. “But he’s only one man, and the building needs a lot work.”

Antoine is hoping to eventually open his own brickand-mortar location.

“That’s one thing I would love to do,” he says. “You can only do so much in a food truck. But what we do, we’ll do well until we get a bigger space.”

1023 S. Main St., hedarysfoodtruck.com

Pie Hard

A new upscale pizza restaurant in Southwest Fort Worth offers a unique spin on all-you-can-eat-style dining.

It was a wild idea, something that hadn’t been done before in North Texas, this crazy concept that Evandro Caregnato and Vanderleia Mallmann dreamed up for a new restaurant: Take a Brazilian steakhouse, remove the skewers of meat, replace with slices of pizza.

Odd as it may sound, Delucca Gaucho Pizza & Wine has been a hit since the North Texas couple opened the first location two years ago in Southlake — so much of a hit, the two have opened additional locations in Plano and Dallas. Now, a Fort Worth store is slated to open in February in the old Bravo! Italian Kitchen building along Hulen Street.

The couple worked together at Texas de Brazil before they struck out on their own with this unusual, upscale concept, which pays tribute to Texas de Brazil and other churrascaria-style restaurants.

For the uninitiated, this is how it works: Diners pay a fixed price, around $22, for bottomless slices of wood-fired oven pizza, delivered by roaming gauchos. The price also includes an arugula salad, lobster bisque, and housemade Kobe meatballs. Varieties of pizza include cheese and truffle, classic pepperoni, shrimp and fontina, and Turkish lamb with sumac onions; there are vegan and gluten-free options, too.

The set price also includes all-you-can-eat slices of dessert pizzas. Among the flavors are roasted pear, gorgonzola and honey; banana flambé; and blackberry and mascarpone.

The menu at the Fort Worth location, Evandro says, will be different than at other stores. A first for the mini chain, several a la carte items will be offered, including prime and wagyu steaks, salads, and seafood dishes. In addition, a la carte pizzas will be served in the bar and patio areas.

While the attractive, old world-style dining room will be open, curbside service and to-go orders will be available, too. 3010 South Hulen St., delucca.com

Restaurant news written and compiled by Malcolm Mayhew. You can reach Malcolm at malcolm. mayhew@hotmail.com or on Twitter @foodfortworth.

The Field

With Mayor Betsy Price declining to run for reelection, it’s been nearly a decade since the mayoral race has been this wide open. While some may still enter, here’s a closer look at four candidates vying for the open mayoral seat.

BY SCOTT NISHIMURA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLAF GROWALD

The Fort Worth mayoral seat will open for the first time in 10 years in May, and the field is rapidly building.

Confirmed candidates include City Council members Brian Byrd and Ann Zadeh; Deborah Peoples, chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party; and Mattie Parker, Mayor Betsy Price’s former chief of staff and longtime legislative staffer, as of press date Jan. 15.

Fort Worth lawyer Dee Kelly, Jr., who had been widely expected to seek the mayor’s seat if Price didn’t run, announced he would not run, opening the race up. Businessman Leonard Firestone, who told Fort Worth Magazine in early January he would seek the District 7 seat of retiring Councilman Dennis Shingleton, had been speculated to be a potential candidate for mayor. But Firestone said at midmonth he decided not to seek any seat.

Two other candidates have filed paperwork with the city to run: Mike Haynes and Chris Rector. A third, Joyce Mitchell, had filed the

paperwork to disclose a treasurer. The field of prospective candidates might be narrowing. Tim Carter, the longtime Fort Worth banker and a rumored candidate for mayor, said Jan. 18 he would not run. Instead, he endorsed Parker.

The candidacies and Shingleton’s retirement mean changes in at least three council seats: Byrd’s District 3, where District Director Michael Crain has filed to run; District 7; and District 9, where neighborhood leader Fernando Peralta Barrios has filed to run, and a second prospective candidate filed a treasurer’s disclosure.

The new mayor and council will face a big agenda: helping businesses get back on their feet amid COVID-19, budget fallout from a decline in revenues, and creating an environment that encourages corporate relocation and retains talent. Equity is an umbrella that covers education, infrastructure, and public safety.

“There’s going to be a lot of changes,” Shingleton said.

ELECTED: City Council West Side District 3, May 2017

EDUCATION: B.B.A., international business, University of Texas at Austin; M.D., University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Grew up in entrepreneurial family; parents, for one, owned a chocolate factory. “They were just serial entrepreneurs.” Set up medical practice; moved into hospice; opened companies in Fort Worth, Dallas, San Antonio. Sold 2013. Still owns multi-physician practice, practices Friday mornings, two or three times per month.

FAMILY AND VOLUNTEER: Byrd and wife Stephanie have three children and live in Mira Vista. Board of Tarrant NET ministry. Volunteer executive pastor at Christ Fellowship Church. An area coordinator, Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree Ministry. Part of a first-response medical team that traveled to Haiti following 2010 quake. byrd4mayor.org

BRIAN BYRD

Brian Byrd has been knocking on doors in his West Side City Council district since the summer, asking constituents what they want, shooting masked selfies with them, and recording the answers on his Facebook page. “I’m one of those weird people who loves door-knocking,” Byrd says. “They fill me in. They want to talk.” This most recent election cycle, Byrd started knocking on doors in August, which he says was a prelude to launching a mayoral campaign he would run, if Mayor Betsy Price decided against seeking reelection.

Fundamentals “I just love being on city council. It’s one of the greatest honors of my life. I want to continue to maintain that camaraderie on the council. Efficient government: Our government doesn’t have a competitor, so it’s incumbent on officials to put downward pressure on tax rates.”

Levering his entrepreneurial background: Byrd points to the nascent growth of business incubators and accelerators in Fort Worth as a tool elected officials can lever to encourage startups. “We need an encouraging climate. I want our culture to encourage people to take risks. The mayor can be out front, visiting startups, talking about the value of taking risks. I’ve started a number of businesses and been successful and been able to sell. I know what it’s like.”

The safe city “Four years ago, I heard the refrain of ‘please lower my property taxes.’ But [today], I hear ‘Brian, please keep us safe.’ We’ve had the most number of homicides since 1994, and they’re scared. I believe in neighborhood policing. I also admire that our current chief is looking for ways to get things done. Expanding [mental health crisis intervention teams, meant to reduce calls to police for mental health-related issues], adding a nonsworn division, better de-escalation training for our officers.”

Inclusion and retention “A lot of kids — African American and Latino — are going off and getting educated and not

coming back to Fort Worth. They don’t feel welcome. That is a tremendous resource drain.”

Helping organize, with other business leaders, a mentoring program for business people through The Cole Lab. First cohort of four mentees starts in February. Mentors include Rob Opitz, partner at BKD CPA & Advisors. “A year ago, we put together a team. We decided what the city does not have is a citywide mentoring program for business folks. C-suite level downtown folks are going to be the mentors. Tia Cole and the rest of us recruited four mentees for first class. They’ll have access to network and connections, and training. We want them to be successful and get wealthy and run for office and support our nonprofits.”

Campaigning citywide “We’re going to be a very big hardworking, citywide volunteer and grassroots-led campaign. I will continue to knock doors most days. We have a team of four people on our staff who are paid. We’ll probably be expanding that so the army of volunteers we’ve already signed up — and will keep signing up — are coordinated with. In my city council campaigns, the centerpiece was knocking doors. In the mayoral campaign, knocking doors will be just one piece of about five. Knocking, mail, radio, social media, town hall.” Byrd has hired consultant Mosaic Strategy Partners and its co-founder and strategist Tom Stallings.

Fundraising “We’ve got $500,000 in the bank. Our goal is to raise another $500,000. We have commitments on $250,000 right now. We feel good. I put in some money of my own to prime the pump to allow us to hire the people we need to get to work. If we do this right, the only thing I will be doing is making phone calls and knocking doors and talking to media and going to townhalls.”

CEO: Tarrant To & Through Partnership and Fort Worth Cradle to Career, April 2020

CAREER: Chief of staff to Mayor Betsy Price, May 2015 – April 2020; district director and campaign manager, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth; chief of staff, State Rep. Phil King; executive assistant, former Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick. Former associate attorney, Harris, Finley & Bogle.

EDUCATION: B.A. government, University of Texas; law degree, Texas Wesleyan School of Law

FAMILY: Grew up in Hico. She and David live in Ridglea North, with three children ages 20 and younger.

PHILANTHROPY: Promotion of adoption and foster care. Board member, ACH Child and Family Services mattieparkerformayor.com

MATTIE PARKER

When Mattie Parker left her job last year as Mayor Betsy Price’s chief of staff after five years and took a post at the Tarrant To & Through Partnership, connecting high school students with resources aimed at steering them to postsecondary credentials, she says she wasn’t planning on a mayoral campaign months later. “This was not something I anticipated now,” says Parker, who, with husband David, has three children ages 20 and younger. Friends suggested she run for mayor after Price decided against seeking reelection. Then Dee Kelly Jr., widely considered to be a strong shoe-in candidate, announced he would not run. “That was interesting, late,” Parker says.

Rumination “We’re at a really critical juncture for Fort Worth and our community. What’s the future of our city look like? We have young children, and it’s really important we have roots we can be proud of. I really started to mull that over. Started making calls to business leaders, not asking for support but asking for advice. I believe strongly that while I’m the youngest person in this race, I am the most qualified.”

Pillars of her campaign

• “I’m offering something different and unique. We are the future of Fort Worth. It was time for us to step up and lead and take the torch. There is fear in that. I know, I’m human.

• Build a safer city. Public safety. It means different things in different communities.

• Build a city for tomorrow. [Push] infrastructure into neighborhoods, using an equity lens.

• Build an inclusive city for all of Fort Worth.

• Rebuild our economy into an entrepreneurial city. Rebuild after COVID. [Focus on] talent attraction. Fort Worth is a city that can compete in a global economy.

• Next-generation city. Educate and groom our future leaders. Every single student in our city must have a high-quality seat [in our schools].

I will advocate for whatever model. There’s no stronger supporter for public education in this race than myself.”

Pushing innovation “Fort Worth’s a great city, but, man, we move slow.”

Advancing creatives Music, arts, food, and other creatives are “comprehensively what make Fort Worth special. The food scene has exploded.”

Investment in family and community

As Price’s chief of staff, “I helped start the Best Place for Working Parents and Best Place 4 Kids [initiatives]. This actually helps your bottom line [as an employer]. That has taken off. Other cities are going to adopt our platform.”

Partisanship in the nonpartisan race

“You have to be a centrist. You should not be running as a Republican or Democrat. There’s a potential for a lot of outside money coming in. [But]we’ll be friends first, and we’ll be friends after. At the end of the day, David and I have to live here.”

CHAIR: Tarrant County Democratic Party, four terms, since April 2013.

FAMILY AND CAREER: Grew up in West Texas; father, military; mother, USO. Moved around as sales and marketing executive, AT&T and related companies, 34 years. Moved back to Texas and eventually retired in Fort Worth, where she once lived decades earlier and worked for the city personnel department. One of her children, Channing, is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker.

AVOCATION: “I had always been engaged under the table in Democratic politics [while working]. That was my weekend life.” After retiring, ran for Tarrant County party chair. Fourth term up June 2022. Ran for mayor against Betsy Price, 2019, received 16,261 votes to Price’s 21,629. Saw Tarrant County go blue, 2020. “If I win the mayor’s race, I will step down as chair of the party. Four terms as chairman are like 10 dog years.”

EDUCATION: Texas Woman’s University, Bachelor of Science, Speech Communication and Rhetoric; MBA deborahpeoplesformayor.com

DEBORAH PEOPLES

Deborah Peoples posted more than 16,000 votes in her unsuccessful 2019 race against Mayor Betsy Price. She’s back for more. “I love the city. I believe it has the potential to be so great,” says Peoples, who lives in the East Side’s White Lake Hills. “It shouldn’t be DallasFort Worth; it should be Fort WorthDallas. This is where the action is. I think now is the time for us to shape the way we want the city to grow.”

Small business “Small businesses are the engine that brings uniqueness to cities and make cities great. Our small businesses have been hit extremely hard by COVID. Even before then, we found small businesses and communities of color struggling. I think we have to beef up [information about opportunities]. We can’t put the onus on our citizens to go find the information. We’ve got to make it more available.”

Tax abatement policy “We have given so many tax abatements on big businesses that the burden has fallen on small businesses and homeowners. We’ve got to start right-sizing that.”

Economic development “It’s a sales job. You’ve got to sit down and convince businesses [interested in Fort Worth] there are great places to go. We have tons of land on the East Side. We have to show them those opportunities. If we don’t start bringing these jobs back, you start losing your best and brightest.”

Keeping government accessible

“Moving City Hall [out of downtown to the Pier 1 building]. I get the business side of it and the economics. But the perception is you’re moving City Hall further away. It would have been a huge statement to the citizens if we had looked at different areas. Sometimes, we have to take the less comfortable route.”

Transportation “I have family in New York. There are all kinds of ways to get around in New York. In Texas, we drive. But the reality of it is, many people, especially young people, are not opting

for car ownership. A lot of them use rideshare options like Uber. I think we have to understand that public transportation is becoming the future. More and more people will buy fewer cars. We’ve got to make transportation options for people.”

Interior city redevelopment

“People who live in those communities want development. They want to stay in their communities. They want to be able to get a job in their communities.”

Social justice “Many big cities have been plagued with assaults on social justice. I think we are in the beginning throes of that. We have a chance to shape that discussion, and how it looks, and how we bring people on board. You have to be willing to listen. You have to learn not to be siloed. You have to understand the cause and effect between all these different groups and communities. And when it’s warranted, make changes. Once that happens, you start to build trust.”

Partisanship in nonpartisan city races “These are nonpartisan races, but unfortunately, our nonpartisan races have become politicized.”

ELECTED: 2014, Fort Worth City Council District 9

FORT WORTH: Lived Fort Worth for nearly 30 years. Husband Jim, a Fort Worth lawyer. Two college-age sons. Long active in her Bluebonnet Hills neighborhood, helped revive dormant association. “As a child, my parents taught me the importance of community.”

SERVICE: Served Fort Worth Zoning Commission for six years, appointed by Mayor Mike Moncrief, reappointed by Mayor Betsy Price. Chair, final year. Served Fort Worth Urban Design Commission. Council district includes Near Southside, part of TCU, downtown, Oakhurst, West Seventh corridor. Voice for urban redevelopment and adaptive reuse, with walkability, connectivity. Assisted Steer FW in Better Block initiative. While on council, TCU Overlay adopted to limit growth of “stealth dorms”; Hemphill-Lamar Connector tunnel completed.

PROFESSIONAL: American Institute of Certified Planners certified planner. Master’s, City and Regional Planning, University of Texas at Arlington; BA in Environmental Studies, Policy, and Planning, University of California, Santa Cruz. annzadeh.com

ANN ZADEH

Ann Zadeh’s City Council District 9 has a collection of some of the city’s most vibrant urban districts: Near Southside, Oakhurst, West Seventh, part of TCU. She’ll be coming out of that to manage a citywide campaign in the race for mayor. Zadeh is touting her educational background and expertise in city planning, experience on the City Council, “passion I have” [for] Fort Worth, and accessibility. “I believe the last six years have been beyond the district that I serve.”

Property tax “Everything we do needs to address the imbalance of property tax being heavier on residential than commercial.”

Economic development “I don’t think Fort Worth is at the top of the list for consideration [among] businesses leaving other communities and coming to Texas. We constantly talk about how we’re 13th in the nation [in population] and people think we’re in the 40s. Telling the story of Fort Worth and explaining the characteristics that make it great are characteristics that should attract business here.”

Retaining existing business and talent (Zadeh’s two sons attend college out of state.) “I would like them to consider Fort Worth as a place to come back to. We want young people to stay here.”

Encouraging interior city redevelopment and adaptive reuse

“In the core of the city, we have a lot of existing infrastructure that can support adaptive reuse, with a greater return on investments than far-flung suburbs. When you build something far out, you have to build roads that may not be adequate for that development. The core of the city, all of those things already exist. Some of it is aging infrastructure. It’s the more sustainable way to development. If you look at the return on investment, the return on infill development is greater.”

