LEFTOVERS: Recipes to Extend Your Thanksgiving Fare / HOT CHICKEN: The Nashville Staple Comes to the Fort
Sean Russell of Cut Throat Finches
Advanced Heart & Vascular Care
Your heart is uniquely yours. At Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, formerly known as Consultants in Cardiology, your heart and vascular care begins with a plan that’s customized for you. And with locations across North Texas, our care is close by. Schedule an appointment today, either in-person or via virtual visit, and discover our compassionate, comprehensive approach. From proactive prevention and diagnostics to advanced bypass and valve surgery and more, we’ll get you started with a plan for your heart health. And, as always, we have protocols in place designed around your safety.
Bloomer, M.D.
Fast. Friendly. Fair.
Here's the deal.
AUTO GROUP
VOLUME 24 ISSUE 11
44
Music City Rising Fort Worth’s got the talent, diversity, and higher powers backing its burgeoning music scene. But for the city to become a true epicenter for artists, there’s work to be done.
BY SHILO URBAN
58
The Fire Still Burns Alt-rock band Flickerstick reunites in one room for the first time in 16 years to talk about their rise to fame, fall from grace, and potential comeback.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
Van Darien
the
The Lead
A local nonprofit spearheads an educational initiative helping parents and caregivers C.O.P.E. with crying babies.
14 Buzz
Western swing celebrates its roots in the city where it started.
16 Calendar
The holiday season starts now as festivals and photos with Santa highlight this month’s event calendar.
18 Fort Worthian
Tokyo Cafe, Shinjuku Station — oh, and the World’s Largest Rubber Duck — keep Mary Ho on her toes. But here’s why she’s not satisfied just doing her day job.
20 Good Reads
This month’s book recommendations include a turn-of-the-century tale set right here in Panther City.
22 The Shop Local Holiday Gift Guide
Thirty gift ideas from some of the area’s most talented makers.
What to do with your Turkey Day leftovers, according to ByWasonga chef Henry Abuto.
40 Restaurant News
November brings new places to try including a Nashville hot chicken joint and a veteran-owned, Mexican food truck that specializes in breakfast.
How doctors use genetics to determine cancer risk.
Tips and tricks to get your next
project off the
Waxing Poetic
My favorite people to interview are musicians. It’s not because of our shared interest in melodies, penchant for live performances, or our mutual admiration for the Beatles — Sgt. Pepper’s versus Abbey Road remains a favorite getting-to-know-you conversation. The reason I love to interview musicians (and, more specifically, Fort Worth musicians) is because they are some of the most earnest, passionate, and equally eloquent people I have ever met. My three-hour Guatemalan dinner with Simon Flory (when he quipped a quarter of the way through our interview that the edibles had kicked in), three-Old-Fashioneds hangout with Sean Russell, and three-lavender-lattes chat with Lorena Leigh remain some of my most cherished moments as the editor of this magazine.
I’ve realized I use the term “wax poetic” a lot — maybe too much — when writing about said musicians. Perhaps it’s because I lack the proper vocabulary to express the melodious and fervent way they talk about the local music scene, like Elmer Gantry giving an impassioned sermon. Or maybe it’s because I just really like that particular sequence of words. Regardless, once the conversation turns to the local music scene, every musician starts waxing poetic about the phenomenal talent that exists in Fort Worth and wondering aloud, “Why aren’t we considered one of the country’s best music cities?” “Why is Austin, with its oversaturation of generic blues rock, a mecca for musicians — where they flock to and exit from in rapid succession?” Their arguments are all valid. Between Abraham Alexander, Quaker City Night Hawks, Smoothvega, and the Cush, Fort Worth’s talent pool is gifted, diverse, and accessible. Leon Bridges, they argue, shouldn’t be the only world-renowned, chart-topping musician who hails from Funkytown.
So, how does the city’s music scene go from being on the precipice of something amazing — where it’s seemingly been since I’ve called this town home (three years) — to, well, being amazing? We’re hoping our cover story by the incomparable Shilo Urban (page 44), might answer that question and steer us in the right direction.
Best,
Brian Kendall EXECUTIVE EDITOR
photographer,
who took all the amazing photos for our cover feature, by the way — braved a rainy afternoon to grab this pensive shot on South Main.
Corrections? Comments? Concerns? Send to executive editor Brian Kendall at bkendall@ fwtexas.com.
owner/publisher hal a. brown president mike waldum
EDITORIAL
executive editor brian kendall
managing editor samantha calimbahin
contributing writers henry abuto, tina howard, malcolm mayhew, tori rubinson, 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 support coordinator josh anderson x140
MARKETING
digital marketing & development director robby kyser
marketing manager sarah benkendorfer
digital marketing specialist brenntyn rhea events and partnership manager melissa carr
CORPORATE
chief financial officer charles newton founding publisher mark hulme
CONTACT US main line 817.560.6111 subscriptions 800.856.2032
ON THE COVER: Sean Russell of Cut Throat Finches and our
Crystal Wise —
Revisiting the West Freeway Church of Christ Shooting
Spirited Service
Fort Worth resident Jonathan (JR) Clark has an affinity for building relationships and service. “Building relationships is important to me … helping out my customers no matter what they need or desire,” says Clark. With over 28 years in the wine industry, JR is the perfect match for the team serving the wine needs of Aledo, Fort Worth, and Weatherford as general manager and wine wrangler at the new VinoCo wine boutique and tasting room in Aledo. It’s no surprise then that he appreciates receiving this same level of service from others. So, when it comes to his vehicle, Clark turned to SouthWest Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to purchase his 2020 Dodge Ram 1500. “The way the truck handles on the highway as well as in the city is unmatched … and the technology available in the truck puts everything at your fingertips,” he says.
“The transaction and getting to know the vehicle, the facility, as well as the employees of the family-run dealership could not have been easier,” Clark says. “My salesperson, David Brooks, and the general manager, Mike Brown, both showed passion and excitement not just about the product they represented but making everyone around them feel at home and comfortable.” The Gilchrist Automotive family has earned Clark’s loyal kinship. “I know for a fact that I will never purchase a truck or car from anyone but the Gilchrist family of dealerships.”
PICTURED: J.R. Clark, customer; Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator, Gilchrist Automotive; Mike Brown, General Manager, SouthWest Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
Let’s Chat
A few words from our readers
My goodness, they were my friends when so many times I’d made a mess of something. Bought more than one camera from them back a long time ago.
-Austin Crehan
TRENDING ONLINE
Visit fwtx.com for the full story.
» ‘Disneyland of Breweries’: Fort Brewery Reopens in Massive, Multifaceted Space
A full restaurant, outdoor patio with retractable roof, and live music stage are just a few of the new features, part of Fort Brewery’s expansion — and don’t get us started on the party bus.
» Final Fantasy Concert to Take Place at Anime Frontier Convention Music from one of the world’s most popular video games will be performed live this December as part of the upcoming Anime Frontier convention.
» Top Looks from the Fort Worth Fashion Week Launch Party With Fort Worth Fashion Week expected to take place in late February (exact dates to be determined), locals pulled out all the stops for the event’s official launch party.
follow us for more @fwtxmag
@sonjaalbright And so has my waistline! Lol
@pete__jacobsen So cool. I remember my mom taking me here to get dry ice for my Science Day presentation in the third grade.
Learning to C.O.P.E.
A new initiative aims to help parents cope with crying babies and prevent child abuse during an especially vulnerable holiday season.
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
Bonnie Armstrong will never forget that call. It was 1994, and Armstrong was teaching kindergarten when the voice of the school secretary came over the speaker, telling her to come to the office due to an emergency.
“Are you sure?” Armstrong asked. And with a shaky voice, the secretary simply replied with two words: “Bonnie, run.”
Armstrong’s brother-in-law had shaken and beaten his 2 ½-month-old daughter, Tiffany, with a baseball bat. Tiffany was flown to Cook Children’s
and put on a ventilator — her brain swollen, bulging out of her skin. When Armstrong reached Tiffany’s side, Armstrong remembers kissing her niece, telling her that “if she would fight and she would breathe, I would make something good come out of something so very evil.”
Tiffany did, and today, she’s a thriving 27-year-old who enjoys volunteering at animal shelters and competing as a Special Olympics athlete. (Her father, Larry David Fox, was convicted of third-degree injury to a child and received a sentence of 10 years in prison.)
Meanwhile, Armstrong has made good on her promise.
Armstrong is the executive director of Fort Worth-based nonprofit The Shaken Baby Alliance, which she cofounded with Kim Kang and Melonie Caster (two mothers whose children also suffered from shaken baby syndrome under their caregivers) in 1997. The organization focuses
Fort Worth mayor Mattie Parker signs a banner at the C.O.P.E. launch event in September.
on offering support for victims, helping law enforcement with child abuse cases and investigations, and educating others on abuse prevention.
The alliance’s latest initiative is an educational program called C.O.P.E., which recently received a $300,000 grant from the City of Fort Worth’s Crime Control and Prevention District to be taught at schools and other community groups over the next three years. Thanks to staff member Felicia Hernandez, the program is available in both English and Spanish.
C.O.P.E. is meant to be an easyto-remember acronym for parents and caregivers dealing with an uncontrollable, crying baby: Crying, Overwhelmed, Pause, and Exit. In other words, when a baby is crying and the caretaker is overwhelmed, simply pause and leave the baby alone for a few minutes so both individuals can take a moment to calm down.
“A brain injury is forever. Death is forever. When a baby starts to cry, do the things you know to do, but just remember, it is OK to put the baby in a safe place and walk away,” Armstrong says. “Nobody should feel bad that they put a baby in a safe place and took a 10-to-15-minute break … It’s OK to let a baby cry — and to cope.”
Armstrong says COVID-19 has only exacerbated the issue of child abuse and shaken baby syndrome, with 2020 being their biggest year yet.
The Shaken Baby Alliance generally serves an average of 325 – 350 victim family members per year. In 2020, the alliance served 557; this year, it has served 394 as of press time.
According to Armstrong, the holidays are an especially concerning time of year, as cases tend to rise around the week before Thanksgiving and remain high through the beginning of January.
The Shaken Baby Alliance is currently looking for volunteers who can help with teaching, administrative work, social media, or other responsibilities. To learn more or get involved, visit shakenbaby.org.
10 Things to Know This Month
1
With an election set for Nov. 2, one of the hottest topics on the ballot is a $1.5 billion bond for the Fort Worth Independent School District — the largest the district has ever proposed, which will largely fund renovations and the building of new facilities. While the district assures that the bond will not result in a tax increase, critics argue that the amount is too high and won’t do much to help underperforming schools.
2
The PBR World Finals isn’t the only big rodeo event coming to Cowtown next year. The Women’s Rodeo World Championship will also move from Las Vegas to Fort Worth in 2022. It will take place at both Cowtown Coliseum and Dickies Arena on May 16 – 17, in conjunction with the PBR World Finals on May 13 – 22.
3
Another luxury hotel is going up in Arlington’s entertainment district. Currently under construction is the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, a $550 million project that comprises 888 guest rooms and suites, a resort-style beach club, and the new Arlington Convention Center, which will be operated by Loews Hotels & Co.
4
Speaking of Arlington, Globe Life Field is set to host its first-ever international competition in 2022 — Bout at the Ballpark, a wrestling doubleheader that will feature dual matches between Oklahoma State University and the University of Iowa and senior national teams from the U.S. and Iran. It’s scheduled for Feb. 12, 2022.
5
Ground has broken for Crescent Real Estate’s mixed-use development in the Cultural District, which includes a boutique hotel with chef-driven restaurant, luxury apartments, and Class A office space. The $250 million development is scheduled to be completed and opened in mid-2023.
6
The Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum has a new special exhibit now on view. “Turner’s Modern World” highlights more than 100 works by British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775 – 1851), whose art serves as commentary to the current events of his lifetime. Ticket information is available at kimbellart.org.
7
Developer Hoque Global and designer Merriman Anderson Architects recently released more details for their proposed Evans & Rosedale development, expected to break ground in 2022. Initial plans for the 7.5-acre space in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside include multifamily residential units; a grocery story; and a “roastery-by-day, brewery-by-night concept” currently dubbed “Neighborhood Brew.”
8
Fort Worth’s Stop Six neighborhood is getting a new school. Construction has begun on Rocketship Public Schools Texas’ newest campus at 3520 E. Berry St. The public charter school — standing at two stories with 22 classrooms — is expected to open in August 2022, serving grades pre-K – 3 in its first year.
9
The last of the three bridges offering connectivity to the $1.17 billion Panther Island project is complete. In October, officials celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the Henderson Street bridge, located just north of the Henderson Street roundabout. The other two bridges at White Settlement Road and Main Street opened earlier this year.