Diversity and inclusion “We definitely have to look at racial equity in our community. I think we have made great strides in the work we have done thus far. I know Fort Worth ISD has done some substantial work in that area.”

Zadeh points to the recommendations adopted by the city of Fort Worth’s Race and Culture Task Force. “Governments move incredibly slowly. When you look at the list, a lot of raising the groundwork for things to change. I would just ask for people to move alongside.”

Fundraising for the race “I’ve heard so many things. I’ve heard $300,000, I’ve heard $2 million. It’s disheartening to me it’s about money, certainly in this time of COVID. There are so many competing needs in our community.”

Partisanship in the non-partisan race “What was attracting to me was the nonpartisan nature. Everyone can come together around making the communities we live in the best we can. Safe. Places that have work and have housing. To me, that’s what attractive is the non-partisan nature of it.”

Fort Worthian’s GUIDE THE TO TIME TRAVEL

by Shilo Urban illustrations by Brandon Hayman

Hi folks!

My name’s Zeno, and I’m here to help you make the most of your trip back in time to Fort Worth, Texas. If it’s your first timetraveling adventure, don’t worry — it’s completely safe,* and this handy guide provides the accurate historical information you need to plan the perfect vacation. We cover it all, from hotels and restaurants to sightseeing and nightlife. You’ll also find insider tips about what to pack, where to shop, and how to avoid common dangers. Whether you’re taking a weekend getaway to the Wild West or a two-week vacation to the turn of the 20th century, our expert advice will help you experience the authentic spirit of the era. So, grab your bags, buckle up — and get ready to travel through time!

Your transtemporal traveling buddy, ZENO

*Time travel at your own risk. Side effects may include disorientation, vertigo, blurred vision, extreme offense, disruption of the space-time continuum, universe-terminating paradoxes, post-wormhole drooling disorder, uncontrollable earlobe numbness, delirium, death, and dry mouth.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT

El Paso Hotel. With walnut furniture and gas lighting, the accommodations inside the city’s only three-story building are some of the best in Texas. Its billiards parlor is a major gathering place for local gentlemen, and rooms on the second floor come with a

DESTINATION: OCT. 21,

WHY GO? Experience a true Wild West adventure at a rough-and-tumble cowboy hot spot on the Chisholm Trail. The neighborhood of Hell’s Half Acre offers round-the-clock entertainment, from shooting galleries to all-in-one saloons with gambling, dancing, and “sporting women” under one roof. Located roughly where the Water Gardens and Convention Center are today, it’s not for the faint of heart. Some travelers may prefer the slightly more respectable scene closer to the courthouse.

free show of Madame Lee’s brothel next door. (Fourth and Main)

Peers House. Guests enjoy wellfurnished rooms with good ventilation, although flies may be a problem. There’s a reliable water supply, and the stagecoach to Fort Yuma stops one block away. The restaurant here features a true rarity: female waitstaff. (Fifth and Rusk, now known as Commerce)

Mansion Hotel. Home to the first bathtub in the city, this grand hotel has a quiet atmosphere despite its central location on the streetcar route. It’s a short walk to the telegraph station, and the dining room serves three meals daily. Discounts are available for theatrical people and business travelers. (Fourth and Rusk)

DRINKING AND DANCING

Red Light Saloon. Savor some rot-gut whiskey

in this clapboard den of iniquity, which has 20 private rooms for “dates” with the working girls. Attracting hundreds of people on busy nights, it’s the town’s hottest (and most homicidal) dance hall. Watch for pickpockets, thieves, and worse: one-third of all arrests for major crimes take place here. (Hell’s Half Acre)

First & Last Chance. Ideal for over-imbibers, this saloon allows its guests to pass out in the middle of the floor; the

ZENO’S TIPS Avoid the seats near the piano — the cowboys like to shoot the keys off.

accommodating barman will simply drag your body into a backroom to sleep it off. He will also handle your bankroll for the entire night if you plan on going toeup. Spitting on the floor is also permitted. (Hell’s Half Acre)

Waco Tap. You can really whoop it up at this dance hall and honky-tonk, located near the Seventh Street ravine on the city’s eastern edge. Cowboys can park their herds across the river and get a room-temperature beer without going into town. With no neighbors to worry about, expect plenty of screaming and violent bedlam. If this bar sounds too fancy for you, try the Local Option, which advertises “the worst liquors, poorest cigars, and miserable billiard tables.” (Seventh and Grove)

SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Theatre Comique. Enjoy rowdy “leg operas” with costumed chorus girls dancing the French can-can in true Parisian style (with nothing underneath). Jugglers, singers, and comedians entertain between acts, and the balcony offers excellent peoplewatching. Don’t be alarmed if the cowboys start shooting — it’s pretty standard. (Eighth and Houston)

Centennial Theater. A step up from the Theatre Comique but still quite seedy, the Centennial boasts sturdy wooden walls that will stop most stray bullets. Special touches include a boardwalk, glass-paned

entrance doors, and gas lanterns that are as hot as they are dangerous. A gallery of “actresses” encircles the first floor. (Second and Main)

Evans Hall. This respectable playhouse hosts honest-to-God operas featuring dozens of singers and a live orchestra. Comedic musicals and parodies are the most popular, like “La Perichole” and “Les Cloches de Cornerville.” (Second and Houston)

GAMBLING

Cold Spring Horse Track. In addition to impromptu horse racing down Main Street, you’ll find intense betting at the city’s official track and grandstands. During tournament competitions, riders perform courtly gestures before attempting to lance a sequence of dangling rings at full gallop. (2 miles north on Cold Spring Road)

Cattle Exchange Saloon. Smoke Havana cigars while you play faro, poker, and billiards at this high-price gambling parlor. Cowboys and drifters are discouraged from entering, but don’t let your guard down. First-class poundings are frequent, and it’s not unheard of to have part of your face bitten off during a brawl. (Second and Main)

Tivoli Hall

At this workingman’s bar, you don’t have

to stop gambling when you get hungry — they serve free hot lunches all day (try the ham and beans). Tivoli is a favorite of German immigrants for its fresh beer and top-notch variety shows with German musicians. (Second and Houston)

SHOPPING

Buy guns at A.J. Anderson’s and sundries at Daggett & Hatcher mercantile, including opium, laudanum, and morphine.

GETTING AROUND

Two mule-drawn streetcars run the length of Main Street; you’ll know it’s coming when you hear the brass bells on the harness. You can also rent a horse (and catch up on gossip) at Dugan’s Wagon Yard.

DANGERS AND ANNOYANCES

Watch for free-running hogs, salesmen blocking traffic, train robberies, malaria, yellow fever, and cowboys “taking the town” — yelling and wildly riding down Main Street while emptying their pistols into the air and/or at random targets.

WHAT TO PACK

A six-shooter (at minimum) and a good blade for close-range fighting. It’s incredibly muddy when it rains and dusty when it doesn’t, so extra clothing will come in handy: Victorian or cowboy attire.

ZENO’S TIPS You can play “pistol pool” and shoot the billiard balls into the pockets with your revolver instead of a pool cue, but please note: There will be a surcharge.

ZENO’S TIPS

If you help the trolley driver chase down a runaway mule, he’ll let you ride for free.

For

WHY GO? Welcome to the era of paved streets, electric lights, and indoor plumbing — in some places, anyway. Explore a growing city that has one boot in the frontier and the other pointed toward a cosmopolitan future. Business is thriving, cattle is king, and the murder rate is near zero. But the spirit of the Wild West is alive and well; just ask Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, whom you might run into in Hell’s Half Acre.

DESTINATION: Sept. 2,

190 1

WHERE TO STAY & EAT

Worth Hotel. Hobnob with high society at this fashionable hangout, centrally positioned between the courthouse and T&P Depot. The five-story building sports dramatic arched windows and rusticated stone, and August’s department store is located on the ground level. All rooms have windows, carpeting, and oak furniture. (Seventh and Main)

Richelieu Hotel. This “fireproof” brick hotel offers first-class service and 112 airy accommodations. The café/confectionary here is known for its chili; rumor has it that the recipe’s secret spices come from the Philippines. (15th and Main)

Metropolitan Hotel. Suited for rich cattle barons, the Met has glamorous gold spittoons and hand-carved mahogany. Its white-tablecloth restaurant is a high-drama hideaway with Corinthian columns and vaulted ceilings. Every room has hot water, and the Santa Fe Depot is only a few blocks away. (Ninth and Main)

DRINKING AND ENTERTAINMENT

Greenwall’s Opera House. Watch Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” or “Richard III” at this ritzy

ZENO’S TIPS

a great souvenir, have your photo made at John Swartz’s studio (unless you’re an outlaw like Butch Cassidy — then your picture might end up on a wanted poster like his did).

cultural hub, along with ballets, burlesque, and Western dramas — often starring top thespians like Sarah Bernhardt and Edwin Booth (John Wilkes’ brother). Dress to the nines: ball gowns, top hats, and tails. Women of ill repute should sit in the balconies. (Third and Rusk)

from

Crown

White Elephant Saloon.

This renowned gambling parlor has a 40-foot onyx bar and a genteel restaurant serving fresh oysters and lobster. The second-floor clubrooms are filled with cigar smoke and high-stakes gambling, with a telegraph connection for betting on prizefights and ballgames across the country. Other diversions include cockfighting and the occasional séance. (Sixth and Main)

Standard Theater. Find variety shows and vaudeville at this upmarket venue with electric footlights and wine rooms. House rules prohibit the exposure of bare anatomy and coarse vulgarities, like swearing and women smoking. (12th and Rusk)

THINGS TO DO

Natatorium. Take your weekly bath at this magnificent rococo-style building that has a 95-foot swimming pool and three types of baths: tub, Turkish, and Russian. You can also choose an “electrified bath” in artesian waters, which may or may not alleviate paralysis and nervous

prostration. Swim lessons are available, and the pool and baths are free for guests renting rooms upstairs. (Third and Rusk)

Electric Streetcar. Riding the trolley is THE thing to do — perfect for first dates or trips to the Opera House in your formal attire. Numerous streetcar lines fan out from downtown into residential neighborhoods, islands of commerce, and the open countryside. (Main Street)

Grunewald Pavilion. Built to service trolley riders, this wooden dance hall is the go-to destination for music, parties, and cookouts with cold beer. It hosts everything from cakewalks and carnivals to lavish balls and patriotic celebrations. The saloon is in the basement. (Samuels Avenue)

SIGHTSEEING

Santa Fe Depot. Six rail lines run out of

the new Union Station, a Beaux-Arts beauty striped with red bricks and white limestone. Step inside to see the decorative stained glass, marble floors, and soaring vaulted ceiling. (Jones Street)

Tarrant County Courthouse. Water your horse (and yourself) at the fountain in front of this impressive edifice. Made of pink granite, it’s far more extravagant than most contemporaneous state capitols — and it had a price tag to match, which is why all the county officials responsible for its construction were promptly voted out of office. (Weatherford and Main)

Wheat Building. Take the elevator to the rooftop garden for panoramic views — this is one of the city’s tallest buildings. Eat dinner and be entertained by bands, comedians, and stunt dogs on stage. (Eighth and Main)

STOCKYARDS

Covering more than 100 acres, this maze-like conglomeration of wooden chutes and pens holds 12,000 cattle. In springtime, try to catch the Texas Fat Stock Show on the banks of Marine Creek.

PICNICS

Enjoy this trendy pastime amid the formal gardens and driving paths at City Park (on the river just south of Seventh Street). Hermann Verein Park is another pretty waterfront retreat; its openair pavilion and German beer garden are situated across the river from the courthouse.

DANGERS AND ANNOYANCES

Watch where you’re walking on Main Street. Accidents between horse buggies and electric streetcars are common (as are big piles of fresh manure).

WHAT TO PACK

Victorian clothing with very high and stiff collars, a hand fan to swat away flies, and perfume to cope with noxious livestock odors.

ZENO’S TIPS Be sure to try a

lager

Texas Brewing Company while you’re in town — it’s the biggest brewery in the state.

ZENO’S TIPS Traveling onward? As many as 50 trains arrive and depart every day at the T&P and Santa Fe depots.

DESTINATION: Nov. 5, 195 5

ZENO’S TIPS

Gambling isn’t exactly legal on Jacksboro Highway, but don’t worry — the cops tend to look the other way.

WHY GO? Feel the rush of post-war optimism and prosperity in a bona fide epicenter for national defense and aircraft production. The suburbs are booming, automobiles reign supreme, and progress seems unstoppable. But it’s not all sock hops and soda fountains; tensions about integration, communism, and nuclear annihilation are simmering. Immerse yourself in the electrifying energy of this iconic age.

WHERE TO STAY

Western Hills Hotel. Stay in a showstopping resort complex with a golf course, heliport, and heated pool with cabanas. Its Mediterranean-style architecture and pink adobe walls evoke a vacation vibe, and all the rooms and cottages have wallto-wall carpeting and foam-cushioned beds. (Camp Bowie Boulevard)

Hotel Texas. An oldie but goodie, this historic grand hotel makes a great first impression with its elegant, block-long lobby. Each of its 600 rooms has a private

bath and a radio with six stations. Special touches include Colgate’s Cashmere Bouquet soap and American-made china in the restaurant. (Eighth and Main)

El Patio Tourist Lodge. This budget-friendly motor lodge provides no-nonsense accommodations with hot showers for the “discriminating transient.” Blue shutters and orange awnings add a cheerful look to the white stucco building, and a small grill room serves chicken dinners. (E. Lancaster and Highway 80)

WHERE TO EAT

Bamboo Inn. Look for the eye-catching tower with “BAMBOO” written down it to find this landmark restaurant, offering authentic Cantonese cuisine, chop suey, and steaks. It’s owned by the family of Ng Wing, who introduced Chinese food to the city. Keep an eye out for Gene Autry and Bob Hope. (Camp Bowie Boulevard)

Cross Keys. Prime rib is the specialty

ZENO’S TIPS Feeling adventurous? Head to Italian Inn to try their new dish: pizza pie, which many locals think is a dessert.

at this fine dining establishment, a sophisticated yet cozy affair with candelabra chandeliers. Request a table by the fireplace and feast on country club-inspired dishes like lobster thermidor and chateaubriand. (Eighth and Pennsylvania)

Carlson’s Drive-Inn. For the young and young at heart, this eatery is the happening place on Saturday nights. But don’t just cruise the parking lot (although many people do) — try the Bakon Burger, a chargrilled bacon cheeseburger with Carlson’s special sauce. Wash it all down with a vanilla soda or chocolate malt. (University Drive)

SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Show Row. Catch a screening of “Rebel Without a Cause” at this five-block stretch of downtown, home to three major theatres: the Palace, the Worth, and the Hollywood. The Hollywood Theatre has an exquisite marble staircase and is your best bet for movie galas and world premieres; we like the opulent Worth Theatre for its 3,000-person capacity and Egyptian-themed decor. (Seventh Street)

bottle warmers. Every vehicle gets its own speaker — just look for green lights to identify available parking spaces. Don’t forget to grab some Junior Mints from the snack bar. (Mansfield at Seminary)

Northside Coliseum. Big bands and Grand Ole Opry acts perform at this blueroofed arena, which also hosts circuses, carnivals, and sports tournaments. Listen to country-western music every Saturday night and watch wrestling every Monday. (Stockyards)

excellent, the liquor is top-shelf, and the dancing goes all night. High rollers only. (Jacksboro Highway)

SHOPPING

You’ll find numerous department stores for every budget downtown, from affordable Everybody’s to upscale Stripling’s. Leonard’s supercenter covers six blocks and sells a little of everything; wear shoes if you want to ride the newfangled escalators.

FAMILY FUN

Mansfield Road Drive-In Theatre. You have many drive-ins to choose from, but this one has a kiddie playground and in-car

DANCING AND NIGHTLIFE

Casino Ballroom. While Lake Worth’s bathhouse and amusement park are considerably run-down, the ballroom is experiencing its second wind. Some of the biggest bands in the country entertain thousands in this 31,000-square-foot venue. (Lake Worth)

Skyliner Ballroom. Indulge in upscale debauchery at this wild dance club with a black-tie orchestra and glamorous mirrors all around. Relax on a plush pink couch with a glass of wine or take a spin around the maroon-colored dance floor. Be sure to check out the mural of the city skyline by the entrance. (Jacksboro Highway)

2222 Club. For gambling thrills, head to the Four Deuces on “Thunder Road” to play blackjack, craps, and roulette — with free cigars to keep you going. The steaks are

Visit Queen Tut the elephant and Pete the Python at Forest Park Zoo (if it hasn’t escaped again), and then hop on the Tiny T&P miniature train for a scenic 5.5-mile run through Forest and Trinity parks.

DANGERS AND ANNOYANCES

Brawling is all part of the fun at the dive clubs on Jacksboro Highway, where there are frequent fistfights and knife fights (and the occasional car bombing).

WHAT TO PACK

Hats and gloves are essential for ladies for all but the most casual occasions, and you’ll probably also need nylons and a girdle. Suits, sports coats, sweaters, and slacks are solid bets for men.

ZENO’S TIPS Show Row is also known as “Glamour Canyon,” thanks to the tall buildings that line the street.

Love at First Bite

To ring in the month of romance, three couples dish about the challenges and rewards of working with the ones they love in the highstress world of restaurants.

BY MALCOLM MAYHEW

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLAF GROWALD

Patrick Walls and Carolyna Rivas

There’s an old saying in the restaurant business: You date people you work with, or you don’t date at all. This adage doesn’t apply to everyone who’s worked in a restaurant, of course. Some restaurants even frown upon couples working together. But for many in the restaurant industry, dating people you work with is the norm, especially if they work around the clock — the servers and bartenders whose livelihoods depend on working as many shifts as possible, the managers for whom 12-hour shifts are the norm, the owners who practically never leave. Work lives and social lives, eventually, become one. “If you work in a restaurant, your social life will most likely revolve around it,” says Mary Perez, owner of the Enchiladas Ole restaurants in Fort Worth and North Richland Hills. “It’s fun work, but it’s also hard, hard work. Naturally, you’re going to become attracted to someone you work closely with who is going through the exact same things you are.” To ring in Valentine’s Day, three local restaurant industry couples extoll the virtues of working together in a high-stress atmosphere — and the secrets to keeping their love alive.

PATRICK WALLS and CAROLYNA RIVAS

Bartenders at Little Red Wasp

Sometimes love is immediate; other times, it takes forever. For Patrick Walls and Carolyna Rivas, it was somewhere in between. It took about a year and some change for the two — both bartenders at Little Red Wasp, an upscale diner in downtown Fort Worth — to go on their first date.

“He started walking me to my car after work,” Rivas says. “That gave us extra time to talk and get to know one another.”

“What about that party?” Walls interjects.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” Rivas says. “We were both at this party, and there was a guy trying to talk to me, and I wasn’t into it, but he was really persistent. Patrick saw what was going on and came up to me and put his arm around me, acting like he was my boyfriend.”

Soon enough, he was. The two have lived together now for three years.

Walls, 34, has been in the food and beverage industry since he was 20, working at downtown spots like Dirty Murphy’s and Fox & Hound.

Rivas, 10 years younger than Walls, worked at Grace, Little Red Wasp’s sibling restaurant, before going to work at LRW; both restaurants are owned by Fort Worth fine dining maven Adam Jones.

Restaurant and bar employees come and go; it’s the nature of the business. But Walls and Rivas have stayed at LRW for seven and six years respectively. He’s now bar manager, and she’s a bartender who sometimes subs as a server.

“I think staying at Wasp for so long has a

lot to do with how well Patrick and I work together,” Rivas says. “The fact that we live together, work together, spend most of our waking hours together says a lot about the strength of our relationship.”

The key to any good relationship is knowing the other person, front to back, the two agree.

“We can tell when we’re, how do I say this nicely, getting in each other’s way behind the bar,” Rivas says. “I can tell when he’s getting irritated with me, and I’m pretty sure he can tell when I’m getting irritated with him.”

“Yeah, she starts snapping at me,” Walls laughs. “If you’ve got six tickets for drinks to make and three bar guests, all you want to do is focus on getting done what needs to get done. If there’s someone coming over trying to help....”

“It throws you off!” Rivas says. “Because then you have to explain to them what needs to be done. Sometimes I’d rather just do it alone. But I do snap at people when I’m busy. I think I got that from him.”

“Yes,” Walls says, “that was originally my move.

“This is why it can be a little difficult for those in the restaurant business to date outside of the restaurant business,” Walls continues. “The demands a restaurant requires of your time, the physical and emotional demands — not everyone would tolerate or understand it. But if that person works in the restaurant business, too, they get it.”

Walls says he may be a service industry

lifer. Rivas hasn’t quite set her sights on a career yet, although she shares the same passion for the F&B industry as Walls.

“One of my future goals would be to open my own business,” she says. “If I stayed in the industry, I could imagine opening a restaurant. I’m not sure how he feels about that.”

Good, it sounds like. “I enjoy educating people about food, beer, wine, and whiskey, so I would love to open a place of our own,” he says. “I could imagine doing that with her, definitely.”

NICHOLE and SAMUEL MCKERN

General managers at Enchiladas Ole Restaurant romances kindled by teens and young adults often flicker, then fade.

And then, sometimes, you stay married for 21 years and have three kids.

Both in their late teens, Nichole and Samuel McKern met more than two decades ago while working at Harrigan’s, a fondly remembered restaurant and pub, similar to Bennigan’s and Chili’s.

Samuel landed a job there as a server. Nichole had been working there as a server and was recently promoted to a trainer; Samuel was her latest assignment.

Right off the bat, the two knew they were polar opposites. “She was very strong-willed and firm, and she told you exactly what she was thinking and exactly what I was doing wrong,” Samuel says. “I’m much more of an easy-going, laid-back kind of guy.”

Patrick Walls and Carolyna Rivas

Samuel and Nichole McKern

Nichole and Samuel McKern

Brandi and John Berry

“A push over,” Nichole injects with a laugh.

Over time, Samuel became a trainer, too. Though their personalities were dramatically dissimilar, their yin-yang sensibility brought them together. “The dichotomy of our personalities worked so well together,” she says. “Some people who are opposites like that would drive each other insane. But for us, it was appreciating and respecting each other’s differences. One completes the other.”

The two would eventually step away from the restaurant industry. Samuel focused on a career in music, touring and recording with several prominent local Christian rock bands. Nichole turned her attention toward a career in teaching and coaching. They married and had kids. The two even started working together again as pastors. Insert a “The End” here, and you’d have a nice little love story.

But their story doesn’t stop there. The two recently rejoined the restaurant world, both as general managers for the twin Enchiladas Ole restaurants in Fort Worth and North Richland Hills. On the hunt for someone to manage the properties he had invested in, Nichole’s boss, Derrek Drury, looked no further than across the room, offering the job first to Nichole, then, upon her recommendation, her husband.

“Neither of us ever thought we’d be back in the restaurant business,” Nichole says. “But it’s just like riding a bike. You get back on — you know what you’re doing in a matter of seconds.”

Landing the jobs is, says Samuel, more confirmation the two belong together.

“When you work in a restaurant with somebody, you get to see the foundation of a person, especially if you’re a manager,” he says. “Your feet are constantly held against the fire — a cook messes up an order; that’s on you. A guest isn’t happy. That’s on you. One of your employees doesn’t show up for a shift — guess who gets to deal with that?

“Even when she was 18 or 19 years old, she could handle these tough situations,” he says. “That’s how I knew then that we were meant to be together. We handle situations differently, but we wind up at the same place. And that’s how I still know we’re meant to be together.”

JOHN and BRANDI BERRY

Owners of Berry Best BBQ

Restaurant owners John and Brandi Berry are the faces of unwavering faith — to their business and to one another. Over the past few years, their resilience, as both a couple and restaurant owners, has been tested over and over, and each time they come through, stronger than ever, they say.

After opening the original location of Berry Best BBQ in Watauga five years ago, and winning accolades from barbecue lovers near and far, including this very magazine, the couple was forced to navigate some very rocky waters.

In 2019, the restaurant caught fire, causing significant damage to the smoker and restaurant. The restaurant was closed for weeks for repairs.

The fire forced the couple to close a second location they had recently opened at North East Mall. The cost of repairing the first location killed the second location, they say.

Then, of course, there’s COVID-19. The pandemic was in full swing when the couple moved their Watauga store to a bigger and better space in North Richland Hills. Like a lot of restaurant owners, the Berrys had their fingers crossed that the pandemic wouldn’t rage on as long as it has.

Despite the life-changing setbacks, their restaurant — “one of our babies,” they call it — continues to do well, and they do, too.

“We depend on each other,” John says. “When things happen, we don’t blame each other. We don’t take it out on each other. We don’t criticize each other. We’ve got each other’s backs.”

Their faith plays such a strong role in their day-to-day lives that it’s no surprise to learn they met at church. Brandi, John says, was the pursuer.

“I was talking to a buddy of mine at church when she came up to me and said, ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord,’ and then she walked off,” John says. “Like, who is this walking up to me and quoting scripture and then walking off?”

A hairdresser who felt an immediate connection to answer the question. The two became good friends, then started dating. Their first date was at a Chili’s.

The couple married six years ago. Between the two of them, they have a Brady Bunch of six kids.

About a year into the marriage, John brought up the idea of opening a barbecue restaurant. Egged on by his friends, who swore by the brisket and ribs John smoked on game days, he asked Brandi if she’d be interested in going into business with him.

“She was not on board,” John says, laughing. “We had just gotten married. We were about to have a baby. She was like, ‘no way.’”

Over time, Brandi came around, and the two were off and running. John handled smoking the meats; Brandi cooked the sides and desserts. That’s still the case today.

“We’re there every morning of every day we’re open,” Brandi says. “We’re not yet at the point where we feel comfortable letting other people do the cooking for us. Plus, it gives us a chance to be together. That’s been my favorite part of this — being with my husband.”

John and Brandi Berry

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Come visit our Dallas showroom; we look forward to seeing you face to face. Or give us a call we will direct you to a dealer showroom close to you. 972.366.0845

2021 FACES FORT WORTH of

Pioneers in their fields, the following pages feature some of Fort Worth’s finest. Those spotlighted in “Faces of Fort Worth” want to share their expertise in various industries from medicine and retail to professional accomplishments, personal pastimes, and so much more.

The Face

of

COVID-19

Personal Protective Equipment Made Accessible to All: Asteri Logistics

PPE is your frontline defense to a catastrophic, mutating virus – COVID series strain. Without proper protection, the viruses will continue to spread in the simplest of ways. MailboxPPE and its parent company, Asteri Logistics, have exclusive partnerships with American and British companies for MaskSafe.co.uk (which is the only COVID-19 specific respirator mask in the U.S.), and Sensiva Health’s saliva-based COVID-19 rapid test kits (no deep nasal swab or finger pricking skin for blood), with highly accurate results in minutes! We offer several subscription packets, which deliver monthly supplies of the chosen products directly to your door. Clients choose Asteri and MailboxPPE because of their proven platform to effectively deliver PPE discreetly and quickly. With several key products manufactured in Europe or in America … we are engineered to perform.

Our company is proud to be a woman-owned CAGE contractor and believe good habits begin when you are young. I am the daughter of a Marine and was taught from an early age the importance of serving others and working hard to protect my local community and country. I received the First Class honor with the Girl Scouts when I was 14 years old and remain an avid community volunteer. The work that Asteri Logistics and MailboxPPE are doing to provide affordable, high-quality protective PPE, life support, and vital supplies to the U.S. and any point around the world is just one of the ways we are serving Americans.

I have worked tirelessly to define the best of human qualities into my companies: in a relatively short time, loyal customers appreciate our honesty and dependability. Our solutions were defined for the known and unknown to keep your family safe and healthy. Asteri is passionate about creating a better life for people we may never meet.

PICTURED: Carole Farmer. 866.278.3741 | info@AsteriLogistics.com

The Face of Sophisticated Kitchens and Baths

Expressions Home Gallery

Expressions is trusted by the community’s leading custom builders for its elegant showroom and concierge-inspired service. Embarking on any design project for your home can be a stressful process — we’re here to help you relax and enjoy the ride! We are committed to our customers every step of the way, helping them select, coordinate, and execute the ideal design for their home. What sets Expressions Home Gallery apart is our superior products, expertise, and eye for emerging trends. At Expressions, you can realize your creative vision and find just the right premium, high-end appliances, plumbing, and hardware products for your home. Our wow factor is our understanding that all customers are unique. We take the time to understand customers and their goals so that we can tailor service. Expressions builds long-term relationships on trust and respect. PICTURED: Allison Greenhaw and Billy Wadle. 5001 Bryant Irvin Road N. | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | 817.259.0920 | expressionshomegallery.com

The Face of CBD

Thrive Apothecary and WelCel

With over 40 years of public service between them, husband and wife pair, Dr. Lisa Gardner and Trey Phillips, founders of Thrive Apothecary and WelCel by Dr. Lisa Gardner, have spent their professional lives committed to improving their community. As a board-certified and surgically trained physician, Dr. Gardner spent 15 years in corporate medicine as one of North Texas’ most sought-out OBGYNs and surgeons. Dr. Gardner made the bold choice to close that chapter in her life, firmly believing that the philosophy behind the one-size-fits-all corporate health care model did not square with her vision for patient care. Together, Dr. Gardner and Trey, a highly decorated SWAT officer and retired sergeant with the Fort Worth Police Department, have become leading voices in the cannabis, hemp, and CBD sphere. Thrive Apothecary and WelCel are founded on years of research and medical understanding, the only truly physician-founded and -owned CBD companies in Texas. Sourcing premier, full-spectrum CBD hemp oil products, rigorously vetted, and independently tested by third-party labs — Dr. Gardner and Trey provide trusted products designed for those seeking a healthy, holistic lifestyle.

Trey and Dr. Gardner share a passion for innovation and leadership — sharing their story and enthusiasm for CBD with tens of thousands of people — their story even capturing national attention. Their journey as advocates have taken them all the way to the steps of the State Capitol in Austin to lobby on behalf of hemp legislation and medical cannabis reform.

Many CBD producers are formulating products that are, at best, weak and mislabeled formulas, and at worst, dangerous ones containing toxic components like pesticides, molds, and even heavy metals. This couple is dedicated to providing safe and effective products to the community they love. Thrive carries only the very best CBD hemp oil products the industry has to offer. Dr. Gardner and Trey invest in third-party testing for every product sold in the expertly curated boutique. WelCel by Dr. Lisa Gardner provides reliable, double-lab third-party tested, full spectrum CBD hemp oil that is guaranteed to be non-GMO, vegan, mold-free, pesticide-free, and free from heavy metals. Years in the making, Dr. Gardner’s unique formulation maximizes the benefits with three key added ingredients: turmeric, ginger, and peppermint, creating an enhanced ‘entourage effect.’ WelCel products are enjoyed by consumers all over the U.S. Combining modern science, medical knowledge, and plant-based health, Thrive Apothecary and WelCel are Fort Worth’s premier, holistic wellness solutions. 212 Carroll St., Ste. 120 | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | 817.480.7098 | thrivetx.com | welcel.com

The Face of Cosmetic Surgery

Accent On You

Y. Anthony Nakamura, M.D.,F.A.C.S., P.A.

Staying humble and enjoying the combination of my love of science with the artistry of Cosmetic surgery makes Accent On You unique. We take the time to explore with our patients their individual needs and concerns. With over 30 years of experience, we work hard to find a surgical plan that is both realistic in expectation while achieving beautiful aesthetic results. We understand that each patient comes to us by choice and consider this a privilege. We are continually self-evaluating and improving the pre-, intra- and post-operative experience for our patients. Our biggest WOW factors are my facility and my wonderful staff. They all love what they do, and it shows. They work closely with me to create a safe, inviting and individualized plan of care for each of our patients.

Accent On You

303 South Cooper St. | Arlington, Texas 76015

817.417.7200 | accentonyou.com

The Face of Wealth Management

Argent Financial Group

At Argent Financial Group, we believe family is everything. That’s why we aim to know each client as if they were family. We also believe each client is unique and strive to serve each according to what’s in their very best interest. Clients choose Argent because we treat them as people with goals, not accounts with balances. We are approachable, accessible, and highly responsive. Furthermore, our experience with trusts and wealth management, our objectivity, and our integrity are second to none. Argent’s professionals are compassionate, caring individuals who can deliver highly technical advice with the utmost competence but also hyper-focused on providing relationship-oriented service. Our clients know without a doubt that we are committed to doing the right thing for the right reason. PICTURED: Kathy Christoffel, Market President; Buffie Campbell, Vice President, Mineral Manager; Patrice Parks, Vice President, Trust Administrative Officer.