10
If you’ve ever wanted to dress like Leon Bridges (and assuming you’re the same size), the Fort Worth soul singer is renting out his clothes via Wardrobe, an online fashion company that lets people borrow from the closets of celebrities and influencers. Find his looks at joinwardrobe.com.
Swing With a Twang
Musicians celebrate 90 years of Western swing in the city where the genre got its start.
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
About 90 years ago when big band jazz music was sweeping the nation, another genre was developing in Fort Worth that was taking the popular sounds of the time and giving them a Western flair. That genre was Western swing, pioneered by the likes of Bob Wills, Milton Brown, and more recently, Asleep at the Wheel — and born right here in Cowtown.
The earliest Western swing tunes were played out of the Crystal Springs Dance Pavilion on White Settlement Road. The Light Crust Doughboys — one of the earliest Western swing groups that included Wills and Brown — made its debut there, eventually reaching other parts of the Southwest, thanks to radio broadcasts from Fort Worth’s KFJZ and WBAP.
Brown would eventually move on to form Milton Brown & his Musical Brownies, and Wills, the Texas Playboys, with the genre reaching its height in the 1930s and ’40s. Western swing would give rise to other genres like honky-tonk, rockabilly, and rock and roll, paving the way for superstars like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. In 2011, the Texas Legislature dubbed Western swing the Official State Music of Texas.
Clearly Western swing hasn’t lost touch with its roots, as a sold-out festival celebrating the genre is set to take place Nov. 11 – 13 at the Historic National Hall. Performers at the Cowtown Birthplace of Western Swing Festival include Jake Hooker and the Outsiders, Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys, Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition, and more. On the festival’s final day, JD Barham’s band, Cowjazz, will perform a tribute to Milton Brown, with Bob Wills’ tribute band, Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys under the direction of Jason Roberts, closing out the night.
More information is available at birthplaceofwesternswing.com.
*Please visit each event’s website for information on COVID-19 protocols.
NOV. 6
Fall Preview Concert
Enjoy craft cocktails and hors d’oeuvres by Magdalena’s chef Juan Rodriguez as you take in performances by the Fort Worth Opera on the picturesque grounds of Whiskey Ranch.
Whiskey Ranch
2601 Whiskey Ranch Road, 817.731.0726 fwopera.org
NOV. 6
Tejas Brothers
The Tejas Brothers bring their self-dubbed “TexMex Honky Tonk” sound to Fort Brewery’s new music stage.
Fort Brewery 2737 Tillar St. fortbrewery.com
NOV. 11
State of the Arts
Part of an ongoing discussion series at the Kimbell, Miguel Perez of KERA’s Art&Seek sits down with Tony Green, Sunflowerman, Jonathan Morris, and Nancy Lamb to talk about how their work has influenced the city’s culture.
Kimbell Art Museum 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.332.8451 kimbellart.org
NOV. 11 – 14
Lone Star Film Festival
Fort Worth’s signature film event returns to movie theaters for in-person screenings of shorts and features by filmmakers all over the world.
Various locations lonestarfilmfestival.com
NOV. 16 – 21
“Cats” Reimagined with new choreography, lighting, and sound design, the touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical is back for more memories at Bass Hall.
NOV. 12 – 13 River & Blues Fest
This Texas-tinged festival returns to Panther Island Pavilion with another round of Southern-inspired food and live music by artists like Aaron Watson, Summer Dean, and Squeezebox Bandits.
Panther Island Pavilion 395 Purcey St., 817.698.0700 riverandbluesfest.com
NOV. 12 – 14
The Cowgirl Gathering
Celebrate the women who define the West during this full weekend of rodeo events, inspirational talks, art, and fashion.
Fort Worth Stockyards, various locations 817.222.6432 cowgirlgathering.com
Suzanne Gentling, “Solitaire”
NOV. 12 – 14
Fort Worth Greek Festival
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church invites Fort Worthians to “be Greek for a day” at this festival featuring live music, traditional dancing, and plenty of food, from gyros to flaming cheese.
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 2020 NW 21st St., 817.626.5578 fortworthgreekfestival.com
NOV. 13
Fort Worth Margarita Ball
Unlimited, complimentary Don Julio margaritas — along with live music, dancing, and a casino game room — highlight this annual fundraiser benefiting Children’s Charities of Fort Worth.
The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel
200 Main St. childrenscharitiesfw.com
THROUGH NOV. 20
“The Glass Menagerie”
A dinner party goes awry for a small family in Depression-era St. Louis in this classic play penned by American playwright Tennessee Williams.
Circle Theatre
230 W. Fourth St., 817.877.3040 circletheatre.com
NOV. 21
GM Financial Parade of Lights
The annual Christmas parade returns to the streets of downtown to debut more than 100 floats decked out with over half a million sparkling lights.
Downtown Fort Worth 817.336.2787 fortworthparadeoflights.org
NOV. 30
Jingle Ball
Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, The Kid LAROI, and more big names take the stage at Dickies Arena for 106.1 KISS FM’s annual holiday concert.
Dickies Arena 1911 Montgomery St. dickiesarena.com
THROUGH DEC. 4
Town & Country
Members of two prominent artist families in North Texas — Douglas Blagg, the youngest Blagg brother, and Suzanne Gentling, sister of Scott and Stuart Gentling — showcase a collection of works illustrating the Texas landscape.
Artspace111
111 Hampton St., 817.6923228 artspace111.com
DEC. 4
Photos with Santa and Holiday Market
Snap a photo with St. Nick, then knock out your holiday shopping (with a beer in hand) at this event hosted by Wandering Roots Markets.
Wild Acre Brewing Company 1734 E. El Paso St., Ste. 190 facebook.com/ wanderingrootsmarkets
your typical art lecture, this multimedia theatrical production explores the works and lives of two of
discoverdavinci.com
BY SAMANTHA CALIMBAHIN
BY
Mary Ho
Restaurateur, community leader
PHOTO
OLAF GROWALD
Mary Ho grew up not having much, born to immigrant parents who came to the U.S. to escape Communist regimes in Vietnam and Cambodia. When they arrived in Dallas in the late 1970s, her father worked on cars while her mother sewed at a factory, taking home whatever couldn’t be finished during the workday and having her children help snip and trim patches.
Yet, despite not being well-to-do, Ho remembers being “surrounded [by] really kind people” — and dreamed of someday having the means to pay it forward.
That desire to spread kindness would follow Ho as she made her way to Fort Worth. Ho now plays an active role in the community, not only as co-owner of popular restaurants Tokyo Cafe and Shinjuku Station but also as a board member of economic development group, Camp Bowie District, Inc., and most recently, the Kindness Duck Project — yes, the nonprofit responsible for bringing the World’s Largest Rubber Duck to Fort Worth’s Trinity Park.
The Kindness Duck Project began after a conversation with couple Kyle and Cye Wagner, whose children go to Trinity Valley School with Ho’s.
The COVID-19 pandemic was well underway, and amid the blamegames and increasingly political discourse the world had seemingly fallen into, Ho recalls saying, “I wish everybody was just kind. We need our kids to see it in our society, and we need to remind adults what it feels like to be kind and receive kindness.”
So, to fill that void in the community, the Wagners launched the Kindness
Duck Project, taking an idea originated by minister Mark Burrows and turning it into a nonprofit organization. The Wagners, Burrows, and Ho make up the board, with the yellow duck serving as the organization’s mascot.
Beyond the inflatable rubber duck kicking off the project’s launch at Trinity Park, the Kindness Duck Project has a mission to promote other nonprofits and commit random acts of kindness — one of their first, for example, was providing a bike for a child who had been walking long distances in the heat to get to summer school.
“We want to do more things like that — random acts of kindness,” Ho says. “If someone needs something and we’re able, we’re going to make it happen for them. Hopefully they will pay it forward when they are able.”
All this, of course, she’ll manage alongside her restaurants, which she co-owns with husband, Jarry. Ho says she’s not one to be satisfied with just doing her day job — helping the community is important, too.
“I always remind my kids, your words don’t mean anything — what is most important is how you make that person feel, how you make their heart feel,” she says. “That’s all that will matter because they will always remember that moment.”
1. Jarry and Mary on their wedding day. They celebrated 15 years in October. 2. Ski trips are an annual tradition. Here, the Ho family takes on Whistler, Canada. 3. The Ho family is very involved at Trinity Valley School. 4. A Christmas staycation at the Adolphus Hotel. 5. The fourlegged family members, Casio and Toshiba. 6. They’re big fans of the food scene in Austin. 7. A night out with immediate family.
Antipasto clams (with a side of linguine) il Modo
House ricotta and sourdough
Piattello Italian Kitchen
Beef carpaccio
Aventino’s Italian Restaurant
Gumbo Waters Restaurant
Taraba roll
Shinjuku Station
Taraba roll
1 Tell me a little bit about yourself. I was born in Fort Worth, but my father was military, so I grew up all over the country. I’ve been on a quest for the perfect fried pie since 1979. I’ve found a couple that are close but not quite perfect. I have two beautiful children, three mindful dogs, and spend most of my free time writing because, like most authors, I don’t make enough money off the writing to pay the bills.
2 What inspired you to begin writing for publication? Writing is something I have always done. When I was a kid, I learned the alphabet, then I learned to spell (sort of), then I started writing and never stopped. I love the publication part of the process. I see it as a game. I keep track of acceptances and rejections. Yeah, I’m losing the game (by a lot), but it is still fun.
3 What is the most enjoyable part of the writing process for you? The beginning of a story when the idea and characters are fresh. It is exciting. It is going to be the best story ever. By the end, everybody is tired of everybody else, and we all want to go home.
4 What have you read recently that you would recommend and why? This is embarrassing because I’m a Texas guy and write a lot about the Lone Star State, but I’d never read any Elmer Kelton. I needed to read The Time It Never Rained as research. The book is amazing. Kelton is a master. His writing is clean and effortless. I should have read all of Mr. Kelton’s books long ago. I plan to rectify this soon.
Good Reads
Three engrossing titles to check out this month.
BY TINA HOWARD
1We’re for Smoke by Mark A. Nobles
Based in turn-of-the-century Fort Worth, this novel by local author Mark A. Nobles tells the story of a society scrabbling to emerge from the chaotic growing pains of the frontier West through a series of characters who wrote the book on tangling with the law.
23
My Sister, the Serial Killer by
Oyinkan Braithwaite
A story of two sisters who couldn’t be more different. On one hand is Korede, the practical sister who’s been in love with a kind and handsome doctor at work forever. On the other is the beautiful Ayoola, who also might be a sociopath. When Korede’s doctor asks for her sister’s number, she must reckon with who her sister is and how far she’ll go to protect her.
5 What is next on the horizon for you? My first novel, We’re for Smoke, was published by TCU Press, and I recently finished writing a script for a music documentary, The Birth and History of Western Swing. I’m now researching a nonfiction book, writing another historical novel, and ghosting an autobiography. I always have two or three projects I rotate through because sometimes stories need to percolate. Also, I am easily bored.
Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle
Hamilton
An insightful food memoir, both epic and intimate, detailing the journey of acclaimed restaurateur Gabrielle Hamilton. Follow her life from childhood to the opening of her New York restaurant, Prune, as she tells the story with honesty, humor, and passion.
Tina Howard, along with her husband, Todd, is the owner of Leaves Book and Tea Shop on St. Louis Avenue in the Near Southside.
Grapevine-based Valerie’s Thyme, named for owner Valerie McGiboney, specializes in small batch, handcrafted nuts, granolas, and chile powder blends and rubs.
The Shop Local Holiday Gift Guide
We might not churn out the gifts quite like the North Pole, but Fort Worth locals are definitely giving those elves a run for their money. From candles to coffee to custom belt buckles, you don’t have to go far to do all of your holiday shopping.
Customized Tea Blend $21 (large) Black Poodle Tea Co., blackpoodleteaco.com
From black and green to rooibos and oolong, CEO and “flavor creator” Rebekah Durling can whip up a customized tea blend using her arsenal of spices, herbs, flowers, and fruit.
Bloody Mary Mix, $7.99 online, $7 at Pickle Emporium Best Maid Pickles, bestmaidpickles.com
Over the past nine decades, Best Maid has expanded its offerings to include Xtreme flavors, a signature beer, and this bloody mary mix, which also comes in spicy.
Shrubs, $13
Mockingbird Food Co, mockingbirdfood.com
For mocktail mixers, these nonalcoholic syrups made using concentrated fruits, aromatics, sugar, and vinegar offer just the right kick to your concoction.
Sons Coffee, Panther City blend, $16 Sons Coffee, sonscoffee.com
Inspired by the city in which it’s made, this blend brings together washed Central American coffee and naturally processed African coffee to produce notes of chocolate and berries.
Fort Worth Fudge Variety Tray, $49.99 Fort Worth Fudge and Toffee, fortworthfudge.com
This far west Fort Worth candy shop, owned by Sumer Searcy, makes a variety of sweets from brittle and bark to, as the name implies, fudge and toffee.