4200 S. Hulen St. | Fort Worth, Texas 76109 | 817.502.3586 | kchristoffell@argenttrust.com

The Face of Wellness

Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center in Fort Worth

The premier destination for state-of-the-art medical, cosmetic and age management procedures. BHRC, widely recognized for revolutionizing the medical spa business, offers clients a team of qualified medical professionals and a variety of treatments focused on beauty and wellness provided in a discreet, luxurious setting. Partner and director Heather Tindell designed the medical spa service at the flagship location in Beverly Hills. Relocating to Texas, she has brought to Fort Worth and other parts of the state the same advanced therapies and treatments that are enjoyed by Hollywood stars, models, and celebrities. With a range of advanced, age-defying treatments, BHRC transforms clients’ quality of life and gives their skin, bodies, and health a boost. For a discrete, high level of service and the latest, most effective beauty and wellness treatments — just like Hollywood stars use — visit Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center. 4601 W. Freeway, Ste. 216 | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | 817.377.4600 | bhrcdallas.com

The Face of Refined Real Estate

Ashley Black - Williams Trew Real Estate

After 15-plus years in the real estate industry, Ashley Black takes an innovative approach to real estate. By effectively combining proven principles and practices with the latest in techniques and technology, she is providing industry-leading service to her clients and delivering quality results. She has refined the process of buying and selling homes to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience by providing creative solutions for clients and ensuring that she is always one step ahead of the competition. Today’s market requires proactive, aggressive marketing with an excellent understanding of the overall market. Ashley is diligent in keeping her clients apprised of changing market conditions. She attributes her sales success to four factors: pricing homes properly, marketing effectively, negotiating aggressively, and building long-term relationships. She is a multi-award-winning agent who prides herself in providing high-quality service and delivering quality results.

3707 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 300 | Fort Worth, Texas 76107

817.966.7904 | ashley.black@williamstrew.com | williamstrew.com

The Face of Physical Therapy

Bonnette Elite Physical Therapy and Wellness

Alex Bonnette, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

Opening three clinics in four years is nearly unheard of within the private practice sector of physical therapy. We credit our success and rapid expansion to the supportive community of Fort Worth. Our clinic model is a patient-centered approach that emphasizes individualized plans of care for each patient. We use multiple techniques including dry needling, advanced manual therapy, and progressive exercise tailored to the patient’s specific needs. Each patient is directly treated by one of our five Doctors of Physical Therapy. Our doctors always strive to treat the patient, not the diagnosis. Our wow factor is our employees. They are hardworking, diligent, and charismatic. Patients see the perfect combination of lightheartedness and seriousness, making each visit the perfect dose of physical therapy.

9660 Bartlett Circle, Ste. 708 | Fort Worth, Texas 76108

6049 Hulen St., Ste. 113 | Fort Worth, Texas 76132

6830 Harris Parkway, Ste. 120 | Fort Worth, Texas 76132

817.862.9665

fortworthphysicaltherapist.com

The Face of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine

Michael H. Boothby, M.D.

Dr. Michael Boothby embodies the face of today’s modern orthopedic surgeon. He is a skilled surgeon who truly values what his patients have to say. It is not uncommon to hear his patients say, “He really listened to me.” Couple his excellent bedside manner with his Ivy League education and more than 10 years of surgical experience performing knee and shoulder surgeries, patients know they are in the right hands. “One of the things I love most is getting to know my patients,” says Dr. Boothby. “I like being able to make a positive impact on their lives.” The recommendations by patients to their own family and friends are a testament to his care. Founded by Dr. Boothby, 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of The Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute with its state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation center, walk-in urgent care clinic called Orthopedics Today, and cutting-edge sports medicine and orthopedic care. 2901 Acme Brick Plaza | Fort Worth, Texas 76109 817.529.1900 | osmifw.com

The Face of Rural Innovative Real Estate

Burt Ladner Real Estate

Our Land and Ranch team has a boots-on-the-ground mentality backed with the technology to thoroughly help our buyers dissect each piece of land with on-site mapping programs and trackable marketing strategies to give our sellers real results. What makes us unique is our customer service. We will meet you anytime, at any location, and provide an entire team of support. There are a lot of good agents we work alongside but surpassing expectations of customer service for months, even years after transactions, is where we pride ourselves. We want to be the person you call when you need help with your property; whether it is finding the right person to design your improvements or a trusted tradesman to fix your well, we will be there to help. PICTURED: Kevin Kilpatrick, Carl Roland, Jennifer Demel, Steve Sikes, Sam Demel, Tommy Burt, Malorie Nielsen. 6115 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 240 | Fort Worth, Texas 76116 817.882.6688 | texasranchesrealestate.com

The Face of Authentic Italian Cuisine

Café Bella

Café Bella takes pride in providing outstanding service and Italian cuisine. “Cooking runs in my family for generations,” Eli Golemi says. “Therefore, I know the ingredients necessary to provide classic yet innovative dishes to the table. When customers walk through the doors, they know to expect consistent excellent Italian cuisine, exceptional service, and a cozy, welcoming environment.” From ordering food to checking out, you can expect every level of service and health safety protocol to be meticulously assessed. Customers are family at Café Bella. For every family dinner, whether you are picking up curbside or coming in to dine, a great ambiance and flavorful homemade food are expected; this is what Café Bella has perfected and what brings customers back to the family table for over 21 years. PICTURED: Eli Golemi. Westcliff Shopping Center | 3548 S. Hills Ave. | Fort Worth, Texas 76109 | 817.922.9500 | cafebellaftw.com

The Face of Catering

Cherry on Top Catering and Events

Cherry on Top Catering and Events has been successfully catering and planning weddings and special events since 1984 and totally understands and appreciates that one of the most important aspects of an event is serving great food. Therefore, when we are hired to bring your vision to life, we are honored and never take it for granted. Our staff arrives two hours prior to an event’s start time to completely set up. They remain an hour after guests leave to ensure everything is thoroughly cleaned. They never leave until everything has been properly executed to the client’s satisfaction. Our wow factor is our relationship with clients. Our clients become friends and remain part of the Cherry family long after their event is over. They know we’re here to help whenever we’re needed. PICTURED: Kathy Mills, Owner, and her Cherry on Top, granddaughter, Sawyer. 5412 River Oaks Blvd. | River Oaks, Texas 76114 | 817.994.7793 cherryontopcae@gmail.com | cherryontopcateringandevents.com

The Face of Chevrolet

Platinum Chevrolet; Pegasus Chevrolet

Gilchrist Automotive

As part of Gilchrist Automotive, we strive to continuously deliver excellent service and treat our customers as if they were family. We value our relationships and are always looking to build on those. The ease of doing business with us sets us apart from the competition. We are respectful of our customer’s time and make the buying experience quick and easy. Our wow factor is that our customers are very loyal and keep coming back because of the “everyone is family” culture we have built and the strong relationships that have been developed. You know you are doing something right when customers continuously send friends and relatives to be helped. Experience the Gilchrist Difference. PICTURED: Gary Walker, GM, Pegasus Chevrolet; Justin Rudd, GM, Platinum Chevrolet; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive.

Face of Fort Worth Real Estate

Walsh, Wegman, Giordano Team

The Walsh, Wegman, Giordano Team with Christie’s International Real Estate | Ulterre specializes in luxury and nonluxury residential, Farm & Ranch, and commercial properties. The WWG Team consists of Eric Walsh, Rick Wegman, and John Giordano. Understanding that all clients want and deserve the best imaginable service, the WWG Team draws inspiration from a commitment to the excellent service standards of Christie’s and applies that same craftmanship to real estate. The heart of Christie’s culture is behind every relationship. Ultimately, the WWG team believes that the buying and selling of a home is about more than a transaction. It is an experience, and their job is to make it a great one for every client. The WGG Team devotes tremendous thoughtful energy to helping our clients reach their goals and explore new possibilities.

4838 White Settlement Road | Fort Worth, Texas 76114 | 817.882.6450 | wwgteam.ulterre.com

The Face of Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, Jeep

Platinum Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, Jeep; SouthWest Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, Jeep; Pegasus Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, Jeep Gilchrist Automotive

At SouthWest, Platinum, and Pegasus Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, Jeep, personalized service is paramount in all our stores. Our teams know that the customer relationship does not end with the sale. We care about our customers and will always do what is right to earn their business and, more importantly, their trust. When you work with our dealerships, your experience will be special. Our wow factor is our people and the level of service they provide. SouthWest CDRJ came in 58th and Platinum CDRJ came in 64th in new sales in the Southwest Region. Experience the Gilchrist Difference. PICTURED: Andrew Beck, GM, Platinum CDRJ; Mike Brown, GM, SouthWest CDRJ; Gary Walker, GM, Pegasus CDRJ; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive.

The Face of Audiology and Hearing Aids

Cityview Audiology & Hearing Aids, Inc.

With over 24 years of experience in helping patients with hearing needs, Dr. Diane Blaising, owner and founder of Cityview Audiology & Hearing Aids, Inc., is the Face of Audiology and Hearing Aids in Fort Worth. Dr. Blaising and the staff at Cityview are well known and greatly appreciated for taking the time to listen to each patient’s needs and concerns. Treatment plans are customized with the latest, cutting-edge technology available to fit seamlessly into each patient’s lifestyle. A full range of audiometric tests and evaluative instruments, including tinnitus assessment, is available to meet each patient’s unique needs. Cityview Audiology & Hearing Aids, Inc. is devoted to providing the best care and service to each patient for quality living in the world of sound. PICTURED: Dr. Diane Blaising.

7801 Oakmont Blvd., Ste. 109 | Fort Worth, Texas 76132 | 817.263.1800 | Fax 817.263.1802 | DrBlaising@CityviewHearing.com

The Face of Endodontics

Cornerstone Endodontics

Dr. Kayla Tavares is a board-certified endodontist at Cornerstone Endodontics providing root canal therapy and root canal related surgery. The goal of root canal therapy is to save the natural tooth in order to restore a healthy, pain-free smile. Cornerstone Endodontics was designed as a modern, state-of-the-art office equipped with the newest technologies in root canal therapy, such as cone-beam computerized tomography and dental microscopes, in order to accurately diagnose and efficiently treat our patients. Our mission and passion are to provide an exceptional, gentle, and peaceful experience for our patients. Visit us at cornerstoneendotx.com to learn more about our office and services. PICTURED: Ivan, Marilza, Dr. Kayla Tavares, Ashleigh. 5540 Sycamore School Road, Ste. 336 | Fort Worth, Texas 76123 | 817.591.0336 | info@cornerstoneendotx.com

The Face of Med Spa

CRAVE Medical Spa

Crave Medical Spa is the Face of Med Spa because of our genuine desire to help women feel confident in themselves through the beauty experience. We take pride in our constant pursuit of cutting-edge techniques and the advancement of our craft. And we offer treatments in a relaxing atmosphere to ensure your comfort at all times. What sets us apart from our competition is specializing our services to the person, rather than the industry. We listen to the goals of our patients and design a plan to best help them achieve those goals. Our wow factor that keeps customers coming back is our Beauty-Vibe-Tribe! We believe everyone has a desire to belong; we want our patients to experience being a part of our tribe and feel beautiful too! Many friendships have blossomed from our patients, and we love it.

6100 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 22 | Fort Worth, Texas 76116 | 817.727.9260 | cravemedicalspa.com | contact@cravemedicalspa.com

The Face of Urban Real Estate

Mary Margaret Davis Real Estate Team

Mary Margaret Davis, Owner/Broker, has been making “IT” happen for more than four decades! Married to Grant Davis, she is half of the parenting team to doggies, Coco and Spunky, and kitty Adan, who happily call them “our people parents.” Along with being an advocate for all animals, Mary Margaret has a gift for interacting with people. She creates a comfortable exchange of ideas, goals, and desires. She listens for the hidden attributes that help properties sell and discovers forgotten wishes that inspire a buyer to say, “Yes, this is IT.” Exceptional service and knowledge have won Mary Margaret many awards and hundreds of clients who are happy in their homes. PICTURED: Mary Margaret. 817.925.1740 | mmdavis.com | marymargaret@mmdavis.com

The Face of Enchiladas

Enchiladas Ole

What makes Enchiladas Ole the Face of Enchiladas is that our popular restaurant is based solely on enchiladas. Our enchilada sauces are all unique and bold in their individual flavors. Even during the worst time in our industry’s history, we opened two locations and plan on opening more. Enchiladas Ole has brought back the enchilada! All of our food is made to order, rice is cooked every 45 minutes, beans cook all day long, and enchiladas are made to order. So that the stoves never are off, I work with every one of our cooks to ensure consistent and excellent flavors. Our wow factor is freshness, made to order. Yes, our food takes longer to prepare, but that’s what keeps our customers coming back! PICTURED: Mary Perez.

2418 Forest Park Blvd. | Fort Worth, Texas 76110 | 817.984.1360

9005 N. Tarrant Pkwy. | North Richland Hills, Texas 76182 | 817.849.2451 enchiladasole.com

The Faces of Women’s Care

FENOM Women’s Care

You are beautifully unique in your own way. We strive to truly listen to you, to understand you, and to tailor your care with compassion and empathy. As a group of women ourselves, we’ve always believed that to provide you with truly excellent care, we need to meet you where you are. As a FENOM patient, you receive a plan of care designed to fit your specific needs. Our commitment to inclusivity and compassionate care is only matched by our ever-evolving technical expertise. As a FENOM patient, you have the most up-to-date options for surgical management and medical therapies. We believe in educating and empowering you. We care for you because we are you. FENOM’s all-female foundation brings a real power of understanding to provide true balance and seriously wonderful care. This is our X factor. Join our community right now @fenomhealth. Multiple locations | 817.924.2111 | fenomhealth.com

The Face of Moving and Storage

Firefighting’s Finest Moving and Storage

Started in Fort Worth by off-duty firemen, Firefighting’s Finest has brought impeccable service and integrity to the moving industry and raised the public’s expectations of what a professional mover should be. Once a customer contacts us, they become confident that we will be there when scheduled, well trained, and ready to serve. What sets us apart is our culture of serving — concentrating on customer service, providing value, giving back to the community, supporting the military and first responders, and doing our jobs with pride and integrity. Our focus is on customer service, doing the job right, and striving to always attain 100% customer satisfaction. Our wow factor is our moving, packing, warehouse, and office staff. Our teamwork and integrity are unmatched in the industry. PICTURED: Derrick Potter and Patrick Dodson. 3101 Reagan Drive | Fort Worth, Texas 76116 | 817.737.7800 | FirefighterMovers.com | FortWorth@FirefighterMovers.com.

The Face of Ford

SouthWest Ford and Platinum Ford

Gilchrist Automotive

Not only will you find quality new and used Ford models at SouthWest Ford and Platinum Ford — you’ll also find a friendly and accommodating staff eager to assist you. We don’t believe that customers are numbers; they become part of our family. You can purchase your vehicle completely online (100%), never set foot in the store, and we will deliver your vehicle to your doorstep at no extra charge. Our wow factor that keeps bringing customers back is that we take their experience personally. A great experience is when we go above and beyond customers’ expectations in the way we serve them. SouthWest Ford came in 51st in the nation in new Ford sales. Experience the Gilchrist Difference. PICTURED: Adam Vincze, GM, Platinum Ford; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive. NOT PICTURED: Chris Bonnett, GM, SouthWest Ford of Weatherford.

Platinum Ford | avincze@gilchristautomotive.com | platinumford.com | 469.595.0099

SouthWest Ford | cbonnett@gilchristautomotive.com | southwestford.com | 817.596.5700

The Face of Otolaryngology

Fort Worth ENT

For more than 15 years, Fort Worth ENT has been one of the leaders in advanced surgical ear, nose, throat, and sinus care for adults and children. We provide evaluation and treatment of a wide range of complex conditions affecting the head and neck region. Our dedicated staff works as a team to provide high-quality comprehensive care. Our physicians are not only top in their specialty, they are compassionate, attentive, community involved, and altogether good guys. Our location is convenient to almost anywhere in Fort Worth, and in 2020 we added a new Physical and Vestibular Therapy Clinic to our practice. We are constantly working to grow and improve and want to be the place to go for all of your ENT needs. PICTURED: Sean Callahan, J. Brad McIntyre, and Jeremy Watkins. 5751 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 200 | Fort Worth, Texas 76109 | 817.332.8848 | fortworthent.net

The Face of Fertility

Fort Worth Fertility

Since establishing our practice in 2009, Fort Worth Fertility has helped create or grow hundreds of families each year in Fort Worth and around the globe. Through a variety of treatment options, including intra-uterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), we tailor patient-centered plans to achieve your dreams. We pride ourselves in providing treatment options that are both affordable and successful — with results well above the national average. Many of our staff, including physicians, have undergone treatment themselves and truly understand all aspects of the patient journey. Our wow factor is specialized patient care from the moment you walk through the door through graduation to your Ob/Gyn after successful treatment. Our staff greets you by name, and our physicians perform all ultrasounds and treatments each time you visit our office. PICTURED: Dr. Robert A. Kaufmann and Dr. Biren V. Patel.

1800 Mistletoe Blvd. | Fort Worth, Texas 76104 | 817.348.8145 | fwivf.com | info@fwivf.com

The Face of Caring for Women

Fort Worth Obstetrics & Gynecology

Privia Medical Group of North Texas

Compassion. Advocacy. Respect. Empathy. These are the cornerstones of our practice. We are humbled to not only guide but journey along with our patients on the many adventures and trials in which life may find us. Empowering women to be their own champion is our passion. We are a diverse group of providers who welcome the opportunity to show you our commitment in raising the bar for women’s health care in the greater Fort Worth area. PICTURED: (front) Ashita Gehlot, MD; Taylor Bradley, DO; (back) Cynthia English, DO; Timothy Jones, DO; Katie Burnett, PA-C. 6317 Harris Parkway, Ste. 400 | Fort Worth, Texas 76132 | 817.423.2002 | fortworthobgyn.com

The Face of Youth Lacrosse

Fort Worth Youth Lacrosse Association

Founded in 2009 with a team of 20 boys, Fort Worth Youth Lacrosse has grown to over 150 boys and girls, grades K thru 12. Serving the greater Fort Worth area as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, FWY Lacrosse is committed to providing an opportunity for ALL youth to experience, learn, and play the great game of Lacrosse. Our goal is to give each athlete the opportunity to play, enjoy, and excel to the best growth and development of their stage of the game. FWY Lacrosse has had several players transition to the next level of collegiate play from NCAA Division I schools to university club teams. We welcome all level of players including inexperienced youth to join us this spring season. We will also host various clinics in the summer and fall to help introduce, improve, and grow the game to anyone curious to play. P.O. Box 100243 | Fort Worth, Texas 76185 | fortworthlacrosse.org | fwylax@gmail.com

The Face of Lifestyle Concierge Go Go Me Agency

Rendee Bullard Hahnfeld, Owner

Go Go Me is a global member-based concierge agency located in Fort Worth that provides second-to-none support in all areas of lifestyle management. With more than 25 years of experience in this private service industry, Go Go Me brings unrivaled expertise and access to a highly connected network of professionals that includes, but is not limited to, all aspects of exclusive, on-demand personal assistance, household management and staffing, event planning and coordination, VIP travel expertise, and much more. Our lifestyle management services are designed to be accessible at a moment’s notice. Most importantly, confidentiality and trusted support are guaranteed. The relationship that we build with our clients is our wow factor. Go Go Me brings a tailored approach, unique to each client’s needs. With Go Go Me’s lifestyle management solutions, you have charted a path to de-stressing every corner of your life because now you have the luxury of time.

817.999.7029 | gogome.me | info@gogome.me

Face of Home Automation H Customs Audio Video

Since 2004, we’ve worked diligently to be the go-to audio-video company. If you’re going to invest in what it takes for automation or a media room, you want to make sure the entire process is explained completely. Our job is to make sure customers know they will be taken care of throughout their project from planning phase to final construction. We’ve set a foundation of trust with our customers and builders. They know our level of expertise in the field and that we will make something as truly complex as smart home technology work as seamlessly as possible. It takes true experts to accomplish the projects we work on. We’re tenacious in what we do. We never stop learning of new ways to create amazing projects for our customers. Our customers know that and won’t settle for less.

5059 Martin Luther King Jr Freeway Fort Worth, Texas 76119

817.300.1518 | hcustoms.com

The Face of Buick GMC Dealership

Hiley Buick GMC of Fort Worth

The Hiley Buick GMC store in Fort Worth opened in April 2010, serving as the exclusive Buick GMC dealer of Fort Worth. The Hiley dealerships are still family owned and operated after nearly three decades and are one of the last privately owned dealership groups in Dallas-Fort Worth. Excellent customer service and giving back to the community are two core values at Hiley Buick GMC. In 2019, they were in the Top 11 Buick GMC dealers in the country and awarded No. 1 dealer in North Texas for the second year in a row. With more than 20 years’ experience, Eric Schimmels started as general manager in 2012. Providing customer service long after the sale, the management team, sales staff, and GM certified service department will ensure you have a phenomenal experience at Hiley Buick GMC of Fort Worth. PICTURED: Eric Schimmels, General Manager. 3535 W. Loop 820 S. | Fort Worth, Texas 76116 817.632.8800 | hileygm.com | eschimmels@hileygm.com

The Face of Personal Injury Law

Greg Jackson Law

Greg Jackson is the Face of Auto and Trucking Accidents in Fort Worth. You won’t find a better lawyer to handle your injury case. Trained in the famed Practice Court Program at Baylor Law School, Greg has exclusively handled injury cases for 25 years. He founded Greg Jackson Law in 2004 to help injury victims. Greg has unique experience — nine years as an injury defense lawyer and 16 years as an injury victim lawyer — to represent his clients. He works hard for his clients and treats them like family members. He represents them to the limit of the law, but at the same time deals with his opponents in a courteous and professional manner. You can trust him to handle your case the right way. PICTURED: Greg Jackson. 201 Main St., Ste. 600 | Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.926.1003 | Fax 817.886.3653 gjackson@gregjacksonlaw.com | gregjacksonlaw.com

The Face of Family Law Specialists

KoonsFuller Family Law

As one of the largest family law firms in Texas, KoonsFuller Family Law offers an unmatched level of clout and range of resources, earning the firm numerous accolades. Many of these honors are exceptional compared to other divorce law recognitions, such as the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists presenting Southlake Managing Shareholder Heather King with the prestigious Sam Emison Award in 2018. The Southlake attorneys pride themselves on the compassion, skill, and thoughtfulness they bring to each case. They understand that every family is unique and every family’s concerns are different, especially when divorce, custody issues, and finances are involved. PICTURED: (left to right) Drew Williamson, Dana Manry,* Heather King,* Rob McEwan,* Jessica Janicek* and Paul Leopold. *Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. 550 Reserve St., Ste. 450 | Southlake, Texas 76092 | 817.481.2710 | Fax 817.481.2637 | koonsfuller.com *Principal office in Dallas

The Face of Trucking Accidents

Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C.

Steve Laird and Seth McCloskey are experienced lawyers for serious cases: 18-wheeler trucking collisions, meritorious and serious personal injury, and wrongful death cases. They are two of only 11 lawyers in Texas who are Board-Certified in Truck Accident Law. Laird is the only Tarrant County, Personal Injury Lawyer to be recognized as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters and Texas Monthly. McCloskey has been named to the Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers, as well as also being recognized as a Rising Star by Thomson Reuters and Texas Monthly. Laird is quadruple Board-Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, as well as being Board-Certified in Truck Accident Law and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. PICTURED: Seth McCloskey and Steve Laird. 1119 Pennsylvania Ave. | Fort Worth, Texas 76104 | 817.531.3000 | texlawyers.com

The Face of Farm & Ranch

Talia Lydick - Williams Trew

Longtime Fort Worth native Talia Lydick has sold some of the most prominent residential and farm and ranch properties in Fort Worth and the surrounding areas. Her knowledge of real estate ranges from being the seller’s agent, giving her clients confidence in her representation, as well as being the buyer’s agent, finding the perfect home or property. One of Talia’s interests is the equine industry, having owned and shown many horses over the years. Her experience in the equine industry has broadened her network to the farm and ranch community. Talia’s energetic personality and love for working with people enhance her capabilities in communications, sales, negotiations, and ability to maintain satisfied clients.

3707 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 300 | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | 817.692.4821 | williamstrew.com | talia.lydick@williamstrew.com

The Face of Celebrations

Marquee Event Rentals

Events are a reflection of who you are and what you value. Our team is highly skilled, able to understand the nuance of every event. Marquee Event Rentals is an industry-leading event service company that provides a full selection of tables, chairs, linens, tenting solutions, lighting, lounge furniture, catering equipment, and floral design for weddings, social parties, and corporate events. Marquee has made a commitment to making events special in the DFW area by leveraging our operational strengths, tenting expertise, and customer centric approach. Marquee combines great people and products to provide you with more event expertise and the deepest inventory in the industry. Our collaborating with DFW partners makes the event planning process fun and highly personal. Whether it’s a team meeting at our showroom or a creative partnership with colleagues or new clients, building an environment of collaboration and excitement is high priority when planning your event.

3200 Belmeade Drive | Carrollton, Texas 75006 | tbell@marqueerents.com

The Face of Catastrophic Injuries/Death

Law Offices of J. Kent McAfee, PC

“Catastrophe” is defined as a momentous tragic event, one that is rarely or ever experienced by most of us. When and if circumstances occur to affect a catastrophe in one’s life, involving the negligence of another, it is vitally important to have timely legal representation with the experience and knowledge to protect, secure, and take the important necessary measures to pursue compensation for life altering damages and injuries. Attorney J. Kent McAfee has represented victims in and from Texas and throughout the U.S. and internationally for over 36 years with successful and meaningful recoveries. He has established a reputation for comprehensive and aggressive representation in the area of serious and catastrophic personal injuries for over three decades. His consistent philosophy of client care with a personal touch and relentless pursuit of justice are hallmarks of his successful practice. One Legal Place | 925 8th Ave. | Fort Worth, Texas 76104

The Face of Nissan

SouthWest Nissan

Gilchrist Automotive

Experience VIP treatment while selecting from an incredible lineup of vehicles at SouthWest Nissan. Our team is dedicated to providing you with great customer service, and our family-friendly atmosphere shows we are committed to really “Drive the Difference” in our community. We listen to our customers’ wants and needs and then work hard to get them what they want in a timely fashion — with a touch of extras they did not expect and try to make it fun! Sometimes we can even do things that customers themselves are surprised we do — like obtaining great payment plans for them. We take care of our customers before, during, and after the sale. Bottom line is that we want customers for life, and people are quick to pick up on that feeling when they deal with us. Experience the Gilchrist Difference. PICTURED: Chad Shelton, General Manager, SouthWest Nissan; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive. 817.596.3811 | southwestnissantx.com | cshelton@gilchristautomotive.com

The Face of Home Appliance Sales and Service

Oliver Dyer

Growing up in a family business performing service in customers’ homes, I always considered my customers to be my best source of new customers. Whether it’s service or delivering new appliances into thousands of homes, I’ve seen how my customers react when a worker respects their home. Everyone at Oliver Dyer Appliance knows his or her customer will refer friends, neighbors and family members, so they go out of their way to create a satisfied customer. We only sell appliance brands where the manufacturer backs our efforts to do whatever necessary to satisfy every customer. If it’s not good enough to be in our homes, it isn’t good enough to be in yours. My name, email address and personal cell phone number are on every invoice. In over 20 years, I’ve only had a handful of calls with a problem, but I’ve received thousands of calls complimenting my employees.

8320 Camp Bowie W. | Fort Worth, Texas 76116 | 817.244.1874

The Face of Breakfast

Ol’ South Pancake House

Founded in 1962 and voted Best Breakfast in Fort Worth many times, Ol’ South Pancake House has become known as THE spot to go to for breakfast in Fort Worth. And, except for Christmas Eve, we don’t close. Ever! Owner Rex Benson continues to carry on the same tradition of serving homestyle cooking that his father, late co-founder David Benson, started over 58 years ago. And Rex has started some of his own traditions, such as the Mega Pancake Challenge and a beautiful, fully equipped catering trailer for events. Now, we have added a brand-new location that’s open in Burleson to that list! We always welcome families and children, hungry TCU students craving some homestyle cooking, tourists looking to grab a bite from a true local joint, and everyone in between. So, try us out — see how sweet life can be the Ol’ South way! 1509 South University Drive | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | 817.336.0311 | olsouthpancakehouse.com

The Face of Casual American Dining On Deck Concepts

With over 30 years in the industry, restaurateur Brent Tipps, owner and CEO of On Deck Concepts, is the face of Casual American Dining. Most known for BoomerJack’s Grill, On Deck Concepts’ mission is to provide uniquely compelling experiences that encourage guests to stay awhile and come back for more. Tipps’ passion for improving and evolving the dining experience has resulted in the rapid expansion of BoomerJack’s, now with 15 locations in DFW, and the innovation of two more concepts — Bedford Ice House, an open-aired hangout with live music every day, and Sidecar Social, a 20,000-square-foot social lounge in Addison with oversized gaming activities, live entertainment, and enormous wall-to-wall TVs. All On Deck Concepts’ restaurants offer craveable, classic American grill and bar fare at the most reasonable prices in friendly, laid-back environments. On Deck Concepts

136 Harmon Road | Hurst, Texas 76053 ondeckconcepts.com

The Face of Custom Bedding Manufacturers The Original Mattress Factory

A 124-year-old, Fort Worth family business, the Original Mattress Factory manufactures quality bedding and sells directly to the public nationwide. We are focused on innovating the best way to give our customers a great night’s sleep at a low price. Not settling for anything less, we believe that we need to own and control the production process to make sure quality is second to none. A Texas original since 1896, our family takes pride in continuing the tradition of excellence, quality and value in our products that the generations before us established. Our employees, customers, and vendors are our lifeline for our success. We are proactive in our approach to making sure everything from ordering the raw materials, to production, to delivery is done in a timely manner and with top quality and integrity. 900 East Vickery | Fort Worth, Texas 76104 817.334.0361 | originalmattress@gmail.com

The Face of Outdoor Kitchens & Living Spaces

Panther City Arbor & Patio

With an eye for creative outdoor design and years of construction experience, we have built many Fort Worth backyard living spaces and have the happy customers to attest to it. When our customers choose to make an investment in their home, they want the most experienced person to do the job. With almost 20 years in outdoor construction, we have built hundreds of beautiful backyard spaces. What sets our company apart is the trust in our relationships with customers, vendors, and employees, as well as the honesty and consistency we maintain. Our wow factor is the seamless building experience our company has created. From offering full construction design plans to our 10,000-square-foot retail showroom, we aim to take all the stress from our customers and leave them with an experience that they find easy and enjoyable. PICTURED: Dustin Hillman.

621 South Freeway | Fort Worth, Texas 76104

817.946.0700 | panthercitypatio.com | dustin@panthercitypatio.com

The Face of Social Graces and Etiquette

Prim, Poised, and Proper LLC

Anita C. Heiskell is genuine in her commitment to ensuring her motto, “Etiquette Is Not Extinct,” is a daily focus. With unique pageant experience as a former pageant contestant and winner of Miss Memphis, Tennessee, and Miss University of Memphis (Runner-Up Miss Tennessee), as well as a pageant coach for other contestants, Heiskell possesses a skill set that allows her to teach others the importance of first impressions. “My ethics and values are second to none when it comes to providing services by tailoring my presentation for each age level,” Heiskell says. Her wow factor is her professionalism and enthusiasm in how she approaches each topic related to polite behavior, formal manners, and proper speech, as well as dress and business etiquette. Heiskell gives life and passion to her mission of infusing social graces into every age group. PICTURED: Anita C. Heiskell.

5601 Bridge St., Ste. 220 | Fort Worth, Texas 76112

817.219.5557 | primpoisedandproper.com | primpoisedandproper@gmail.com

The Face of Cataract Surgery

Martin Reinke, M.D.