Clara Blonde Ale, $12 for six pack Fort
ale takes its
from the
Chili Oil, $4 Hao & Dixya, thetablemarket.com
Spice up your stocking stuffers with a jar of Hao & Dixya’s chili oil, which goes great with everything from fried rice to scrambled eggs.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $34.95 Fratelli Colletti, fratelli-colletti.com
Run by brothers Paul, George, and Matthew Colletti, this Fort Worth-based olive oil company uses olives harvested on a family-owned grove in Sicily.
Raw, Local Honey, $10.99 (16-ounce bottle) Blended Family Foods, blendedfamilyfoods.org Blended Family Foods is perhaps best known for its salsas and sauces, but don’t sleep on the honey — unfiltered and harvested from hives in Collin County.
Brewery, fortbrewery.com
This blonde
name
first child born in Fort Worth. It’s brewed at the new Tillar Street location of Fort Brewery.
Blue Compote, $160 Kendall Davis Clay, kendalldavisclay.com
Fort Worth artist Kendall Davis makes all her pieces by hand at her Near Southside ceramic studio — which she’s moving this month by the way to West Daggett Avenue.
Olive Tree Natural Artisan Soaps
$6 per 5-ounce bar
Olive Tree Body Care, olivetreebodycare.com
Made with plant oils and free of parabens, sulfates, or phthalates, Olive Tree’s products are the handiwork of Erin Lea, an environmental scientist-turned-cosmeticscientist based in Fort Worth.
Winsor Leather Belt Bag Kit, $15.99
Tandy Leather, tandyleather.com
If you happen to know of someone interested in taking up a new hobby, the Winsor Leather Belt Bag Kit offers the perfect introduction to leather crafting.
Alocasia Longiloba
‘Dragon Tooth,’ $95
Grow Plant Shop, growplantshop.com
While Grow offers countless plants, each with beautiful, complex Latin names, we’re big fans of the Alocasia Longiloba, which has a stunning glossy texture and contrasting greens.
Each piece of jewelry from Mustard Seed features real, organic mustard seeds fashioned with recycled metal and crystal, all meant to inspire the women who wear them.
Custom Mandala Map by Sarah Ayala, (contact for pricing)
Sarah Ayala, sarahayala.net
In the past couple of years, Sarah Ayala, a local muralist and mandala artist, has become one of Fort Worth’s most accomplished and original creators, using old cartography as her canvas.
Gold Diggers Sound, Vinyl, $25 Panther City Vinyl, panthercityvinyl.com
The Grammy-winning artist who hails from Fort Worth released an astonishingly good record in July. These R&B-laden songs serve as yet another step forward for the popular musician.
Worthy Collection Candle, $42
The Worthy Co, worthy-co.com
One-hundred percent of the proceeds of these hand-poured candles go toward hands-on job training and other opportunities for survivors of trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The Tarrin, $85 Clearly Handbags, clearlyhandbags.com
The brainchild of Ro Rynd and Kori Green, Clearly Handbags are made especially for stadiums and other venues that require clear bags for entry.
Diablo Blues Guitar
Driskill Guitars, driskillguitars.com
Handcrafted right here in Fort Worth, Driskill guitars have become widely regarded among musicians as some of the highestquality instruments you can find.
GATHER YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS FOR AN INTIMATE CELEBRATION IN UNIQUE, SEMI-PRIVATE DINING SPACES WHERE THE TORO TORO TEAM WILL CURATE A CUSTOM, FOUR-COURSE FAMILY-STYLE MENU. ENHANCE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OPTIONAL WINE, COCKTAIL OR TEQUILA PAIRINGS.*
PLAN YOUR EVENT & VIEW OUR UPCOMING HOLIDAY SPECIALS
FOR THE ULTIMATE STAYCATION, TAKE THE ELEVATOR HOME & CURE YOUR HOLIDAY HANGOVER WITH LUXURIOUS OVERNIGHT
ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE WORTHINGTON FORT WORTH HOTEL.
Custom Cowboy Hat
Barbara’s Custom Hats, barbarascustomhats.com
Whether you’re in the market for a straw hat, felt hat, or quarterhorse, this boutique shop located in the Stockyards Station will craft the perfect show piece for your Western look.
Sheepskin Slippers, $149
Saddleback Leather Company, saddlebackleather.com
You just might spoil your feet rotten with these insanely comfy slippers. Attempting to design “the most psychologically pleasing slipper in the world,” we say Saddleback got the job done.
Quilted Vest, $49.99 Dickies dickies.com
Few clothing companies offer the same craftsmanship and quality as locally owned Dickies, and we’re in love with the quilted vest which serves as a timeless addition to any ensemble.
Black Leggings, $105 Move Athleisure, shopmoveathleisure.com
Athleisure isn’t going anywhere — it’s too comfy and looks too dang good — and this local shop owned by Kara Baker carries some of the best brands in the business.
Truman Full Quill Boot
$419.95
Justin Boots, justinboots.com
With 140 years under its belt, Justin Boots is an industry standard for a reason. Here, we have two options that will make a perfect addition to casual and fancy wear.
FTW Mauve Hoodie, $30 Fort Worth Tee, $28 Fort Worth Locals, shopfwlocals.com
We’re lucky to live in a town that carries some of the best city swag in the game, and you can’t go wrong repping Cowtown with any item from Fort Worth Locals.
Custom Belt Buckle
M.L. Leddy’s, leddys.com
M.L. Leddy’s carries some of Clint Orms’ custom-made buckles, which make a thoughtful gift for the cowboy in your life.
Panther City Snapback, $28 Cowtown Onesie, $16
Morgan Mercantile, morganmercantile.com
From band tees to Cowtown merch, this brickand-mortar in the Near Southside provides some of the hippest local attire you can find.
Rio Mambo – Celebrating 20 Years of Serving Fort Worth, Come in and enjoy the new extended bar!
The Rim – Food Served with a Side of Vibe
Cancer and Your Family Tree
How oncologists are using genetics to determine your risk for cancer.
BY JENNIFER WEST, MSN, RN, AGNP-BC, CMSRN, TEXAS ONCOLOGY–FORT WORTH CANCER CENTER
Exciting research in oncology is shifting toward a more personalized approach to cancer prevention and treatment — starting with genetics. The genetic blueprint that determines your hair and eye color also shapes your risk for developing certain diseases, such as cancer. Genetic testing offers a window into examining your unique DNA — allowing you to better understand your risk for developing cancer and take proactive steps for early detection and prevention.
Genetic Mutations All cancers are caused by harmful changes, or variants (also called mutations) in genes. Cancer genes work to protect our bodies from developing cancer, but when a cancer gene contains a harmful variant, the gene cannot function correctly and does not protect against cancer as well as it should. This leads to a higher risk for cancer. These harmful variants can be inherited, which account for 5% to 10% of all cancers, or acquired, which are often a result of the normal human aging process. Inherited variants increase risk of certain cancers, often at a younger age than expected, and they
can be passed to future generations. More than 50 different hereditary syndromes increase risks for cancer. Most hereditary cancer syndromes are rare, but some are more common than others. One in 190 people have a harmful variant of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, which causes hereditary breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer syndrome. About one in 279 people have Lynch syndrome, the most common cause of hereditary colon and uterine cancer. Lynch syndrome is caused by a harmful variant in the MSH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, or EPCAM genes. Testing for harmful variants in these and other important cancer genes helps identify people with increased cancer risks, allowing them to make more informed health decisions.
Genetic Evaluations and Testing:
What to Expect Genetic evaluations should be considered for individuals with concerning personal and family histories of cancer and those interested in learning more about their own cancer risks. A genetics professional will take a detailed medical history to determine if genetic testing would be helpful for you or your family. Genetic tests are usually performed on a blood
or saliva sample. They examine a subset of your genes to look for harmful inherited variants that could increase your chance of developing cancer. Sometimes genetic testing is done on tumors; these tests help determine the most effective cancer treatment, but they do not explain the cause for cancer, nor do they indicate if an individual has increased risks for cancer. Genetics tests can be expensive and difficult to interpret. Genetics providers can guide you to the best test for you and discuss any concerns about cost, insurance coverage, and privacy. They also translate what the results mean for you and your family and discuss options for cancer screenings, prevention, and treatment.
Is Genetic Testing Right for You?
Concerning factors in a family may include cancer in multiple generations, multiple family members with the same cancer, multiple cancers in one person, and cancers diagnosed at young ages. Talking to family members about their medical histories can help you better decide if a genetics evaluation would be warranted. Meeting with a genetics professional can help you understand your cancer risks, offer relief from uncertainty, and provide helpful information for your family that could potentially prevent cancer and save lives. If you have any questions about your cancer risks or are interested in learning more about genetic testing, talk to your health care provider about a referral for a genetic evaluation. And remember, regardless of testing, it is important to maintain regular cancer screenings.
Jennifer West, MSN, RN, AGNP-BC, CMSRN, is a nurse practitioner at Texas Oncology–Fort Worth Cancer Center, 500 S. Henderson St. in Fort Worth. For more information, visit texasoncology.com.
Thanksgiving for Days
Like a good host, you’ve cooked far too much on Thanksgiving, and now you and yours are anticipating numerous meals of turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the same ol’ fare. Get creative this holiday season with these four scrumptious recipes from ByWasonga chef Henry Abuto.
BY HENRY ABUTO
APPLE PIE MILKSHAKE
Yeah, you read that right. And it’s just as delicious as you might think.
Ingredients
• One slice apple pie
• Three scoops vanilla ice cream (Blue Bell)
• 1/4 cup milk
Instructions:
1. Combine ingredients in a blender for 1 – 2 minutes.
2. Feel free to substitute the apple pie for another slice.
STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
Ingredients
• Bell peppers
• Leftover turkey slices, cut up
• Leftover mac and cheese
• Leftover corn casserole
• 1 cup shredded cheese
Directions:
1. Set oven to 425 F.
2. Cut the bell peppers circular from the top and hollow them out. Rinse with warm water.
3. Mix turkey, mac and cheese, corn casserole, and cheese into a bowl.
4. Scoop mix into hollowed-out bell peppers.
5. Place in baking dish and bake at 425 F for 20 minutes.
BREAKFAST SKILLET POTATOES AND EGGS
Ingredients
• Leftover diced potatoes
• 5 eggs, scrambled
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons, minced garlic
Directions:
1. Sauté onion, tomato, and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter (or olive oil).
2. Add in potatoes and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add in eggs, reduce heat, and cook until eggs are done.
4. Plate and top with avocado and salsa.
TURKEY NOODLE SOUP
Ingredients
• Leftover turkey
• 2 cups cooked noodles (drained)
• 4 cups turkey broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
Directions:
1. In a saucepan, sauté onions, carrots, and celery with two tablespoons of butter on medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add in turkey broth, turkey, and noodles.
3. Season to taste.
4. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
ByWasonga chef Henry Abuto
Drive
Monticello Drive
Shady Oaks Lane
W 5th Street 3724 Westcliff Road N
Hot in the City
A new family-owned, Nashville hot chicken restaurant is bringing the heat to Fort Worth’s west side.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
PHOTOS
The red-hot chicken with a side of okra at newly opened Helen’s Hot Chicken in west Fort Worth
Fort Worth’s introduction to Nashville hot chicken has not necessarily been a proper one. You’ve seen it on menus here and there, in both full-service restaurants and fast-food joints, usually in the form of a fried-chicken sandwich or spicy tenders.
Which kinda makes William Terrell chuckle.
“That’s not really the full Nashville hot chicken experience,” he says. “A lot of places just sprinkle on spicy seasoning, or they just serve a hot sandwich. That’s not what it’s like in Nashville.”
Terrell would know. A Nashville native, Terrell grew up in a family of foodies. It was his cousin’s grandmother who developed the original recipe, a recipe that goes back decades.
“Hot chicken is new to a lot of people, but it’s been popular in Nashville for years and years,” he says. “It was a local tradition that just sort of took off, and now everybody likes it or wants to try it.”
Helen’s is one of the reasons why.
The Nashville location is one of several restaurants that opened in the wake of the dish’s popularity. James Beard Award-winning Prince’s Hot Chicken was among the first restaurants in Nashville to specialize in hot chicken,
some 70 years ago, paving the way for more recent contenders like the monstrously popular Hattie B’s.
Terrell’s cousin, Jeremy Mallard, took his grandmother’s recipes to the streets, literally, opening a food trailer on the sides of local roads. “He said, ‘I have an idea,’ and she said, ‘I have a recipe,’” Terrell says. Named after Mallard’s grandmother, the trailer proved to be a hit and brick-and-mortars soon followed.