Dr. Reinke has been performing cataract removal with lens implantation for over 20 years. A fellowship-trained retina subspecialist (Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School), Dr. Reinke has experience using the latest technology and intraocular lenses available for cataract surgery, including laser-assisted cataract removal. Dr. Reinke personally sees every patient at every appointment and spends time with patients in order to determine the best lens implant option for their lifestyle. Patients receive a comprehensive retina evaluation prior to and after cataract surgery. Cataract patients often have co-existing problems, such as diabetes or age-related macular degeneration, and Dr. Reinke is able to manage these issues without additional referrals elsewhere. With personalized attention by highly empathetic and skilled staff, Dr. Reinke is able to provide excellent care for patients as part of the cataract removal experience.

1310 N. White Chapel Blvd. | Southlake, Texas 76092

817.310.6080

dfwlasercataract.com | martin_reinke@yahoo.com

The Face of Classic Tex-Mex Rio Mambo

Rio Mambo has been serving Fort Worth and the surrounding cities for 20 years by providing an ingredient-driven menu in a contemporary setting with a focus on developing and maintaining longterm relationships. A hands-on, family-owned and -operated business, Rio Mambo is invested in church, school, and business communities. Owner Brent Johnson is personally involved in every aspect of the business daily, from building to designing, operating, and creating community-driven marketing and relationship-building events. The wow factor that keeps bringing customers back is the staff. The combined efforts of people who have been with the restaurants between 15 and 25 years provide a personal experience, transforming every customer’s visit into an individualized occasion. Involvement in the communities they serve is important to them. The longstanding staff of managers and employees are committed to the communities they serve on a personal level.

Rio Mambo | Multiple Locations | riomambo.com

The Face of BBQ

Riscky’s BBQ

Riscky’s is a legend — we are the oldest barbecue restaurant in Fort Worth and one of the oldest in all of Texas. In 1927, Polish immigrants Mary and Joe Riscky opened its first location — Riscky’s Grocery & Market — on the North Side of Fort Worth. This original location is still open and operating after four generations of Riscky family ownership. After almost two decades of discipleship under Jim and Norma Riscky, Eddie Sullivan (son-in-law) and loyal employees are continuing the art of smoking meat the Riscky way, keeping the family tradition alive and well for over 93 years. Our barbeque is still slowsmoked using the decades-old, original post oak wood-burning pits, hand-built by Jim Riscky. Our barbecue can compete with the best of the best. Our customers know us, and we know our customers.

2314 Azle Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76164 | 817.624.8662 | risckys.com | info@risckys.com

The Face of Weight Loss and Wellness

SciFit Center | Dr. Bryce Calvillo, Angela Calvillo

SciFit Center takes a new age approach toward weight loss, fitness, and wellness by integrating Body Composition Scanning, Food Sensitivity, Metabolism and DNA testing. Dr. Bryce and Angela Calvillo are the Face of Weight Loss and Wellness by providing the most recent and effective services to their clients. They focus on helping clients reach their fitness and wellness goals from every aspect possible, including personalized nutrition and fitness programs that are tailored to clients’ schedules, lifestyle, preferences, and goals. One of the main aspects of the SciFit philosophy is you shouldn’t have to miss out on life just because you are trying to make improvements in your health. Having a healthy balance between healthy choices and delicious ones is key to successful sustainability. This is the program where you can have your cake and eat it too … literally!

2408 Forest Park Blvd. | Fort Worth, Texas 76110 | 817.975.7583 | scifitcenter.com | healthylife@scifitcenter.com

The Face of Custom Home Building

Sean Knight Custom Homes

For more than 30 years, Sean Knight Custom Homes has been recognized as a premier homebuilder in North Texas. Sean Knight is a certified master builder and remodeler and has a reputation for delivering luxury, quality, and elegance. We are dedicated to growing relationships through trust and respect. At Sean Knight Custom Homes, we continually aim to go above and beyond. Vast experience in the industry and a reputation for superior quality, attention to detail, honesty, and integrity make us unique. We believe that our expertise, dedication to quality, and strength of communication set us apart from many in the industry. We do more at Sean Knight Custom Homes than just build superior homes; we build long-lasting client/contractor relationships focused on service, detail, and trust. 109 S. Ranch House Road, Ste. 107 | Aledo, Texas 76008 | 817.560.0828 | sknight@flash.net | seanknightcustomhomes.com

The Face of Interior Design

Susan Semmelmann Interiors

Susan Semmelmann is a designer on a mission. Susan says her mission is to use her gifts and talents “for the greater good of everyone in her reachable sphere.” Semmelmann Interiors’ mission statement reads “The spirit of living is in the giving.” To Susan, those words are much more than a tag line beneath a logo. She strives to make clients’ dreams a reality with custom crafted furnishings and accessories created in-house and manufactured drapery and bedding directly from fabric mills. Semmelmann Interiors has its own workroom for clients that allows it to turnkey any project in a timely manner and accommodate every style. “Our wow factor is definitely the eye for design and the client relationships. Over the years the clients come back because they had a great experience. Customer service is the highest priority for us, and we make every client a VIP.”

The Face of Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery

Matthew H. Steele, M.D.

Dr. Matthew Steele’s attention to detail and extensive experience in all aspects of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery ensure excellent patient outcomes and satisfaction. Dr. Steele is one of a handful of plastic surgeons in the DFW area that is double board-certified in otolaryngology (ENT) and plastic surgery. The wow factor that keeps bringing patients back is our customer service. Dr. Steele devotes a lengthy amount of time during his consultation to provide a custom, individualized treatment plan with patient’s goals in mind while answering all of their questions. We pride ourselves on our small, intimate office where patients are treated like family. Additionally, our practice is the only office in Fort Worth offering awake in-office liposuction with BodyTite. Finally, Jennifer, our aesthetician, brings her extensive experience in skin care, injectables, and noninvasive facial rejuvenation. PICTURED: Dr. Matthew Steele, Keri Steele, Jessica Garcia, Erica Ramos, and Jennifer Geyer. 5656 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 202 | Fort Worth, Texas 76109 | 817.731.5330 | drsteeleplasticsurgery.com

The Face of Labor and Employment Law

Tanner and Associates, PC

Tanner and Associates, PC, recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Tier One law firm, has a national practice focused on labor and employment law and civil trials in federal and state courts. Rod Tanner, the firm’s founding shareholder, is a Fellow in the prestigious College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and he is widely recognized as one of the state’s preeminent labor and employment attorneys. Texas Super Lawyers (Thompson Reuters) has named him one of the state’s Top 100 Super Lawyers. He is co-editor and co-author of Texas Employment Law, a two-volume treatise. Recognizing the noble purpose of our labor laws to establish justice in the workplace, the firm’s mission is to provide legal services of the highest quality to labor organizations, executives, professionals, and employees. PICTURED: Rod Tanner. 6300 Ridglea Place, Ste. 407 | Fort Worth, Texas 76116-5706 | 817.377.8833 rodtannerlaw.com | rtanner@rodtannerlaw.com

The Face of Graduate Studies

Tarleton State University

Tarleton State University — a founding member of The Texas A&M University System — has offered graduate programs in Fort Worth since the 1970s. Program offerings include everything from a master’s in medical laboratory sciences to a PhD in criminal justice. Our vibrant new 80-acre campus on the Chisholm Trail Parkway proclaims our long-term commitment to serve Greater Fort Worth as a regional center of excellence for instruction, research, and economic development. Credentialed faculty teach affordable courses that propel personal and professional growth. Students choose Tarleton because they know you gain the know-how to be a leader in your career and in your community. That’s powerful. That’s Tarleton State University.

10850 Texan Rider Drive | Fort Worth, Texas 76036 |

The Face of Catering and Bartending

Teresa’s Event Staffing

Teresa’s Event Staffing and Bartending will do whatever it takes to make everything perfect for your special day. What sets Teresa and her staff apart from the rest is their willingness to go that extra mile. Teresa believes in leading by example and giving her clients more than they asked for, leaving them saying they would never have another party without Teresa’s Event Staffing. With more than 30 years of experience, Teresa has second- and third-generation clients, a wall full of thank you letters for her service, and countless referrals, including Fort Worth Magazine, to grow her business. Teresa has worked for such notables as President George W. and First Lady Laura Bush, Van Cliburn and Oprah Winfrey. PICTURED: Teresa Owings. 817.688.7335 | teresaseventstaffing.com | Taowings@aol.com

The Face of Executive Terminal and Private Aircraft Texas Jet

In 2020, pilots of private jets ranked Texas Jet at Meacham Airport the No. 1 Independent FBO (private aircraft terminal) in the country. Those pilots’ votes have also allowed Texas Jet to be ranked among the very top FBOs for 13 years straight. The credit goes to Texas Jet’s Ladies and Gentlemen who live its Culture of Excellence every day by anticipating customers’ needs and wowing them at every level. This top-notch service includes plane-side valet, detailing of passengers’ vehicles, and keeping owners’ vehicles safe in TJ’s private garages … all complimentary, of course. Texas Jet’s operations at Meacham encompass 23 hangars. So, meet your friends flying into Fort Worth at Texas Jet! PICTURED: Reed Pigman, President; Holly Hopkins, Customer Service Manager; Gabriel Cross, Assistant Line Service Manager; Sarah Bichara, Assistant to the Customer Service Manager; Mario Sanchez, Line Service Manager; Lesa Moke; Finance. 200 Texas Way | Fort Worth, Texas 76106 | 817.624.8438

The Face of Business Security

The Oxman Group

Our business is protecting your business. We take something very complicated – business security – and provide simple yet comprehensive solutions to our customers. With over 25 years of experience in the security and technology industry, the Oxman Group guarantees to provide you with the support and assurance your business requires, demands, and needs. We take a security-first approach to everything we do. We are the only technology business licensed by Texas DPS as a Security Consultant, Private Investigations, Alarm System, and Electronic Access Control company. Unlike our competitors, we offer all aspects of security (physical, technological, organizational). We can uniquely assess and address any security risk your business is susceptible to encountering. We communicate with our customers in a simple, straightforward manner, leaving all the technical jargon behind! PICTURED: Don Oxman. 1617 Park Place Ave., Ste. 110-11 | Fort Worth, Texas 76110 817.677.0515 | theoxmangroup.com | info@theoxmangroup.com TX DPS #C10504801

The Face of Distilleries

Trinity River Distillery - Texas Silver Star Spirits

Silver Star Spirits is a Fort Worth-owned company — born in Texas, raised in Texas, and distilled in Texas. Since coming on board in November 2019, we have updated our packaging, our venue, our consumer engagement, and introduced our first bourbon whiskey appropriately named 1849 in honor of Fort Worth. Silver Star Spirts is proud to call the iconic building which used to be the Ranch Style Beans plant our home. Since we opened our doors, we have been making some of the finest tasting spirits produced in Texas, using Texas rainwater to bring all our products to proof. Our wow factor that keeps bringing customers back is the quality of our products. No matter what your occasion may be, stop by Silver Star Spirits today and enjoy a nice cocktail drink with one of our signature beverages. PICTURED: Kirk Richards, co-owner/distiller; Bob Camillone, president. 1734 E. El Paso St., Ste. 130 | Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817.841.2837 | bob@silverstarwhiskey.com | kirk@silverstarwhiskey.com

The Face of Higher Education

UTA Fort Worth/Executive MBA

The UTA Fort Worth campus provides the community a convenient downtown location, professional degree programs in a variety of high-demand professional specialties, smaller class sizes, and accelerated class schedules that allow students to maximize work/life/school balance. The UTA downtown campus provides the Fort Worth community access to UTA’s top-notch faculty, state-of-the-art amenities, and a unique learning environment. One of the flagship programs at the UTA Fort Worth campus is the Executive MBA. This program provides experienced working professionals with the opportunity to pursue their business education and take their career to the next level. This program provides students a cutting-edge leadership laboratory in a diverse cohort that that inspires collaboration and networking in and out of the classroom. The downtown campus also offers bachelors and masters programs in Health Care Administration, Public Administration, Real Estate, Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Nursing. PICTURED: Michael Wollman and Joseph Babcock. 1401 Jones St. | Fort Worth, Texas 76102 | 817.272.5988 | fortworth.uta.edu

The Face of Community Banking

Valliance Bank

For Fort Worth businesses and executives looking for tailored financial solutions, Valliance Bank offers customized products and services with unmatched quality of service. At Valliance, we have bankers who are responsive and willing to go above and beyond to satisfy their customers’ needs. We call it “relationship banking.” Relationship banking means we foster loyal partnerships by deeply understanding our customers’ goals and objectives. We then strategize with them to develop a plan to fulfill the vision for their businesses. At Valliance Bank, it’s our mission to help Fort Worth businesses thrive by offering custom solutions based on their needs. PICTURED: Shelby Bruhn, Marian Haidari, Wes Bailey, Claire Bershaw, Cara McClain, and Andrew Lowenthal.

777 Main St., Ste. 2160 | Fort Worth, Texas 76102 | 682.316.6060 | valliance.bank

The Face of Flooring

Vintage Floors

With a culmination of over 200 years of flooring and design experience, Vintage Floors is the Face of Flooring in Fort Worth. It is this vast industry experience that sets us apart. When making selections for the largest asset in your life, where you live, entertain friends, and raise your family, it’s important to choose a trusted company that’s been providing flooring for many years in the community. The staff at Vintage Floors cares about your 100% satisfaction. We believe that our teamwork approach, superior customer service, and solid commitment to our clients are the key to our company’s success. Quality products and exceptional customer service keep our satisfied customers coming back and recommending us to their friends and family. PICTURED: Bryan Page (President). 5136 Camp Bowie Blvd. | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | 817.877.1564 | Fax 817.882.1162 | vintagefloorstx.com

The Face of Architecture

VLK Architects

For more than 30 years, VLK Architects has contributed to the fabric of Fort Worth’s core. From Near Southside to downtown to the Stockyards to the Cultural District and beyond, time and again we deliver architectural solutions that create extraordinary places in our hometown. We’ve completed hundreds of projects in Fort Worth and the North Texas region, but among them, no two projects are alike. There is no single VLK pattern because the client’s style is our style. Our goal is to capture the client’s vision and turn those expectations into reality. We challenge our teams to serve our clients as a trusted resource, to be their advocate and partner, and put their needs above our own. When you develop that level of relationship with a client, they become a repeat client, hopefully for a lifetime. PICTURED: Sloan Harris, CEO and Partner.

2821 W. Seventh St., Ste. 300

Fort Worth, Texas 76107

817.633.1600 | vlkarchitects.com sharris@vlkarchitects.com

The Face of Volkswagen

SouthWest Volkswagen

Gilchrist Automotive

Buyers choose SouthWest Volkswagen because of the hassle-free buying experience. At SouthWest Volkswagen, we are a one-touch store, meaning the business manager handles your purchase from start to finish. This makes the process quicker as well as not having to be introduced to several people during the car buying process. We make it a fun experience for you to get the car you want at a fair price with no hidden adds or fees. Our wow factor that keeps customers coming back is the genuine care and appreciation we have for our customers. We treat you like you are part of the family … because you are! Whether it’s sales, service, or parts, we are all under one rooftop and ready to fulfill all your automotive needs. Experience the Gilchrist Difference. PICTURED: Dustin Rodgers, GM, SouthWest Volkswagen; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive.

SouthWest Volkswagen | southwestvolkswagen.com | drodgers@gilchristautomotive.com | 817.458.5400

The Face of Mohs Surgery

Molly M. Warthan, M.D.

Dr. Molly M. Warthan has performed over 8000 skin cancer surgeries in her career. Specializing in Mohs Micrographic skin cancer surgery, she excises skin cancers from the face and neck mostly and does frozen tissue sections on the skin cancer to ensure that the skin cancer is completely removed before suturing the area. A board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Warthan had the unique opportunity to do her fellowship for Mohs skin cancer surgery with a Mohs surgeon and a plastic surgeon who did all the skin cancer surgery repairs. She is able to ensure skin cancers are removed prior to patients leaving the office. The Warthan Dermatology Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery Center wants its patients to feel comfortable with the staff and the physician and offers its patients a warm, friendly environment while they are having surgery.

Warthan Dermatology Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery Center 5751 Edwards Ranch Road, Ste. 101 | Fort Worth, Texas 76109 817.923.8220 | mohsdermatology.com | info@mohsdermatology.com

The Face of Residential Real Estate

Martha Williams Group

What sets the Martha Williams Group apart is its dominance in the Fort Worth real estate market and its dedication to customer service and customer relationships. “We know and understand the intricacies of Fort Worth, and we have over 50 years of combined experience.” Martha Williams, Amanda Massingill, and Patricia Williams were born and raised in Fort Worth. They are actively engaged in and connected with the Fort Worth community and truly appreciate the rich culture and arts that our great city has to offer. Clients return to the Martha Williams Group because of its history of success. Attentive to its clients’ needs, it is committed to providing extraordinary service. Fort Worth is Home. The Martha Williams Group | 3707 Camp Bowie Blvd., Ste. 300 | Fort Worth, Texas 76107 | marthawilliamsgroup.williamstrew.com

Martha Williams | 817.570.9401 | martha@williamstrew.com

Amanda Massingill | 817.570.9451 | amanda@williamstrew.com

Patricia Williams | 817.504.2410 | patricia@williamstrew.com

John Zimmerman

Compass Real Estate Fort Worth

What makes John Zimmerman the No. 1 agent in Fort Worth? A relentless pursuit of excellence and dedication to providing the best results for his clients across every price point. Innovation and hard work are not just taglines but an obsessive pursuit that inspires fierce client loyalty. As the founding agent for Compass Real Estate’s Fort Worth office, Zimmerman is combining nearly 30 years of residential real estate experience with Compass’ best-in-class data and technology to optimize the client experience.

817.247.6464 | john.zimmerman@compass.com| jzfortworth.com

THE GIVING CITY

Even when resources seem scarce, the Fort Worth community finds ways to help those in need.

BY MARY MURPHY

Two years ago, before COVID-19 was even a word in our vocabulary, the U.S. Census reported that 14.5% of Fort Worth residents were living in poverty. And in light of the novel pandemic and other hardships our society faces, the number of those afflicted with unemployment, lack of food, and even homelessness has only risen.

Fortunately, Panther City was prepared to assist those in need. According to CNM, a Dallas-Fort Worth initiative that assists nonprofits by gathering data for strategic planning, Fort Worth saw a nearly 20% increase in the number of public charities (also known as 501(c)(3) organizations) over the past five years.

The number of public charities in Tarrant County ranks as one of the highest in Texas, and it has the second-most public charities in North Texas, totaling nearly 7,000 organizations dedicated to helping those in need. These charities assist with different missions, ranging from the arts to education to health to human services. As the community’s need skyrocketed during a tumultuous year, so did the charities’ need to provide for them.

Despite changes in fundraising events, volunteer availability, and overall funds, the Fort Worth community rallied and gave back during a year when it seemed there was little to give.

An Increase in Need

Jeff

Williams,

founder of

the

Taste Project and Taste Community Restaurant,

experienced the community’s increase in need firsthand. Since it opened in 2017, the restaurant has seen a mix of people come through its doors, from homeless folks to Fort Worth visitors looking for a tasty meal. It’s a unique concept for a public charity —

all meals are chef-driven with a seasonal menu (including gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options). There are no costs, and you pay what you can.

In March 2020, the Near Southside restaurant began seeing a drop-off in people who paid regular prices and saw an influx of people in need, seeking out a lessexpensive meal due to the higher level of unemployment and food insecurity.

“There was a huge increase in people who were, for the first time, navigating emergency food response programs and services,” Williams says. “A week into the shutdown of dining rooms, we started to see a lot of hospitality workers come through [our curbside pickup].”

Before COVID-19, Taste was serving over 115 people per day. Its clientele was a mix of those who are underprivileged and wellknown Fort Worth locals (like Robert Yearly, CEO of JPS). Now, the restaurant is serving close to 60 people per day, and although there’s still a variety of people who eat at the restaurant, Williams says that the majority has skewed toward those in need over the past year.

“I think that we were very approachable and an easy introduction to [seeking emergency food response programs],” Williams says. “It may be a lot easier for someone to come to our restaurant for the first time than going to a soup kitchen. That was one of the most impactful things for me — seeing these people who were so new to the situation [of food shortage] and being able to offer safety for them in this time.”

You won’t see any differences between Taste Community Restaurant and other fine dining establishments in Fort Worth. Taste has COVID-19 precautions and social distancing guidelines in place, and everyone who comes in, no matter who they are or where they’re coming from, receives stellar service and nutritious meals.

Williams experienced food insecurity in his youth, which is one of the many reasons

that he founded the Taste Project and Taste Community Restaurant. A large part of the concept is focused around quality meals and cultivating community at Taste Community Restaurant, but there’s also another important aspect: volunteering.

“A Lot of It Is Time”

Taste Community Restaurant is run by 80% volunteers. Some of the volunteers are people who have eaten at the restaurant before; some are people who haven’t been able to pay for their meal in the past. This, Williams says, is where even more magic comes into play.

“[Our volunteers] find a sense of purpose, of self-value, and of belonging that they didn’t currently have,” he says. “There are a lot of people who have means [to donate], and it doesn’t have to be financial — a lot of it is time.”

Beth Driskill is one of many Fort Worthians who donates time to help those in need. It’s her fifth year volunteering as the president of Children’s Charities of Fort Worth (CCFW) — a charity that gives back to 13 local charities, including ACH Child & Family Services, the Samaritan House, and a Wish with Wings.

Everyone on staff for CCFW is a volunteer. Normally, the volunteer group plans and hosts the annual Margarita Ball, where people bring in toys and bikes as Christmas gifts for children. Attendees donate funds for the charities at the inperson event. They laugh, they talk, they socialize. Nearly 90% of the donations they need for their charities comes from CCFW’s Margarita Ball.

But, of course, this year caused complications.

“There wasn’t a space in Fort Worth where 1,500 people could socially distance and party at the same time,” Driskill says, “so we decided to postpone and do virtual events instead.”

Driskill and the board of directors set a new goal to bring in 2,500 toys and 150 bikes. Although they had never organized a virtual event before and the giving started out slow, they were able to achieve their goals with the generosity of Fort Worth

sponsors and generous local contributions.

“The more we were on social media talking about what our mission was and what we did, [the more] it snowballed,” Driskill says. “By the time we hit November, we realized we were going to be able to achieve our goal.”

In July, Driskill received an email from a woman who had seen their “Christmas in July” fundraising video, which featured live videos and interviews with the CCFW’s 13 different charities that they help. The woman’s mother had been wanting to donate toys to a charity but didn’t know who she should give them to ... until now.

The woman’s mother donated fifty toys. A few days later, she donated two bikes, followed by 50 more toys and $1,000 for bikes. Then, several weeks later, she gave another 50 toys. Her large contribution was part of several donations and sponsorships that allowed CCFW to not only give their 13 charities the bare minimum that they’d asked for but almost all of the things that they had on their wish list.

According to Driskill, this was a huge blessing considering that (due to 2020 hardships) not as many organizations were able to contribute to these charities in the past year.

“I am so proud of the directors that I work with,” Driskill says. “These people that were involved, they had a passion about this. They said, ‘We’re not going to let this virus get us down. We’re going to do this no matter what.’”

Because the CCFW received more donations than toys and bikes this year, the organization was able to take their charities on a shopping outing at Target.

A bike donation event from Children's Charities of Fort Worth

Picking up toys at Target for a Children's Charities of Fort Worth toy drive.

Two members of Children's Charities of Fort Worth consult their shopping list for toys to buy and donate.

“You have to start at home first. Fort Worth is home. Let’s focus on it.”

— Larry Anfin

This, too, was an unexpected gift — Target gave all participating charities 20% off their purchases.

“The best thing that happened in 2020 for me, personally,” Driskill says, “was the success that [CCFW] had.”

In the past, Driskill and her powerhouse volunteer group took a hiatus after the CCFW’s Margarita Ball to reset for the coming year. This year, however, they’re powering straight through. The team has already begun organizing this year’s virtual fundraising events, and they’ve started planning their annual in-person Margarita Ball for December 2021 (with a virtual soiree as an alternative).

Giving to Give

One of the many who contributed funds to Children’s Charities of Fort Worth in 2020 was Larry Anfin, a dedicated Fort Worth philanthropist, and his wife, Karen. Larry Anfin has lived in Fort Worth since he was 1 1/2 years old and has been helping his community in multiple ways since the 1990s.

Anfin’s grandfather, John McMillian, founded the Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth with Ed Curtis in 1966. According to Anfin, he watched as his grandfather — and mother — took part in giving back to the community as he grew up. It seemed only natural for him to follow in their footsteps.

“Sometimes, I didn’t appreciate it as much as someone who saw it from the outside, because I thought that’s what everybody [did],” Anfin says. “After I got older, I started realizing ... everybody doesn’t do that. My grandfather and mother were the exception, not the rule.”

Anfin continues giving back to this day and is currently working with multiple charities to fulfill their needs. He’s organized them all in a spreadsheet, featuring over 10 charities including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth, a Wish with Wings, and Stage West, to name a few.

“There are a lot of great things about Fort Worth, and there are a lot of things you can help on,” Anfin says. “You need to start at home first. You have to make sure home base is taken care of, then you can worry about other things.”

Of course, under the current circumstances, not everyone’s wallet is large enough for large amounts of generosity — but Anfin says that being a great public charity board member or a great volunteer doesn’t always mean contributing a lot of money. Donations are important, he says, but a lot of the charities in Fort Worth are simply looking for people who are passionate about their mission. Find a charity with a mission you’re passionate about, and see how you can give back.

“Once you start helping these groups and seeing what they do in the community, it’s kind of hard not to help out,” Anfin says. “We’re really lucky in Fort Worth because there are a lot of people who do a lot that don’t get a lot of recognition. They just do it. And if everyone helps out a little bit, it helps out the whole.”

COVID-19 Created Charities

In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, multiple people came together in the community and stepped up to the plate

to help out the whole — including Mayor Betsy Price and business leaders John Goff and Elaine Agather. The three partnered up to co-chair one of Fort Worth’s newest nonprofits, Fort Worth Now.

Fort Worth Now is a nonprofit that’s funded entirely by private funds, focused on stabilizing and restoring local businesses. They’ve created a website, fwtxnow.com, where businesses can find resources for navigating COVID-19 hardships, as well as apply for loans and grant programs that can help them stay on their feet.

Another nonprofit created during this trying time was the Creative Industry Relief Fund. The endeavor (initially called the “Fort Worth Artist & Service Worker Relief Fund”) was kick-started by local singersongwriter Rachel Gollay as a way to help artists and service workers who found themselves underemployed or out of work. Since its inception, Hear Fort Worth and Film Fort Worth have taken on the initiative with the help of United Way of Tarrant County. Qualified applicants received support of $200 – $300 while funds lasted, and although the charity is working to provide grants to as many creatives as possible, it has been forced to wait-list applications due to an overwhelming demand in need.

Individuals who want to continue contributing funds for musicians, filmmakers, and artists can support Fort Worth’s creatives by donating for waitlisted applications at unitedwaytarrant.org/ artistsrelieffund.

A Little Bit Can Go a Long Way

Anfin’s mentality of a little bit helping out the whole highlights the magic of public charities in Fort Worth. Even if you don’t have a whole lot to give and can only give a little — whether it’s money, time, or tangible donations — you’re still able to help your community in an impactful way. At the end of the day, charitable giving goes past the dollar amount that someone writes on a check. It’s grounded in human connection — reminding a person in need

that someone is thinking of them and sees them as the unique individual they are.

“To a small child that’s been living in poverty, a nice gift from a stranger can mean so much,” Driskill, president of Children’s Charities of Fort Worth, says. “I think it gives them hope that there are people out there who care.”

Williams at Taste Community Restaurant has also seen the impact that can be made when someone steps up to help another person in need. Back in 2019, a young homeless gentleman started regularly eating at Taste. Williams said it seemed that he was sometimes on narcotics, but even that didn’t stop his potential from shining through during a brief conversation with a volunteer one day.

After a short conversation with the man, the Taste Community Restaurant volunteer went to the Taste staff and said, “Someone needs to help him,” to which they replied, “This is why you’re here.”

It only took the volunteer 30 seconds to turn around, sit back down at the table, and continue talking with the homeless man. Their relationship developed, and the volunteer ended up driving him to rehab. Since then, Williams says that the man stayed in rehab, got clean, enrolled back in college, and in 2020, finished out his semester with a 4.0.

“There’s something different when

Larry and Karen Anfin

Taste Community Restaurant

Margarita Ball

impact in someone’s life. The small things that people do daily are sown back into the community and into other people, and they can change people’s lives.”

someone takes an honest care about you,” Williams says. “It’s a lot easier for us as individuals to make big impacts in people’s lives than we think it is.”

The impact might not seem large in the moment, but all it takes is a second of your time, a dollar from your wallet, a toy from your chest box. These things have the potential to turn someone’s life around.

“That volunteer’s life changed as much as it changed the homeless gentleman’s life,” Williams says. “It’s an amazing transformation [for both of them] because somebody chose to care.”

Driskill at the Children’s Charities of Fort Worth agrees that there’s something unique about the connection that comes with giving back.

“This past year has been all about no human connection, and I think that that’s really been awful for our mental health,” Driskill says. “I would encourage everyone to get involved because it really helps you put perspective on something else. Doing things for others really helps you be more grateful for what you have, opens your eyes to the needs of others, and makes you a happier person.”

Opportunities to Give Back

As we enter 2021, Fort Worth’s charities are still in need of donations — whether it be time, money, or items. One hurdle that organizations continue to face is the need for volunteers.

“It’s hard to look at a person hurting,” Williams says. “But there are a lot of people who have the means to make a lasting

Both Taste Community Restaurant and Children’s Charities of Fort Worth are majorly run by volunteers, and both felt an impact when volunteers stepped back due to COVID-19. It was an understandable change, but with a new year and new goals on the horizon, these (and many other) charities are looking to the Fort Worth community for help.

Taste Community Restaurant offers volunteer opportunities for anyone 11 and up. The restaurant is run by 80% volunteers, who do everything from food preparation to seating guests at their tables. This is a great way to get involved and meet someone new in the community. Even if you might not have time to volunteer, consider stopping in to get a meal. No matter what you pay, simply sitting down for a meal in the Taste Community Restaurant can help other community members in need. It may even lead to a conversation that changes the course of someone’s life.

Children’s Charities of Fort Worth is currently searching for new directors to help them navigate 2021. If you’re interested in contributing time to plan virtual fundraising events, organize the annual Margarita Ball, and give gifts to children during Christmastime, email hello@childrenscharitiesfw.com. It will also have virtual events throughout the year and its 32nd annual Margarita Ball this December.

Although you may not be able to show off your dress at a gala just yet, you can sparkle and shine through the Zoom camera at a virtual fundraising event or in a volunteer role. It doesn’t matter if you choose to give money, time, or gifts back to the community this year — a little bit helps out the whole.

Taste Community Restaurant

A mountain of toys from Children's Charities of Fort Worth

Charity Starter Guide

» Putting together a comprehensive list of every Fort Worth-based charity would be an exercise in futility — there are nearly 7,000 nonprofits in Tarrant County. Not only would this be a bear to compile, but it would also prove overwhelming for our readers. So, instead, our editors have put together a list of charities that we feel is a good place to start. Eventually, our hope is that locals who get the philanthropist itch might widen their scope of giving, and we guarantee there’s a charity within Greater Fort Worth that aligns with your niche.

All of the following charities and foundations are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. With the caveat of this not being comprehensive, we’d love to hear your feedback and include additional charities in our online version. For any suggestions, please email our editor at bkendall@fwtexas.com.