Mallard talked Terrell, who was living in the Dallas area at the time, into giving up his day job as a pest control specialist to test the waters for a hot chicken spot in North Texas. “I drove down there, got the original trailer they used to use, and did what they did, started out with nothing but a good recipe,” Terrell says.
“I can’t give you the recipe, but I can tell you we dip the chicken in an oil-based sauce that, ultimately, keeps the chicken dry. We don’t just pour hot sauce on the chicken or put a bunch of hot seasoning on it. What we do permeates the chicken. It keeps the skin crispy and crunchy.”
With business partner Floyd Reed, he soon opened the first North Texas
location of Helen’s, in Lewisville. The Fort Worth store, opened by Terrell and Reed in September, is the eighth location of the family’s mini empire of restaurants.
Hot chicken at the Fort Worth location comes in the form of wings, tenders, and leg quarters, prepared in the heat level of your choice: mild, hot, and Hella Hot. “Mild is comparable to Louisiana Hot Sauce. Hot is comparable to Tabasco sauce,” Terrell says. “Hella Hot is ghost-pepper hot, definitely not for the faint of heart.”
The restaurant also offers lobster tails, shrimp, catfish, and whiting fish, all given the same treatment as the chicken. Sides include baked beans, fried okra, french fries, and freshly made salads. For dessert, there’s housemade strawberry cake.
There’s chicken and waffles, too, and of course, there’s a hot chicken sandwich.
“Ours comes with coleslaw on the sandwich, and we use sweet Hawaiian buns,” Terrell says. Like the other chicken dishes, you can order the sandwich mild, hot, or Hella Hot. “If you order it Hella Hot, the buns and slaw will help temper the heat. Believe me, you’ll be glad it comes with slaw on sweet buns.”
2812 Horne St., helenshotchickentx.com
Helen’s dips each chicken wing and thigh into a special hot oil.
Nashville native William Terrell uses family recipes to create his fiery fowl.
Helen’s also serves fried shrimp and catfish, prepared hot or not.
It’s a Burritoful Life
A cleverly named Fort Worth food truck run by a military veteran specializes in the most important meal of the day: burritos.
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
If you want to try David Mendoza’s food — and by all means, you do — it helps to be a morning person. Mendoza’s trailer, Burritoful, is only open for one meal and one meal only: breakfast.
To make things even simpler, he only serves two items: burritos and quesadillas.
Both are steeped in recipes handed down to him from family members spread across his homeland of Mexico — reluctant family members, it’s worth noting.
“They’re my grandmother’s recipes, but she passed away in 1995,” says Mendoza, 33. “I had to beg and beg and beg my uncle for them. He told me I better guard them with my life.”
Mendoza’s colorfully decorated trailer, parked on Cherry Lane in White Settlement, Tuesday through Saturday mornings, has been open nearly a year. Slowly, over the past few months, Fort Worth foodies have begun to discover this hidden-inplain-sight gem, located directly across the street from Momma’s Donuts, a White Settlement institution.
“Some people think it’s a tattoo parlor,” he says, laughing. “I have a lot of tatts, and the trailer looks like a tattoo design. I get it. This may not look like a food trailer, and I may not look like a cook.”
Mendoza’s cooking skills are obvious once you taste his flavorful, consistently high-quality food. Big enough for two, his namesake burritos come stuffed with your choice of chorizo, eggs, bacon, refried beans, and chicharrón, the latter of which, with its melt-in-your-mouth texture, is one of the best things on his menu.
Other must-try items include his Mexican potato burrito and what he calls a “special quesadilla,” a goliath of a quesadilla stuffed with bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, chorizo, and refried beans, all cradled in a 10-inch flour tortilla.
“In Mexico, it’s called a quesadilla sincronizada. It’s like a quesadilla crossed with a sandwich,” he says.
Accompanying salsas are made by hand and take hours to make.
“The salsas are something I take a lot of pride in,” he says. “It’s just a small detail, but I try to pay attention to small details.”
Besides a short stint at Whataburger when he was a kid, this is Mendoza’s first food outing. He spent 12 years in the Marine Corp., traveling from one end of the globe to another. While stationed in Japan, he got the itch to start cooking.
“It was out of necessity,” he says. “It’s very expensive to eat out in Japan. All your meals are $50, $60, $70. So, I started eating in a lot and fell in love with it.”
After leaving the service, Mendoza received a degree in psychology, then turned his attention toward food. He and his wife traded their 2005 Jeep Wrangler for a food truck. “It was a standard, and she didn’t like driving it anyway,” he says.
Mixing family recipes with ideas he came up with during his military travels, he developed Burritoful’s menu and breakfast-only concept, launching the trailer in November of last year. Since then, he’s seen a slow but steady uptick in business.
“One thing the military taught me is to learn the culture wherever you are,” he says. “And the best way to do that is through food. My food is a culmination of my childhood in El Paso and Juarez, Mexico, and a bit of all the places I traveled in the military. There’s a lot of me in it and a little bit of everywhere I’ve been.” 834 S. Cherry Lane, facebook. com/burritoful1
One of Burritoful’s signature items is quesadilla sincronizada, a goliath of a quesadilla stuffed with bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, chorizo, and refried beans.
‘Here’ to Stay
Ober Here, one of the city’s most popular food trucks, gets ready to make the jump to a brick-and-mortar
BY MALCOLM MAYHEW
Not that long ago, Mark Guatelara was very much a part of corporate America, helping open hotel restaurants — and sometimes working in them as a chef — around the country, including Live! by Loews in Arlington and the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine.
When the pandemic hit, he had a change of heart and a change of plans.
“When COVID happened, it reminded me of how I grew up in the Philippines,” says Guatelara, who was born and raised in the Philippines, then came to the U.S. as an exchange student 15 years ago. “I came to the United States
to live the American dream, and I did. But there’s a sense of community that was missing from my life. I just felt like I wasn’t making any contributions to the community I live in.”
Guatelara traded in his career in the corporate restaurant world for a more intimate outing: Ober Here, a Filipino food truck he launched earlier this year in the Near Southside area. Parked behind Wabi House, near the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Magnolia, the truck offers rice bowls made with Filipino-inspired ingredients.
“The best way to describe it is, it’s my twist on Filipino food,” he says. “There’s really no such thing as Filipino rice bowls. That’s not what we eat. But Americans are used to eating rice bowls. I thought rice bowls would be a good way to introduce people to Filipino cuisine.”
All entrées come with rice, a fried egg, a pickled papaya called atchara, and your choice of meat. Favorites include slowcooked pork butt basted with banana ketchup (tocino) and honey shrimp. But Guatelara’s most popular protein, he says, is housemade Spam, a mix of freshly ground pork, ham, and special seasoning (there’s also a vegan version). He also serves lumpia, a Filipino-style egg roll made with pork, carrots, and onions.
Currently, Ober Here is parked behind Wabi House. But Guatelara will soon graduate to a brick-and-mortar location. He’s one of two vendors signed up for a new food hall, slated to open this winter at 1229 Eighth Ave., in the space underneath Wabi House.
Ober Here will be joined in the food hall by boba tea chain Sharetea and a still-unnamed third vendor (Rack Attack BBQ was originally going to move in, but those plans fell through). The venture comes from developer Trey Neville, who also developed the nearby Hotel Revel and other businesses.
Like the truck, the brick-and-mortar version of Ober Here will keep late hours. Guatelara will also add lunch hours.
“Having the brick-and-mortar location will free us up to take the truck wherever we want,” he says. “People are always saying, ‘Come to Arlington, come to the North Side.’ Now, we’ll be able to.” 1165 Eighth Ave., oberhere.com
Newly opened in the Hotel Revel, Sugarman’s is a speakeasy-inspired bar that pays tribute to bars and clubs of Fort Worth’s yesteryears. Signature drinks are named after long-gone landmark clubs, like the Oui Lounge, J&J’s Hideaway, and the Hi-Hat, all of which I got tossed out of at some point or another. I love Sugarman’s wraparound patio and sleek, modern design. Very cool spot and a welcome addition to the city’s thriving bar scene. 1165 Eighth Ave., thehotelrevel.com
Downtown’s AC Hotel is stepping up its food game. One of several new hotels to open recently in the downtown area, the AC has appointed Javier Maysonet as executive chef. If his name rings a bell, maybe you live in Dallas. He was previously exec sous-chef at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria, but he’s worked in hotels and restaurants all over the world. He’s given the AC’s food menu a Latin-inspired upgrade with dishes such as breakfast cazuela, empanadas, and chicken and chorizo paella. 101 W. Fifth St., marriott.com
Fort Worth’s favorite chef, Jon Bonnell, is celebrating two milestones in his life and career. First, his namesake restaurant in southwest Fort Worth, Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine, just turned 20. Bonnell also just published his first book, Carry Out, Carry On: A Year in the Life of a Texas Chef, which chronicles the chef’s trials and tribulations of running restaurants during COVID. The book is available on all major digital platforms. Hard copies are on sale at select retailers and Bonnell’s restaurants. bonnellstexas.com
The University Park Village space vacated long ago by McKinley’s Bakery and Café — a death I still haven’t gotten over — will soon have a new tenant. Flower Child, an Arizona-based concept, will open its first Fort Worth location in McKinley’s old spot sometime in the first quarter of 2022. Fans of Café Brazil will definitely be into Flower Child’s food, a mix of somewhat healthy sandwiches, soups, and the like. The restaurant is known for its upbeat, cheerful atmosphere, which’ll probably get on my nerves, but those with a penchant for the hippy-dippy crowd will definitely dig. iamaflowerchild.com
Restaurant news written and compiled by Malcolm Mayhew. You can reach Malcolm at malcolm.mayhew@ hotmail.com or on Twitter @foodfortworth.
The homemade Spam bowl at Ober Here
Rising Music City
Is Fort Worth’s music scene about to have its day in the sun?
By Shilo
Urban
Photography by Crystal Wise
Can you hear it?
A young woman’s fingers dance upon a guitar as her voice lifts into a song. Hip-hop wordsmiths toss their poetry into headnodding crowds. A whirlwind of violins rises into the balconies at Bass Hall, pushing awestruck listeners into their seats. Folk bands jam and indie rockers play one for the people in the back. Hard-jaw honky-tonk tumbles out of a Stockyards saloon on a trail of late-night laughter. Mariachis dazzle with their whip-fast wizardry. Jazz leans out and explores. R&B rolls through. Dance beats bounce. Tulips. Fortress Fest. Leon.
Welcome to the upswing. Fort Worth’s music scene is catching fire as the city shifts from artistic incubator to powerhouse player. Exciting sounds are bubbling up from local record labels, studios, and stores. New venues are opening their doors. Fans are returning to concerts and festivals to bask in the magic of live music. Behind the curtain, a small army is driving the industry forward at organizations like Hear Fort Worth and Amplify 817. And it’s working: Fort Worth was the first city in the state to receive certification as a Music-Friendly Community by the Texas Music Office.
Fort Worth has all the ingredients to become a bona fide music destination, one that’s singularly branded with the city’s renowned friendliness and wild spirit of freedom. With an established arts culture and a welcoming community, Fort Worth provides a uniquely supportive landscape for musicians and others in the business. There’s a palpable lack of the posturing that’s commonly found in music cities, from the glossy artifice of Los Angeles to the pretentiousness of Austin — a place where every other show is blues-rock, every other person plays the guitar, and everybody lives in Pflugerville because the rent is too high anywhere else. In Fort Worth, music is about quality, not quantity. Being a musician here is special. It’s affordable. And it comes with the infinite possibilities of a city on the rise, the optimism of getting on the ground floor of a scene that’s about to skyrocket.
“There’s a lot of opportunity here, and there’s a lot of good talent,” says Tom
Martens, director of the Fort Worth music office (aka Hear Fort Worth) and associate vice president of creative and branding. Part of the Visit Fort Worth tourism bureau, Hear Fort Worth is dedicated to the advancement of local music. “With all the development and all the cool things happening in areas like the Near Southside and River East,” he says, “I think it’s just going to explode.”
“It’s super exciting,” agrees Lou CharLe$, an influential rapper, hip-hop artist, and force-to-be-reckoned-with (who also sits on the board of Hear Fort Worth). “There’s so much untapped potential here in Fort Worth, and that’s from the top down and across genres. It’s a beautiful thing.”
Potential. Opportunity. Everybody seems to be talking about the music scene’s
stunning capacity for growth. Fort Worth is well on its way to becoming a nationally celebrated music destination. But how do we get there? More than two dozen industry insiders gave us their insights and visions for the future, including performing artists, venue owners, label heads, studio managers, and promoters. While every person had a different perspective, they all shared an infectious enthusiasm for its high-flying potential. But to truly understand the present, you must first know the past — and this city’s musical soul runs deep.
The Sound of Fort Worth Fort
Worth’s rich (and often overlooked) musical history shines with groundbreaking movements and moments. Western swing was born here at the Crystal Palace, a glittering dance hall on the banks of the Trinity River. Two-steppers flocked to its dance floor to escape their Depressionera worries with the hot-footed rhythms of Bob Wills, Milton Brown, and the Light Crust Doughboys. Bobby Day provided the sock-hop soundtrack of the 1950s. That same decade, free jazz originated at I.M. Terrell High School, where legendary saxophonist Ornette Coleman rewrote the rules of the genre with his avant-garde friends: Dewey Redman, Prince Lasha, King Curtis, John Carter, and Charles Moffett. Pianist Van Cliburn vaulted to worldwide fame after winning Moscow’s International Tchaikovsky Competition at age 23, a brilliant light during the Cold War darkness that propelled the city’s cultural prestige to a whole new level. T Bone Burnett has been scooping up the Grammy Awards since 2000, and hometown hero Leon Bridges has stamped the hearts of millions with his soulful sound while wearing his love for Fort Worth on his sleeve.
Even long before Leon, cowboys sang to calm their herds and allay their loneliness. For the Native American tribes who lived in the area, music played important spiritual and social roles; the haunting beauty of their chanting and drumbeats echoes through the story of Texas. German immigrants arrived with their oompahoompah sounds, African slaves blessed us with their rhythms, and Scots-Irish settlers brought their bluegrass through the Appalachian Mountains. Countless other
pat green
groups contributed to the mix. By the time Hell’s Half Acre was in full burn, you could listen to everything from fiddle contests and tinny saloon pianos to opera singers, gospel choirs, and polka bands.
The Wild West may be gone, but the freedom of the frontier spirit and its nolimits attitude still permeates the culture of Fort Worth. “I think you hear it in the music here,” says Sean Russell, guitarist and lead singer of local band Cut Throat Finches. This sense of freedom helps to fuel the city’s eclectic sound, which goes beyond the boundaries of genre to cater to all age groups, styles, and tastes. Today’s artists are making the future their own with genres that didn’t even exist when Van Cliburn triumphed in Russia. Metal. Electronica. Rockabilly. Shoegaze. And hip-hop, no doubt one of the most exciting genres right now. “Depending on what your ear is and what you’re into, you can hear different stories told about the city, told from different points of view,” says CharLe$. “I think that’s really cool about Fort Worth. It doesn’t have a distinct sound. In Fort Worth you have a bunch of different sounds, and that’s what makes it unique.”
“There’s far more happening here than anyone knows,” adds Ramtin Nikzad, co-founder of Fortress Festival, the city’s preeminent music festival. “It’s also far more diverse than it’s given credit for. There’s dance, synth-pop, hip-hop, R&B, Tejano, Latin-pop … it goes on and on.” Country music certainly plays a significant role, but the Fort Worth sound is so much broader than that, Martens says. “Having Billy Bob’s and the Stockyards here is going to make us associated with Western music. But then our biggest artist is Leon Bridges — not Western. I think it’s also apparent by the way people collaborate that we’re not just one type of music. These barriers are coming down in genres.”
But one of the challenges for Martens is to communicate this diversity to people outside Fort Worth, who sometimes have an outdated impression of the city. Russell explains: “They probably think that this is Cowtown, a country town, and everybody drives pickup trucks and then shoots guns all day. I’ve heard people from California say that … they have an image of what Fort Worth is. I think that hurts us not only on the cultural side, but
also on the business side. It’s not that it creates a negative image; it just creates a very two-dimensional image rather than who we really are. For businesses to be attracted to us, it has to be a much bigger image than that. The more people coming here for business, the more it benefits the city. If you’re a business owner and you’re wanting to expand your business, Fort Worth being seen as a diverse, multicultural, dynamic city is to everyone’s benefit.”
Whether as concertgoers or tourists, we’ve all experienced the power of music to embed a sense of place in our hearts and minds. “If you go into a town and you get to experience the art and culture — you hear some of the music, eat the food, and find a good bar — then you’re going to remember
that town. It’s going to be more memorable than just checking off the list of things that you’re supposed to see,” says Russell. But understanding the true, long-term value of music for a city’s culture and economy can be difficult for most people. “They won’t be able to see it. It’s not a tangible thing.”
Numbers may help: Fort Worth’s music industry generated more than $500 million in direct economic output in 2016, according to a study by Sound Diplomacy. “An active music scene has a resounding economic impact that benefits everyone, not just fans and musicians,” says Nikzad. “However, there’s a tendency here, and many places, to think of the arts predominantly as a philanthropic enterprise. That goes for both the creative entrepreneur and investment
jaime Wyatt
communities. A better understanding of the business and economy of the arts in a for-profit context will help us build a lasting scene.” Nourishing and promoting Fort Worth music will produce a richer soundscape that appeals to performers, fans, tourists, and businesses from around the world. It’s a massive undertaking, but several organizations are already leading the way.
Local Music Initiatives:
Fueling the Fire Championing musical diversity is just one task on the to-do list at Hear Fort Worth, a name on the lips of countless artists as they praise the city’s support. With Martens at the helm, Hear Fort Worth is charting new ground with creative ideas to help our musicians. The organization has offered application fee reimbursements for the SXSW music festival as well as travel grants for performers who want to tour. “Sometimes that first tank of gas is the obstacle to getting out of town. Sometimes it’s printing $500 of merchandise,” says Martens. It’s a multi-pronged strategy; musicians on tour act as ambassadors for the city in a way that sculptures in a park never could. “We want them to get out and tour. We want them to share the Fort Worth story on the road.”
Hear Fort Worth also organizes music showcases at out-of-town events like the Houston Rodeo, and they’ve worked with Niles City Sound to supply studio time to emerging artists. They use songs and voiceovers by local musicians in commercials for Visit Fort Worth, which provides funding as well as exposure. And they host a come-as-youare industry mixer every first Tuesday of the month. “It’s really informal,” Marten says. “It’s open to everyone.” Simply known as the Hear Fort Worth Mixer, the event moves around to a variety of venues. One month it might be at Billy Bob’s, the next at the R&B/hip-hop recording studio Music in
Focus. This change-up allows for artists of all stripes to feel at home. “When you get people together and they feel welcome and safe, more people show up,” he continues. “It’s all about support.”
Supporting artists is also a priority for The Cliburn. The Cliburn’s programs deliver a small slice of the symphony to venues and festivals not normally known for classical sounds, such as The Post at River East, Scat Jazz Lounge, and Friday on the Green. “To bring classical music to more people, it’s important to go where they are and to find ways to present the same high level of musicians in comfortable,
which has turned out well. “They’ve been immensely popular and have all sold out,” Estes says. Open-air performances have also been a hit for Cliburn in the Community, an event series that hosts younger instrumentalists at various branches of the Fort Worth Public Library — often in the parking lots and always for free. “Attendance and enthusiasm have been awesome so far.”
The library is ground zero for another organization that’s dedicated to Fort Worth music: Amplify 817. Presented in partnership with Hear Fort Worth and sponsored in part by the Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, Amplify 817 hosts a commercial-free music-streaming site featuring a curated selection of local musicians. Artists are paid upfront for their music, a distinct contrast to most streaming sites (which pay musicians based on their number of streams). New applicants are regularly accepted into the fold. “We’re keeping a steady flow of submission rounds open and including as many diverse artists as we can,” says Rita Alfaro, music librarian at the Fort Worth Public Library and Amplify 817. “We’re committed to a wide range of genres and artists to showcase the sounds of our city.” Anyone can listen for free at amplify817. org, and library cardholders can also download the songs at no charge. It’s a win-win-win for the musicians, the fans, and the city of Fort Worth.
more casual environments,” explains Maggie Estes, The Cliburn’s director of communications and digital content. In nontraditional bar-style environments, fans can chat with the classical players while having a few drinks, a totally different vibe from Bass Hall. COVID-19 forced The Cliburn to shift to outdoor pop-up concerts,
Amplify 817 also creates vital opportunities for artists to connect with each other and with various players in the industry, including venue owners, journalists, and sound engineers. Their networking mixers and media events forge links within the community, while their educational panels and interview sessions help artists upgrade their game. “We’re also developing a performance series [virtual and live] to continue connecting and collaborating with all of the different music venues and organizations we have in the area,” Alfaro
Robert Ellis
Sean Russell of Cut Throat Finches
adds. “We want to provide more music resources, programs, and connections.”
All of these organizations are making an impact with their efforts, says guitarist Sean Russell. “The city recognizes us and continues to show us that they see musicians as an integral part of both the cultural underbelly and for tourism. We drive revenue. We have value to the city. They put money where their mouth is; that’s really the biggest part of it.”
But it’s a long road to becoming a preeminent music city, and a more comprehensive approach may be required. “Arts and culture entrepreneurship could be better encouraged and celebrated,” admits Nikzad. “The effort needs the active patronage of attendees as well as the support of civic institutions and the business community.” Russell agrees: “Create a standard for what ‘support local music’ really means. Show businesses how
they can promote local musicians and make us a part of what they’re doing.” For example, the city could offer incentives for restaurants and bars that play a certain percentage of local songs in their establishments — perhaps a “Fort Worth Music Supporter” window badge of some sort. “There’s no reason for venues in the Stockyards to be playing anything other than music from right here,” adds Russell. “You’re talking about thousands of tourists coming through that area. But they’re giving more attention to Nashville than they are the artists that are starving right there across the street.”
For CharLe$, it all comes back to the people. “Programming like Amplify 817 and Hear Fort Worth need to reach out to the community more, to let people know what’s going on in the city. Because I think a lot of times people just don’t know.” Venues and musicians could step up the
Music Venues
Bass Performance Hall 525 Commerce St.
Billy Bob’s
Blake LaBella and Mitch Jones of TRND Music
Artists Respond:
What Does Fort Worth Need to Become THE Music City in Texas?
Elise Amara [soulful R&B]
“Fort Worth needs to consistently be more inclusive of diverse artists and have spaces where they can come together and connect. If opportunities are created for exposure and visibility, the scene will flourish.”
Grady Spencer [Texas groove rock]
“Let’s make sure there are plenty of venues around town to give artists a place to learn and grow their careers.
Yes, the Saturday night headliner needs a 5,000-person venue — but for every one of those, there are 10 kids needing a 100-person room where they can learn how to perform and perfect their craft.”
Bryan Freymuth of Driving Slow Motion [post-rock instrumental]
“Established bands and venues could utilize the wide variety of artists. Mixed genre shows need to be a thing again; we don’t need the same bands on every bill. Perhaps the bigger festivals and venues in town should make it a point to book more of the newer, lesser-known artists. There’s a lot of talent out there.”
Lorena Leigh [Cowgirl-mermaid alt-pop/rock]
“What any city needs to be great for musicians is a culture of people who appreciate the art (or at least are willing to take a chance to listen to music live that they’ve never previously heard of). There has to be a mindset that the experience of music and diversity in music is important to the community; that it is worth the small investments of time, energy, and money because it all supports the bridge that music provides amongst a group of people.”
Corrie Donovan [Classical soprano]
“We need more bands, different kinds of bands, more local artist support, and absolutely more spaces for these people to perform. We also need to be fostering more local talent through continued education and training as well as professional opportunities both through nonprofits and schools.”
Summer Dean [Traditional country]
“I have a hope that Fort Worth becomes a city with a reputation for supporting touring bands. That we’re known for supporting bands that travel to play our town, even if we’ve never heard of them.”
Smoothvega [Latin-influenced hip-hop]
“I would like to see more thriving venues come along that are diverse and open to different genres of music. And more opportunities to educate artists.”
Jack Barksdale [Americana/folk]
“More of what they are already doing. More organizations like the Public Library using their presence in the community to support music in the way Amplify 817 is doing. The more that the community and city of Fort Worth are invested in the success of its music scene, the more Fort Worth music will flourish.”
Lou Charle$ [Lyric-driven rap/hip-hop]
“Making sure we have spaces for artists to perform and congregate and collaborate is very important. And while Fort Worth is growing, we need to protect these spaces — we don’t want artists to get pushed out of vibrant spaces due to gentrification. We need people in City Council and City Hall who are fighting to make sure that Fort Worth is a music city.”
Hannah Witkowski and Samuel Culp of Yokyo [dance pop/electronic]
“Venues should treat artists as business partners and negotiate fair deals where success can be shared. Smaller venues need to bring in larger regional and national acts so that local artists have a chance to open up for bigger artists; larger venues need to provide local support for all national acts that come through Fort Worth.”
Averi Burk [rock/pop/R&B/alt electronic]
“More unity and support among artists. Fort Worth has so many talented musicians and diversified genres, I believe when we work together, support, and appreciate each other the potential is unlimited. There’s power in numbers.”
“Just time. The direction and growth are undeniable.”