A Wish With Wings awww.org

Children

817.469.9474

ACH Child and Family Services achservices.org

Children

682.432.1112

AIDS Outreach Center aoc.org

Health and Wellness

817.916.5224

All Saints Health Foundation allsaintsfoundation.bswhealth.com Health and Wellness

817.922.7706

Alliance for Children allianceforchildren.org Children

817.348.1173

Alzheimer's Association alz.org

Health and Wellness

817.336.4949

American Cancer Society acshpfw.ejoinme.org Health and Wellness

817.570.0634

American Diabetes diabetes.org Health and Wellness

972.392.1181

American Heart Association heart.org

Health and Wellness

817.698.5443

American Lung Association lung.org

Health and Wellness

214.631.5864

American Paint Horse Association apha.com

Wildlife and Animals

817.834.2742

Amon G. Carter Foundation agcf.org

Arts and Culture

817.332.2783

Arise Africa

artisafrica.org Education

877.360.9151

Art Bridges Inc. artbridgesfoundation.org

Arts and Culture

Art Tooth arttooth.com Arts and Culture info@arttooth.com

Arts Council of Fort Worth artsfortworth.org Arts and Culture

817.738.1938

Autism Treatment Center atcoftexas.org Disabilities

469.872.7720

Ballet Frontier of Texas balletfrontier.org Arts and Culture

817.852.6887

Big Brothers Big Sisters bbbstx.org

Children

817.566.7424

Black Dog Charity blackdogcharity.com

Health and Wellness

817.924.4236

Botanical Research Institute of Texas brit.org Wildlife and Animals

817.332.4441

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County bgcgtc.org

Children

817.834.4711

Camp Fire First Texas campfirefw.org

Children

817.831.2111

Cancer Care Services cancercareservices.org

Health and Wellness

817.921.0653

Carroll Education Foundation carrolleducationfoundation.org Education

817.999.3281

Catholic Charities Fort Worth catholiccharitiesfortworth.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.413.3924

Center for Transforming Lives transforminglives.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.332.6191

Cheryl's Voice Domestic Violence

682.325.9307

Child Care Associates childcareassociates.org

Children

817.838.0055

Children's Charities of Fort Worth childrenscharitiesfw.com

Children

817.269.0332

Chris Kyle Frog Foundation chriskylefrogfoundation.org

Military and First Responders

844.336.2533

Clayton Youth Enrichment claytonyouth.org

Children

817.923.9888

Colleyville Garden Club colleyvillegardenclub.org

Wildlife and Animals

817.798.3058

Colleyville Woman's Club c-w-c.org

Volunteer Service

817.300.5902

Community Enrichment Center cechope.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.281.1164

Community Food Bank food-bank.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.924.3333

Community Frontline communityfrontline.com

Special Interest

817.755.0605

Community Storehouse communitystorehouse.org

Children

817.431.3340

Cook Children's Health Foundation cookchildrens.org

Health and Wellness

682.885.62452

Court Appointed Special Advocates speakupforachild.org

Children

817.877.5891

Cowtown C.A.L.F. Program cowtownmarathon.com

Children

817.207.0224

Cowtown Warriors cowtownwarriors.com

Military and First Responders

760.699.1813

Cuisine for Healing cuisineforhealing.org

Health and Wellness 817.921.2377

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation cff.org

Health and Wellness 817.249.7744

Development Corporation of Tarrant County devcorptc.net

Poverty and Hunger 817.870.9008

DNAWORKS dnaworks.org

Arts and Culture 212.765.4914

Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas dspnt.org

Disabilities 817.205.5094

Downtown FW Initiatives Inc. dfwi.org

Community 817.870.1692

DRC Solutions drc-solutions.org

Poverty and Hunger 817.810.9797

Easter Seals easterseals.com

Disabilities 512.615.6800

Family Pathfinders of Tarrant County pathfinderstc.org

Poverty and Hunger 817.731.1173

Fellowship of Christian Athletes fca.org

Religion 817.205.2334

First United Methodist Church fumcfw.org

Religion

817.281.5254

Fort Worth Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Coalition fwaya.org

Health and Wellness

855.664.2922

Fort Worth Botanical Society fwbg.org

Wildlife and Animals

817.392.5548

Fort Worth Classic Guitar Society guitarsociety.org

Special Interest 214.236.0783

Fort Worth Community Arts Center fwcac.com

Arts and Culture

817.738.1938

Fort Worth Garden Club fortworthgardenclub.org Wildlife and Animals 817.392.5510

Fort Worth HOPE Center fwhope.org

Poverty and Hunger 817.451.6288

Fort Worth Opera fwopera.org Arts and Culture

817.731.0833

Fort Worth Police Foundation fwpolicefoundation.org

Military and First Responders 817.885.7765

Fort Worth Public Library Foundation fwlibraryfoundation.org

Education 817.871.8022

Fort Worth Save Our Children Learning Center fwsoc.org

Education

817.536.2364

Fort Worth Symphony Orchastra fwsymphony.org Arts and Culture 817.665.6500

Fort Worth Youth Orchestra fwyo.org Arts and Culture 817.923.3121

Fort Worth Zoological Association fortworthzoo.org Wildlife and Animals 817.759.7555

Fortress YDC fortressydc.org Education 817.335.1007

Gary Patterson Foundation pattersonfoundation.org Education info@pattersonfoundation. org

Gill Children's Services gillchildrens.org

Children 817.332.5070

Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains gs-top.org Children 817.735.5311

Girls Inc. of Tarrant County girlsinctarrant.org Children 817.259.1050

Gladney Center for Adoption adoptionsbygladney.com Children 817.922.6000

Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth goodwillfortworth.org Disabilities 817.332.7866

Guardianship Services, Inc. guardianshipservices.org Disabilities 817.921.0499

Happy Hill Farm happyhillfarm.org Education 817.692.4495

Historic Fort Worth Inc. historicfortworth.org Special Interest 817.336.2344

Hope Center for Autism hopecenter4autism.com Disabilities 817.560.1139

Hope Prison Ministries hopeprisonministries.org Religion 817.323.7686

Humane Society of North Texas hsnt.org

Wildlife and Animals

479.461.6034

International Rhino Foundation rhinos.org

Wildlife and Animals 540.465.9595

JDRF jdrf.org/northtexasoklahoma Health and Wellness 214.373.9808

Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation jordanharrisfoundation.org Health and Wellness

682.207.5250

Junior Achievement of the Chisholm Trail chisholmtrail.ja.org

Education

817.731.0838

Junior League Of Arlington jlarlington.org Special Interest

817.277.9481

Junior League of Fort Worth juniorleaguefw.org Special Interest

817.332.7500

Kids Who Care kidswhocare.org Arts and Culture

817.737.KIDS

Kimbell Art Foundation kimbellart.org Arts and Culture

817.332.8451, ext. 224 or 293 KinderFrogs kinderfrogs.tcu.edu Education

817.257.6828

Ladder Alliance

ladderalliance.org Education

817.834.2100

Leadership Fort Worth leadershipfortworth.org Special Interest 817.888.8468

Lena Pope lenapope.org Children

817.255.2500

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society lls.org/rdrv Health and Wellness

817.288.2630

Leukemia Texas leukemiatexas.org

Health and Wellness

214.265.7393

LifeGift lifegift.org

Health and Wellness

817.870.0060

Lighthouse for the Blind of Fort Worth lighthousefw.org Health and Wellness

817.332.3341

Make-A-Wish North Texas wish.org/ntx Children

817.336.9474

MANNA Worldwide mannaworldwide.com

Poverty and Hunger 817.346.3641

Mansfield Women's Club themansfieldwomensclub.com Special Interest March of Dimes marchofdimes.org

Health and Wellness

817.451.9174

MaskOffPanel maskoffpanel.com

Health and Wellness

817.264.7250

Meals on Wheels mealsonwheels.org

Poverty and Hunger 817.336.0912

MHMR of Tarrant County mhmrtarrant.org

Health and Wellness

817.569.4300

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

themodern.org Arts and Culture

817.840.2115

Moslah Shrine moslahshrine.org Special Interest

817.335.9469

Muscular Dystrophy Association mda.org/office/north-texas

Health and Wellness

972.480.0011

National Kidney Foundation kidney.org/offices/nkf-servingtexas

Health and Wellness

214.351.2393

National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame cowboysofcolor.org Arts and Culture

817.534.8801

Near Southside Inc. nearsouthsidefw.org Community 817.923.1649

New Day Services newdayservices.org Children 817.926.9499

Nicholas & Louella Martin Charitable Fund northtexascf.org Education 817.877.0702

NICU Helping Hands Foundation nicuhelpinghands.org

Health and Wellness

817.668.5191

North Texas Community Foundation northtexascf.org Community 817.877.0702

Northside Inter-Community Agency, Inc. nicaagency.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.626.1102

Once Safe Place onesafeplace.org

Domestic Violence

817.916.4323

Once Upon a Time Foundation onceuponatime.org

Health and Wellness

Performing Arts Fort Worth basshall.com

Arts and Culture

817.212.4300

Presbyterian Night Shelter journeyhome.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.632.7400

PRSA fortworthprsa.org

Special Interest gfwprsapresident@gmail. com

Pure Adventure pureadventure.org

Special Interest

817.999.7634

Rainwater Charitable Foundation

rainwatercharitablefoundation.org Education information@rainwatercf.org

Read Fort Worth readfortworth.org

Education 817.258.8130

Recovery Resources Council recoverycouncil.org

Health and Wellness

817.332.6329

Rivertree Academy rivertreeacademy.org Education 817.420.9310

Ronald McDonald House rmhfw.org

Children

817.820.8988

Rutledge Foundation rutledgecancerfoundation.org Health and Wellness

682.312.5514

SafeHaven

safehaventc.org Domestic Violence

817.536.5496

Samaritan House samaritanhouse.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.332.6410

Santa Fe Youth Services yapinc.org/santafeyouthservices

Children

817.492.4673

South Central Alliance of Churches

fwscac.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.923.0486

Southlake Women's Club southlakewomensclub.org

Special Interest info@southlakewomensclub. org

Spark Worldwide sparkworldwide.org

Children

817.295.7671

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (ALSAC) stjude.org

Health and Wellness

800.822.6344

Streams and Valleys, Inc. streamsandvalleys.org

Special Interest

817.926.0006

Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth komengreaterfortworth.org

Health and Wellness

817.735.8580

Tarrant Area Food Bank tafb.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.857.7100

Tarrant Coalition for Environmental Awareness dpjc.org/teca

Special Interest lonburnam@gmail.com

Tarrant County Homeless Coalition ahomewithhope.org

Poverty and Hunger

817.509.3635

Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance tcmsalliance.org

Health and Wellness alliance@tcms.org

Tarrant Literacy Coalition tarrantliteracycoalition.org

Education 817.870.0082

Texans Can Academy - Fort Worth texanscan.org Education 817.735.1515

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association tscra.org Special Interest 1.800.242.7820

Texas Angus Association texasangus.com Special Interest 817.740.0778

Texas Ballet Theater texasballettheater.org Arts and Culture 817.763.0207

Texas Center for Arts and Academics artsacademics.org Arts and Culture 817.766.2390

Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame tchof.com Arts and Culture 817.626.7131

Texas Girls' Choir texasgirlschoir.org Arts and Culture 817.732.8161

Texas Health Foundation texashealth.org/en/foundation Health and Wellness 682.236.5200

The Art Station theartstation.org Arts and Cultures and Culture 817.921.2401

The Fort Worth Foundation thefortworthfoundation.org Poverty and Hunger 817.887.9207

The Jewish Federation of Tarrant County and Fort Worth tarrantfederation.org Religion 817.569.0892

The Miles Foundation milesfdn.org Education 817.293.5555

The Net thenetfw.com Human Trafficking 682.233.4283

The Parenting Center theparentingcenter.org Children 817.332.6348

The Party in Fort Worth thepartyinfortworth.org Special Interest 817.451.8740

The Salvation Army of North Texas salvationarmyntx.org/north-texas Poverty and Hunger 1.800.SAL.ARMY

The Saving Hope Foundation saving-hope.org Wildlife and Animals 817.336.7232

The WARM Place thewarmplace.org Children 817.870.2272

The Welman Project thewelmanproject.org Education 817.924.4000

The Woman's Club of Fort Worth thewomansclubfw.com Special Interest 817.335.3525

The Women's Center of Tarrant County, Inc. womenscentertc.org Domestic Violence 817.927.4039

The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth ymcafw.org Health and Wellness 817.335.9622

Trinity Habitat for Humanity trinityhabitat.org Poverty and Hunger 817.926.9219

Unbound North Texas unboundnorthtexas.org Human Trafficking 817.668.6544

Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County ugm-tc.org Poverty and Hunger 8173322922

United Community Centers unitedcommunitycenters.org Special Interest 817.927.5556

United Way of Tarrant County unitedwaytarrant.org Special Interest 817.258.8000

Wings of Hope wingsofhopeequitherapy.org Health and Wellness 817.783.3805

Women's Policy Forum womenspolicyforum.org Special Interest womenspolicyforum@gmail. com

WPI Firefighters' Fund wpiff.org Military and First Responders 817.872.1500

Young Life fortworth.younglife.org Children 877.438.9572

Give Back

Because COVID-19 caused a delay or cancelation of the charity events this season, as a service to all the charities in the Greater Tarrant area, we are listing the new dates or cancelations as they come in.

FEB. 23

Annual Ladies Luncheon

Union Gospel Mission ugm-tc.org

FEB. 27

Concert & Dinner

Community Storehouse communitystorehouseconcert.com

MAR. 27

The Party In Fort Worth Fort Worth Promotion & Development Fund thepartyinfortworth.org

APRIL 10

An Evening in Paris Colleyville Woman’s Club c-w-c.org

APRIL 24

Butterfly Wishes Gala a Wish with Wings awww.org

APRIL 29

It’s in the Bag

The Ladder Alliance ladderalliance.org

APRIL 29 & 30

Black Dog Shootout & Auction Party

Black Dog Charity blackdogcharity.com

There’s nothing more rewarding than giving back and making a difference in the lives of people in this great community. As the city’s magazine — which has the eyes and ears of some of Fort Worth’s most affluent and philanthropic citizens — we feel a responsibility to give back to the people of the city that is our namesake, which is why Philanthropy is one of our core values.

Every year, Fort Worth Magazine sponsors more than 100 charity events, which range from luncheons to black-tie galas. The following promotional section is devoted to these charities and their fundraisers. We invite you to consciously peruse and consider lending a helping hand by either making a donation or attending these events.

TBD END OF APRIL

Annual Ladies Luncheon

Union Gospel Mission ugm-tc.org

AUG. 17

Clay Shoot & Lucheon

Big Brothers Big Sisters bbbstx.org/tarrant

Ongoing Donations

Make-A-Wish ntx.wish.org

Ongoing Donations

Parenting Center

theparentingcenter.org

Ongoing Donations

Legacy of Women/Legacy of Men SafeHaven safehaventc.org

Ongoing Virtual Event

Pivot with a Purpose Wings of Hope wingsofhopeequitherapy.org

It’s hard to miss the “Tabachin Ribbon” that stands in front of the Fort Worth Municipal Court at 1000 Throckmorton St. The metal sculpture, a gift from Mexican artist Yvonne Domenge, has often caught the attention of casual passersby since it was first installed seven years ago. Photographer Jose Serrato Jr. wanted to capture it at a different angle. “I find it calming to follow the lines and get lost in the never-ending path it’s going,” he says.

@digitalink817

So you’ve snapped a cool pic of the city. We want to see it. Tag your photos on Instagram with #fwtxmag. The winning image will get published on this page — so hit us with your best shot. main line 817.560.6111 | subscriptions 800.856.2032 | website fwtx.com

PHOTO BY JOSE SERRATO JR.

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Ride

Larry and Cathy Butler dedicated their lives to helping others through his decades of working in federal law enforcement and her 44-year career in education. So, when these Arlington residents decided to treat themselves to well-deserved luxury, they went to Park Place Motorcars Arlington to purchase a 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class SLC 300 Roadster. “We have been roadster enthusiasts since 2004,” Larry says. “We have purchased other brands; however, we were attracted to the [SLC 300 Roadster] sleek body style, available standard options, workmanship of quality interior materials, and availability.”

While the Butlers love the Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class SLC 300 Roadster for its array

of special features, especially the speed of dropping the convertible’s electrohydraulic roof, they are quick to praise the Park Place Motorcars Arlington dealership for the personal attention they consistently receive. “They go the extra mile to make sure you are pleased with the results,” Larry says. “If you’re in the market for a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, Park Place is the go-to place,” he says. “Purchasing a vehicle is a personal investment and requires research, on-site visits, and commitment. Knowing you have knowledgeable sales staff as your partner makes your buying experience a mutually rewarding one. Their staff, vehicle selection availability, and facilities are the shining star of Mercedes-Benz.”