Ginny Mac: [WESTERN SWING/ AMERICANA]
“In my opinion, the problem Fort Worth is facing in the art scene is too much money has the power to say, ‘What is art.’ If you want a true representation of expression in the city, we’ve got to take it to the punk part of ourselves and break away. That’s what I’m working to do myself.”
Van Darien [Americana]
“If we had more listening venues like The Post and Magnolia Motor Lounge, and larger venues for national touring bands to perform, it might create more of a draw for audiences from all over.”
Abraham Alexander [Soul/R&B]
One, you need to acknowledge that it is [the Music City], and then you need to build an infrastructure in order to develop the music that’s around. The talent is there. The hunger is there. They say, “If you build it, they will come.” And if you don’t build it [that infrastructure] the musicians are going to leave.
community involvement as well, he adds. In many ways, Fort Worth is already taking the right steps to develop the industry — we just need to do more. More education and mentorship. More opportunities for exposure. More support from businesses. More radio stations, studios, festivals, and competitions.
And of course: more venues.
Music Venues:
The New and the Needed Every person whom we interviewed for this article had a different opinion about the Fort Worth music scene. For every individual who praised its diversity, another said we needed greater diversity. For every artist that championed the city’s efforts, another maintained that it needs to do more. But there is one element that everyone agreed on: Fort Worth needs more venues.
To be fair, several spaces have opened in the past few years. Dickies Arena no doubt deserves the loudest fanfare for bringing regional and national tours to Fort Worth. But having a variety of smaller venues is just as important. In the Stockyards, the reborn Isis Theatre presents live shows in a historic landmark. Mule Alley’s new Second Rodeo is primarily a brewery and beer garden, but it also hosts Texas country musicians (and they “ain’t got none of that Nashville pop”).
In the up-and-coming River East neighborhood, The Post provides a unique setting for performances with a large outdoor courtyard plus an indoor listening room with superior acoustics. The quiet, seated environment is “designed for serious music fans who want to listen more than they want to party,” explains Brooks Kendall, entertainment manager at The Post. “It has a cool vibe,” adds Martens. “I think it’s the way Fort Worth is going.”
Another exciting new venue is Tulips FTW, which opened in the Near Southside during the middle of the pandemic. “Tulips is already attracting big names in music and has a very impressive season lined up for shows to come,” says Megan Henderson, director of events and communications at Near Southside Inc. “I am so proud of the investment that Jason Suder and the Tulips FTW team have made in our local music ecosystem, and in maybe the hardest year we could ever imagine doing so.”
But despite these recent additions, we still need more. “A greater variety of performance venues of different sizes with quality sound systems and professional sound engineers can only help us grow,” says Nikzad. “There are a lot of really great venues that have been around a long time, well suited to small shows. Now that we’re expanding with larger and midsize venues like Dickies Arena and Tulips, let’s keep going. I think we’ll be able to attract a greater variety of shows and artists to the Fort Worth scene.”
If we want more venues, however, first we need to support the ones that already exist. “The reason there aren’t more is because people don’t buy enough tickets to keep the venues we already have consistently filled,” contends Kendall. “The most important form of support is patronage. Bring your office here for happy hour, buy tickets for shows, order lunch from us.”
Music venues aren’t just places that host performances. They are spaces where communities take shape, where fans and artists come together to share, create, and celebrate. Good venues are so much more than the names on the lineups. They are experiences: the friends you see, the people you meet, the drinks you spill, that moment when you forget all your worries. But only with help from the community will spaces like The Post thrive and multiply. “As we get more venues, I think we’ll start to see more things happen,” says Martens.
Every new venue amplifies Fort Worth’s musical stature. Midsize spaces are especially important for drawing bigger acts to the city, which give locals more opportunities to share the stage with toptier performers (and connect with their crowds). Creating additional avenues to success for our artists is essential, because when it comes to musicians — this city is brimming with talent.
Talent:
Overflowing Yet Underdeveloped
Fort Worth has the 12th largest population of any American city. We’re bigger than Nashville, Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, Boston, and Las Vegas. We have a huge pool of homegrown artists, but even more important than their quantity is their quality. “There’s a really high standard for
music here,” says Russell. “I see that for both the venues and the bands. In other cities, the level of talent is not the same with bands of comparable [social media] followers, for example. I think it’s good because it does push you to hit a higher level. It’s a good pressure, an encouraging pressure.” Fort Worth artists also possess an abundance of grit and determination, which is just as important as one’s music (if not more so) when it comes to success in the industry. “There’s a work ethic in this town with the musicians,” he adds, “they’re working really hard.”
But to achieve their dreams, artists must also navigate the modern music business. Marketing and merchandise. Contracts and royalties. Spotify and Apple. It’s called the music business for a reason. But no one learns to play guitar because they want to write Twitter posts and negotiate contracts. Most musicians simply want to create and play the sounds that they love. And they
can certainly do that. But if they also want to support themselves financially with their music (which most do), they will benefit immensely from learning the basics of the industry. “We need to educate artists and help them develop themselves,” says Martens. “If only we could convey how important it is to treat it like a business.”
Russell also sees room for improvement. “There seems to be a gap right now in the business side.”
For artists trying to advance their careers, Fort Worth feels a bit like a wilderness (at least compared to cities with more developed music scenes). “Fort Worth likes to be that big city with a small-town feel, but if we want people to come and see what we have, we’ll need to possibly grow out of that mindset a little bit,” notes Alfaro. The lack of pretentiousness lauded above may help to explain a scarcity of marketing impetus on some parts. While researching this article, I handed my card to more than
Abraham Alexander
20 musicians; I told them I was writing a cover story for the city’s top magazine and looking for artists to feature. Only one person reached out and contacted me (big up to Averi Burk).
Luckily, navigating the music industry is a skill that can be taught. Artists can find some of the guidance they need at local record labels like TRND and Dreamy Life. Like almost every other facet of the music business, the role of record labels has changed dramatically in recent years. Old-school labels like the three majors (Universal, Warner, and Sony) have traditionally given advances to their musicians. Advances are pre-payments of a record’s anticipated royalties, which must be paid back. It’s an outdated system that often leaves artists in debt to labels if their sales fall short of expectations. Today’s
independent labels (every label except the three majors) work quite differently.
“A modern label will let the artist cover most of the cost of the record, and the label will step in to help promote and market the record, taking a smaller cut, but helping the artist reach his market much more efficiently,” explains Blake LaBella, co-owner and artist manager at TRND (pronounced “trend”). “Artists in Fort Worth can benefit heavily from a wellconnected label because it gets them out of their friends and family bubble. It can help by acting as a booking agent, it can work with PR companies, and it can create buzz around an act using its resources and connections, rather than just the artist’s.”
From management to cover art design to data analytics, today’s labels wear many hats. They operate recording studios and
record stores; they host events, festivals, and launch parties. Labels serve as musical curators, helping fans to filter the firehose onslaught of new sounds that arrive every day. And they can engender entire communities around musical movements, says Cameron Smith, co-founder of Dreamy Life Records. “Our best examples of independent record labels are the ones that really helped cultivate a creative ecosystem — some championing entire underground scenes into well-recognized subgenres — by providing resources and seeking unique opportunities for the artists they represent. If you’re really doing it right, a label can also be a network and a support group.”
Perhaps this is the most important function of a modern record label: giving musicians that crucial feeling of support.
“Many artists still need a team around them to help push them,” says LaBella. Labels are fundamental to a healthy music culture, and Fort Worth needs more of them, he adds, “more music industry labels, managers, and executives here that can push the music out to a larger audience and demographic on the national and international scale.”
Venues are also essential for supporting artists, who had plenty of improvements to suggest. Book more up-and-coming, lesser-known acts. Book a greater variety of performers. Host multigenre shows. Bring in regional and national acts and hire locals as openers. Offer fair wages and reliable booking practices. “We need a robust conversation about how to value musicians as professionals,” asserts Henderson. “We need to create better work environments for musicians across the industry.” Venues and performers would both benefit from a professionalism agreement that spelled out their mutual obligations. For example, says Martens, “musicians would agree not to show up drunk, and venues would agree not to make the artist come back three days later to get paid.” Some sort of “Fair Pay Pledge” could help. But what exactly would that look like? “I’m afraid that if we set a baseline amount, it would take some aspiring artists out of the equation,” he says. “You’re not going to pay everyone $100 at an open-mic night, but at the same time … musicians need to be compensated. You can’t pay your rent in ‘exposure.’” By working together with performers and
Van Darien
Grady Spencer
venue owners, Martens hopes to identify a middle ground.
But beyond business policies, record labels, venues, and artist education — there is one thing that Fort Worth music needs more than anything else: you. Venues will only book lesser-known acts if people actually show up to hear them. Festivals can only exist with our patronage. Every element of the musical ecosystem is connected, and fans are the fuel that keeps it moving forward.
Fans:
You Are the Future of Fort Worth
Music What makes Fort Worth a great music city is the same thing that makes it great, period: our people. Our community’s friendliness and welcoming nature create a fertile landscape for growing the music industry. “There is a wonderful neighbor mentality where everyone likes to help each other out and watch our friends succeed. It’s very inspiring,” Alfaro says. “It definitely comes down to the people,” adds CharLe$. “That’s the beginning and the end. There’s a lot of people in Fort Worth that get it right now. They understand the community aspect. And one cool thing about Fort Worth is that Fort Worth loves Fort Worth. So when they see somebody out here trying to do something and trying to execute their vision, they’re always down to help. It’s a very collaborative environment for sure.”
In the Sound Diplomacy study, one of the more interesting findings was that the average person in Fort Worth does not view their hometown as a “music city.” Many of us are unaware of our momentous musical history or the plethora of novel sounds bubbling up right now. Most of us don’t identify as local music advocates with the same fervor that we identify as foodies, football fans, or small business supporters. What if we did? “Everybody loves the idea of supporting local restaurants. People love finding out about a new restaurant and then telling everybody about it. What if people would be that adamant about music?” asks Russell. “When they go out and see local bands or they hear about local bands from somebody, what if they talked about us just like they talk about
restaurants?”
Being a local music supporter is a badge of honor, and we should wear it with pride — because it matters. “Everyday citizens can make a huge difference in Fort Worth’s music economy,” says Henderson. It’s a thrilling prospect, but it’s only possible when we take ownership of the city’s musical future and embrace our vital roles in its development. And the best way to do so is simple: Go to a show. “You don’t have to be young, you don’t have to be old, you can go to a show, and just support by showing up,” says Martens. “Sometimes just showing up is all the support people need. And buy something physical if you can, a little bit of money goes a long way. If it’s a record, get it signed and hang it on your wall. Get a T-shirt and let everybody know who your favorite band is.” Buy drinks and food at the venue, and post pictures whenever you can. Add a few bucks to musicians’ tip jars as a point of pride. Let go of the notion that music is synonymous with nightlife; plenty of daytime events and family-friendly festivals cater to crowds with early bedtimes.
Express your gratitude freely and often, because words of appreciation are powerful sustenance for artists — in person or online. “Connect to us, because that’s what we want, too,” says Russell. Dig a little deeper. Listen a little longer. “When you find a local band, just give us a try. Follow us a bit on Facebook or Instagram and see what pops up. Then you can forget about us if you don’t like us,” he laughs. “As long as you’re following us, at least we’ll get into some better festivals.” Even a reposted Tweet or an Instagram “like” can reach a new audience. Find a Fort Worth playlist and set it to repeat, especially if you’re a business owner. And don’t forget to tell all of your friends.
We’re already on the right track; now we just need to turn it up. “We are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were five years ago, three years ago, two years ago,” says CharLe$. COVID-19 restrictions hit the music industry hard, but it has resumed its upward trajectory in the last several months. “We’re seeing more shows at
more places than we’ve seen before,” says Nikzad. The pandemic may have shut down live events, but it also reminded us of the immense value of the arts in our lives. Because in the darkest, most anxietyriddled days of quarantine when the entire world shut down — we turned to artists. We lost ourselves in movies, we read books, and we listened to song after song.
“Music is one of the most memorable, moving, and fundamentally important arts,” says Henderson. “Imagine musical theater without the orchestra or film without a soundtrack. How many art shows have we enjoyed that have a live DJ creating the atmosphere on gallery night? How often do we enjoy fine dining and rely on music to create the ambiance of our experience? How many visual artists do we know that listen to music as they paint, sculpt, or create? When we define ourselves as a city and cultural destination, isn’t music one of the first things we turn to when we share our city’s spirit? All of these are reminders how music, and more importantly musicians, are so important to who and what Fort Worth is.”
“It’s a very exciting time and scene to be a part of, and I’m eager to see what’s to come,” says Nikzad. “The future of Fort Worth is unwritten, and we can make that story whatever we want.” The power is in your hands to shape the sound of the city’s tomorrow. Because when we listen to local music, talk about local music, and show up for local music — Fort Worth will grow into the incredible music city that we all know is possible.
Adrianne Hulet at The Post
The Fire Still Burns
years after starring on a VH1 reality show that changed their lives, the members of seminal Fort Worth alt-rock band Flickerstick come together to discuss their rise to fame, fall from grace, and potential comeback.
BY
PHOTO
Flickerstick members — from left to right: Fletcher Lea, Cory Kreig, Brandin Lea, and Todd Harwell — came together to talk about the 20th anniversary of the VH1 reality show “Bands on the Run,” in which some of the band members starred.
By Malcolm Mayhew
It’s been 15 years since Brandin Lea, Fletcher Lea, Cory Kreig, and Todd Harwell have been in the same room together. Even longer since they performed live together.
Even longer since they were living the high life, enjoying the excesses a successful career in rock ’n’ roll can bring. And even longer since their band, in a slightly different iteration, made its debut on VH1 as the soon-to-be-stars of a groundbreaking new competitive reality show called “Bands on the Run.”
One of Fort Worth’s most popular alternative rock groups at the dawn of the 2000s, Flickerstick is the stuff of local music legend. You have to see it to believe it. Thanks to YouTube, you can. Search for “VH1 Bands on the Run,” and you can witness the band’s on-screen antics: getting so wasted, they could barely stand; fighting with one another and the other bands competing on the show; cheating on their girlfriends and wives who were back home — none of which is revolutionary TV these days, what with entire networks devoted to reality shows. But at the time, it was practically unheard of.
More importantly, the Emmy Award-winning show is a testament to Flickerstick’s talent. They did, after all, win the show based on their live performances, a swirl of trippy, melodic atmospherics and memorable hooks delivered with blunt, punk rock force. Watch their performance of “Direct Line to the Telepathic,” and you’ll understand why they were
— and are to this day — such an important component of Fort Worth’s music scene.
“They were the next Radiohead — that’s what I thought,” says a VH1 producer who worked on “Bands on the Run.”
Flickerstick pulled the plug long ago after success came and went. But earlier this year, on the two-decade anniversary of “Bands on the Run’s” original air date, a new Flickerstick
Facebook page announced some very good news: Welcoming Home the Astronauts, the group’s must-hear record from 2000, would be rereleased with new sound and packaging. The band also just released a new compilation, When We Were Young: Singles, B-Sides & Rarities, 1997-2004.
And now there are rumblings of a reunion. They’re already halfway there: The photo shoot for this story brought together three of the five original members, plus longtime drummer Todd Harwell, who replaced the group’s well-known drummer Dominic Weir, who now lives in New York. It’s the first time they’ve all been together since 2005, Fletcher says.
“Immediately we just started laughing when we saw each other, just picking up where we left off,” he says.
To commemorate the rerelease of Welcoming Home the Astronauts and to toast the 20th anniversary of the wildly entertaining “Bands on the Run,” we chatted with the band and others closely tied to them.
From day 1, the group’s odd-sounding name has been the subject of debate among fans. Cory Kreig, band guitarist: I used to have a notebook that I would write in all the time, and while trying to come up with a good name for the band, I wrote down a bunch of words, including “flicker” and “stick.” Brandin was the one who put them together. It sounded good to me. Ever since, people have been trying to figure out what it means. Wonder how many people have Googled the word “Flickerstick”?
a color cover. When Dom joined in ’98, the band changed from dudes who just played some shows here and there to us trying to be more of a real band. We got a rehearsal spot in Dallas, catty-cornered to Deep Ellum, and we started going out more and meeting other bands and music industry professionals. We hit our stride when [guitarist] Rex [Ewing] joined in ’99. It was at that moment that we all thought, “Hey, we have something here.”
my parents and Debbie and Carrie were all together one day, I think at Debbie’s house, and Debbie and Carrie had this huge, huge fight, like yelling and screaming at each other. Carrie must have been 17 or 18, and she was yelling at her mom that she did not want to go to some stupid audition for some stupid sci-fi movie. But her mom made her go. Turns out, the movie was “Star Wars.” That was my parents’ world. Of course, it was contagious.
Technically, the group came together in Denton, where founding members Brandin Lea and Cory Kreig were attending the University of North Texas.
Kreig: Originally, it was Brandin and I and two friends we went to high school with. We didn’t have any money, so we had to drive to Fort Worth all the time to rehearse at Brandin’s parents’ dance studio. Fletch joined in ’97, and we put out a record called Chloroform the One You Love. We were so poor. The cover is black and white. We couldn’t afford
Brandin and Fletcher were born into the entertainment industry. Their parents, Bruce and Frances Lea, were Broadway performers and renown dancers, and both opened their own dance studios in Fort Worth.
Bruce Lea: I remember when Brandin was born, and we’d take him on the road with us. We would literally pull out a dresser drawer in the hotel room, put a soft blanket inside of it, and that’s where he would sleep. Brandin Lea, lead singer: This is how big of a deal my parents are. You know Debbie Reynolds, right? Carrie Fisher’s mom. Well,
The band hired a manager, Paul Bassman, who helped land one of their songs onto a Billboard compilation. The song caught the ear of VH1, who wanted the Lea brothers to star in a show about siblings in bands. The show never materialized, but VH1 invited the group to audition for a battle-of-thebands show in which the winner would be awarded a grand prize of $50,000 cash, $100,000 worth of Guitar Center equipment, an A&R showcase, and a music video. After several auditions, Flickerstick was offered one of four slots on the show.
Brandin: After we got the invite to be on the show, we debated back and forth. We had no idea what to expect. There were maybe one or two other shows on the air at the time that were a little similar, so we didn’t have anything we could point to and say, “This is what it’s going to be like.” We definitely didn’t want to be known as the band from a TV show. Back then, you had to make it the right way — by touring, by putting out records, by working your asses off. Now, it doesn’t matter how you make it. You make it because you had a song on a TV show, or some influencer shared your video. Back then, credibility meant something. Fletcher: We had one more audition to do before we were chosen to be on the show, and my fiancé was due to have our first baby. We had to fly out to California. We wouldn’t be gone longer than 24 hours. I kept thinking, “Please don’t have the baby, please don’t have the baby.” And as we’re taking off, I pull out my flip phone, and she calls to tell me she’s in labor. I couldn’t do anything about it — we were already taxiing down the runway. When we land, I’m calling her, I’m calling her mom, I’m calling my mom — she has to have an emergency C-section, and I’m freaking out. But everything turned out OK. My son was
The “classic” Flickerstick lineup, from left to right: Fletcher Lea, Dominic Weir, Brandin Lea, Rex Ewing, and Cory Kreig.
born happy and healthy. That was probably the first bit of drama surrounding this show. Dominic Weir: My initial thought was, hell yes, let’s do it. Brandin and Cory thought it may ruin our image, you know, a rock band selling out and being on TV. So, we went into it with a we-don’t-care-if-we-win-ornot attitude and just had as much fun as we could.
The rules of the “Bands on the Run” were simple: Flickerstick and three other groups — the Josh Dodes Band from New York, Harlow from Los Angeles, and Soulcracker from San Diego — competed on tour to draw the biggest crowds and sell the most merchandise. Bands also competed musically by performing in battle-of-thebands competitions.
Kevin Morra, “Bands on the Run” producer: These types of shows weren’t even called “reality TV” yet. That’s how early on this was. There was “Road Rules” and “The Real World” on MTV, but when “Survivor” turned into such a big hit, every network was like, “We need one of these shows.” VH1 was a part of that parade, and since it was a music network, they came up with a musicthemed show. It had an art-versus-commerce element to it. Who could sell the most merch and tickets but also who did audiences like more?
Weir: When my fiancé and I watched the first episode on YouTube, I told her, “Brace yourself.” She was appalled, and I kinda didn’t blame her.
Brandin: I always think it’s funny when people ask if we were acting.
Morra: We didn’t give them any direction or coaching or anything like that. Matter of fact, sometimes they would turn off their mics or try to hide something from the cameras. We had to remind them of what they agreed to. They kept us on our toes.
the road. I would advise any young person who’s in a band to watch that show to get a fairly good idea of what touring is going to be like. You’re going to have fun, get into trouble, and have a lot of explaining to do when you get home.
Less than two minutes into the first episode, Kreig sets the tone for Flickerstick’s modus operandi. In an on-camera interview, he says: “We’re gonna drink, we’re gonna party, we’re gonna meet chicks.”
Kreig: And that’s exactly what happened. Each band was followed nonstop by two teams of camera crews and producers — one during the day, a second one at night. Morra: I had the daytime shift, so my crew would capture these guys in their drunken comas from the night before. Sometimes we’d have to wait around all morning just for them to get out of bed. I’ll never forget the distinct smell of their hotel rooms — booze, unwashed clothes, body odor. There was usually a girl or two in there, too. We would walk into that every afternoon.
Kreig: What we were doing on that show, we were doing here at home. That was kind of our thing. We’d get up late, start drinking, then go out to some clubs to promote ourselves or upcoming shows and then start drinking and then we’d walk home, sometimes with some girls, and party and pass out. It’s just that it was on TV now. I’m not embarrassed by anything we did. I don’t cringe when I see myself doing whatever. We had a Motley Crue, old-school rock ’n’ roll mindset. Even before we were on TV or got signed to a major label, that’s who we were.
Fletcher: My son found all the episodes on YouTube when he was about 14 or 15. So then we had to have the talk. This is where I was in my life. I was a different person in a different place. And I told him, this is what’s great about relationships: You can make mistakes and still stay together.
When it came to the commerce side of the competition, the group often lost. But they made up for it by winning fans over with their stellar live performances, which is ultimately how they won the competition. Brandin: We were terrible salespeople. We really were. We never hung out at the merch booth, which they showed on the show. What we were good at was performing, of turning people into fans through our live shows. I’m so glad that’s how we won. Not by selling T-shirts or posters or whatever but by performing.
Weir: We fought a lot, but when it came time to performing, we were always on, always in step with one another. When we went on stage, the five of us bonded in an emotional and musical way that made all the BS go away. Man, talking about this stuff brings back memories.
Josh Dodes, show competitor: They did seem to have a lot of internal conflict, but they also had a visceral connection to their audience. I wasn’t surprised when they won.
Winning “Bands on the Run” led to a record deal with Sony-owned Epic Records. The label rereleased the group’s Welcoming Home the Astronauts album, which received a positive, three-star review from Rolling Stone. But the events of 9/11 put a halt on the band’s career.
Fletcher: We were in New York when the towers were attacked. I remember our manager called us that morning and said, “Do you know what’s going on? Go look outside your window.”
Nearly half a million viewers tuned in each week, especially musicians, who connected with the show’s subject matter.
Jon Wurster, drummer for Chapel Hill, N.C., indie-rock band Superchunk: We used to have watching parties; it was so good. It still is. That show stands the test of time because, to this day, that’s what rock bands are like on
Brandin: When our manager told us what was going on, like a lot of people, I thought there’d been an accident, and someone flew their plane into the World Trade Center. When I looked out my window, the second plane hit. Weir: It felt like an earthquake.
Brandin: We got over to the site as fast as we could to see if we could do anything — could
The band on stage at Trees in Dallas in 2003.
we help in some way?
Fletcher: That was the day I decided that if Flickerstick didn’t work out, I was going to join the military. Like a lot of people, I was angry.
Brandin: The world changed in so many ways that day. We were supposed to play our big showcase for the label that night, and obviously, the show got canceled. After 9/11, there was a big shift in the music industry, a big sea change. I remember the label just seemed to lose interest in us and not really know what to do with us. We fought to get off the label, to buy back our record, and eventually we did.
he was gone. That was the last time I saw or talked to him. I’ve tried to reach out to him, but he won’t talk to me.
Rex Ewing: I’m not interested in talking about any of it.
The group continued to tour and record, but eventually it began to splinter. Weir was the first to go, not by his own hand, though.
Weir: I was out of control. Alcohol, drugs, my attitude — I was mad at the other guys for some things that went back to our record deal, and I made their lives miserable the last three years I was in the band. Eventually, they let me go. I joined another band in California and then moved to New York and just didn’t talk to them for a long time. Kreiger then left the band, followed by Fletcher, who made good on his promise to join the military. After Fletcher left, Brandin decided Flickerstick, which at that point included Harwell and local singer/ songwriter Tim Locke, had run its course. Brandin: When we split up, it didn’t sit well with Rex. He and I were the only original members. He was hurt. I know he wanted to continue. He wanted the band to continue. We played a couple farewell shows — one in Dallas, the other in Fort Worth at the Aardvark, which had been our home for so long. Rex got there. He played. He played well. And as soon as that last song ended,
For the next several years, Brandin struggled with the decision he made to end the band. He developed an addiction to alcohol, which exasperated his thenundiagnosed bipolar disorder.
Brandin: I was never OK with how it ended. That wasn’t the way I wanted it to end after all we’d been through. It sent me into some very dark years that I’m lucky to have survived. I’ve never given up hope that one day we’ll play again and end it the way it
should have ended so many years ago. I love these guys with all my heart. Playing with them again, even just one last show, would mean the world to me; and I know, thanks to social media, that a whole lot of people out there agree with me on that.
Fletcher: I’d be down with one or two final shows.
Weir: I’d love it if we could do one more show together.
Kreiger: Never say never.
For updates, visit facebook.com/groups/ flickerstick
BY
PHOTO
OLAF GROWALD
After nearly 15 years, several members of Flickerstick reunited at our photo studio to talk about their past and future. Dig Brandin’s cool Fort Worth jacket.
Brandin Lea, Kreig, and Ewing on stage at the Barfly club in London in 2002
Located in Mansfield TX, CrownRoofTiles is your local roof tile resource for setting your home apart!
All our materials used are locally sourced
All our tiles have exceptional warranties
Morecolor selection options than any other roof tile maker
Hail impact certified Class 3 & Class 4
Mostenergy efficientroofproduct available
Customer service and satisfactionis unmatched
FOLLOW THE READER
Numbers don’t lie. Fort Worth Magazine and Fort Worth Inc. reach more social media users than any other publication in the city. Our dedicated digital staff works diligently to bring an added value to advertisers by delivering your message directly to our readers. We bring Fort Worth to your fingertips.
A Magnificent Tudor
A modern take on a classic design
Traci Darden – Owner
Lighting the World...with Passion
Dream Street
Dream Designers
Fort Worth Magazine’s second annual Dream Street brings together a trifecta of phenomenal designers.
by FWTX Staff
One of the biggest reasons to tour the Fort Worth Magazine Dream Street — three luxury homes built in the new Montrachet development in West Fort Worth — this coming March is to see the work of these three talented interior designers. While their backgrounds are diverse and each designer brings specific strengths to the table, they all agree on one thing: no more cool grays.
Susan Semmelmann
Susan Semmelmann
Interiors
Home: 4624 Esprit
Builder: Heritage Homes
Susan Semmelmann
likes to say she married into the world of interior design. Getting her introduction to the industry through her mother-inlaw — who was also an interior designer — Semmelmann hit the ground running, doing new home builds with her husband for 12 years. She’s now been in the business for a quarter of a century and is a veteran of Fort Worth Magazine’s dream projects — she’s done three previous projects with the magazine.
One of her main motivators for continuing to partner with the magazine is the charity aspect of the Dream Street project. “Nothing is a greater blessing than to take our God-given talents and use our resources to participate in something that can benefit a great charity like a Wish with Wings,” Semmelmann says.
FW: Can you explain your process to us?
Semmelmann: I wouldn’t say my process differs too much from others. But I will say that each opportunity that we have to design, whether it be a showcase home or a client, we invest ourselves into that room,
down to the detail. It’s as if we were looking at the finished result before we began. I want to see textures. I want to see contrast. I want to see warmth. But I also want to see clean lines, and nothing is repeated. We’re also able to offer the most recent products on the market because we carry the lines. So, I'm not restricted there in any way. And if I see something new, I'm like, “Okay, I'm already on the next year's Dream Home, just so you know.”
FW: What can we expect from your home on the Dream Street?
Semmelmann: Well, we have titled this Contemporary Cowtown. What we wanted to do was bring that tradition of Fort Worth with animals and cattle and horses, along with the texturing of nature, and we wanted to mix it with contemporary lines. It is a modern Hill Country home, so it's really got a great vibe to it. It's very warm in the colors. We didn't do any grays this year. So, everything is warm with creams and smoky blues and some cognac colors that are really fun. We've got everything from bull heads to giraffe prints. It sounds a little crazy, I'm sure. I don't know if you want to write that, but I will tell you it's tastefully done.
Tori Rubinson
Tori Rubinson Interiors
Home: 4616 Esprit
Builder: HGC Development
Tori Rubinson grew up in a DIY household.
“My mom and dad were very into home and their home, and they never hired out anything,” Rubinson says. So, my dad built on our addition with his own two hands. And my parents were Sheetrocking and
wallpapering and painting and doing trim work.”
The family would also frequent weekend showcase homes and Parades of Homes, so, while she wouldn’t call anyone in her family an interior designer, she was exposed to the world of interior design at a young age, and the career felt like a natural fit.
Rubinson sees the Dream Street project as not just a way to showcase her own design work, but also as a way to promote Fort Worth as a serious design city.
“I think that Fort Worth is in a really interesting spot,” Rubinson says. “I think we're starting to get a little more recognition than in years past, and there are a lot of great designers in Fort Worth. So [Dream Street] is an opportunity to showcase the talent that we have in this city.”
FW: What are some trends you’re seeing in design?
Rubinson: Good question. I mean, wallpaper has been really fun for us to incorporate into our designs. And we use a lot more color than I think, in the past decade or so, people have been comfortable doing. So, I think people are starting to see how it's okay to use color in your designs and to not be afraid and just do all gray or all white.
I think people are really starting to branch out, and that really allows people to have a home that speaks more true to them — more personality, more layered aesthetic. I think that it's not to say that minimalism is not still out there, but our aesthetic is a little bit more layered.
FW: What can we expect from your home on Dream Street?
Rubinson: I think people will be surprised to see us take such a modern turn. I think in Fort Worth, there's a lot of interest in more modern aesthetic, but it's still very warm and welcoming. So, it's kind of showing how you can have a really clean, modern, fun aesthetic, but it can still be very inviting, very livable. You can incorporate a lot of pattern and color and keep it appealing, I think, to a lot of people.
Amira Windmiller
Amira Windmiller Interiors
Home: 4632 Esprit
Builder: Windmiller Custom Homes
Some people are just good at what they do — call it a natural gift.
Some artists are able to pick up a brush, canvas, and palette and create a masterpiece with little knowledge of color theory or perspective. For Amira Windmiller, it was kind of the same with interior design. The wife of homebuilder Tim Windmiller, she got her start when the company’s interior designer unexpectedly retired, and she filled the gap. To Windmiller’s surprise, she had a natural knack for the art and has been doing it ever since.
“You know how you're just thrown into something, and you're like, ‘This is going to be a beating,’” Windmiller says. “But then you're pleasantly surprised that you actually have a hidden talent you didn't know about.”
Windmiller credits growing up in Jordan and spending her summers in the UK for helping to develop her sense of style. “I have traveled a lot and feel that has helped me understand design with an international mindset,” Windmiller says.
FW: What can we expect from your home on Dream Street?
Windmiller: I'm definitely doing some things that I don't think are the norm. We've got some gorgeous quartzite slabs that are going into the master bathroom that are from a retired quarry. It's like pieces of art. I've got a product that not a lot of people in DFW use on the fireplace in the main living room. It's a really thin bookmatch Laminam. So, it's like a porcelain, huge slabs, but they're very thin, and I've got our tile guy trained on how to use that. I'm using a lot of wallpaper. Yeah, so I think it's definitely going to be very different than what you've seen in the past, just because it's a lot more earthy.
FW: What are some trends you’re seeing in design?
Windmiller: I really think that people are staying away from the cold gray. Steering away from that and trying to have more earth tones and having a house that's more comfortable and not feel too pretentious. I'm finding that, because we're doing a lot of the upper-end market right now, it's very important to people to feel that anyone can sit anywhere, and the kids can touch anything. The fabrics that are really friendly, pet friendly, things like that. And I think using every space of your house. We're finding that people are wanting maybe not as large a house as a status symbol. Things are increasing per square foot rather than larger.
DREAM STREET SUBCONTRACTORS LIST
4616 ESPRIT
Builder: HGC Residential Development
Realtor: Christie’s International Real Estate | Ulterre
Interior Designer: Tori Rubinson Interiors
Appliances: Expressions Home Gallery
Cabinets Kitchen: The Kitchen Source
Doors Front: Durango Doors of DFW
Doors Exterior:
Omniview Window and Door
Electrician: Mackey Electric
Flooring (tile, wood and carpet labor, wood and carpet material): Vintage Floors
Flooring Tile (material all spaces):
Interceramic USA
Gutters: Loveless Gutters
Home Plans: Karl Hahnfeld Design Group
Low Voltage/AV/Security:
H Customs Audio Visual
Mattresses: The Original Mattress Factory
Patio Screens (motorized): Blinds Brothers
Plumbing Fixtures:
Expressions Home Gallery
Pool: J Caldwell Custom Pools
Roofing/Flashing: WeatherShield Roofing
Stone and Brick Supplies:
Metro Brick and Stone
4624 ESPRIT
Builder: Heritage Homes
Realtor: Martha Williams, Williams Trew
Interior Designer: Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Appliances: The Jarrell Company
Architect: Heritage Design Studio
Cabinets Kitchen: The Kitchen Source
Cabinets Master Closet and Other: Metroplex Cabinets
Countertop Fabrication: Stone Systems
Countertop Materials (all): Levantina
Drywall and Texture: Alliance Drywall
Electrician: C&B Electric
Fireplace Tile: Cosentino
Flooring (tile, wood and carpet labor): Galvan Floors
Flooring (wood material): Riva Floors
Flooring Tile: Daltile
Framing: Lone Star Framing
Garage Doors/Openers:
Overhead Door Company of Fort Worth
Garage Epoxy Coating:
Premier Custom Floors
Glass (showers-mirrors-other):
Galactic Glass
Gutters: Loveless Gutters
Hardware/Cabinet Hardware: Rick’s Hardware
HVAC (materials and labor): Indoor Climate
Interior Climate Experts HVAC
Landscape/Irrigation/Grade:
Guardado Landscaping
Lighting fixtures (incl. landscaping):
Passion Lighting
Low Voltage/AV/Security: Multimedia Solutions Inc
Patio Furniture: Yard Art Patio & Fireplace
Patio Screens (motorized): Blinds Brothers
Plumbing Fixtures: Facets
Plumbing Labor and Supplies: Pro Serve Plumbing
Pool: Leschber Designs
Pool Table: Fort Worth Billiards
Stone and Brick Supplies: Metro Brick
4632 ESPRIT
Builder: Windmiller Custom Homes
Realtor: John Zimmerman, Compass
Interior Designer: Amira Windmiller Interiors
Appliances: Factory Builder Stores
Artificial Grass:
WinterGreen Synthetic Grass
Cabinets Kitchen: The Kitchen Source
Cabinets Master and other: Village Cupboards
Concrete: GHC Concrete Services
Countertop Fabrication: American Marble & Granite
Countertop Materials (all): Levantina
Doors Study: A&A Custom Iron Doors Corp
Electrician: C&B Electric
Fireplaces Interior linear plus inserts: Overhead Door Company of Fort Worth
Flooring (wood and carpet material): Skyline Floorscapes
Flooring tile (material all spaces): Crossville
Garage Doors/Openers: Open Up Garage Doors
Gutters: Loveless Gutters
Home Plans:
Montebello Architecture & Design
HVAC (materials and labor):
Southern Air Mechanical LLC
Interior and Exterior Trim and Door Labor and Materials (includes stair treads/risers): Builders FirstSource
Interior Doors: Builders FirstSource
Low Voltage/AV/Security: Comware AV
Lumber and Trusses: Builders FirstSource
Mattresses: The Original Mattress Factory
Outdoor Fire Pit: Best Block
Plumbing Labor and Supplies: Pro Serve Plumbing
Pool: Willow Branch Pools
Pool Table: Fort Worth Billiards
Roofing/Flashing: Texas Tile Roofing
Safe Room: Ground Zero Storm Shelters
Stucco (Material and Labor): MCD Stucco
Windows and Doors: Builders FirstSource
MAKE A STATEMENT.
As the world-class leader in Tile, Natural Stone & Countertops , Daltile offers the largest assortment of high-style solutions to elevate any space or design.
Project Profile
Susan Semmelmann Interiors
Possum Kingdom Beauty
Step into this gorgeous lakefront property, nestled just outside of Hell’s Gate on Possum Kingdom Lake. This full home makeover from old world décor to modern ranch boasts sprawling windows, industrial textures, and custom furnishings. In the great room, the fabulous feature wall encompasses its own fireplace, with stone copper tiles adorned from floor to ceiling. We used blacks, creams, and cognac to give it a masculine feel and soft, sleek lines to give it a contemporary look. Not to be outdone by the rest of the interior, the light fixtures and ceiling treatments almost steal the show. The elegant antler chandelier plays against the bold lines of exposed beams. The industrial designed kitchen features black cabinets, with a custom fabricated copper vent hood and is finished off with custom croc cognac barstools. At Susan Semmelmann Interiors, we always say, “Our style is your style.” Let us help bring your dreams to reality!
THE BERKELEY TUDOR
Tori Rubinson's latest full-home design is a master class in adding modern elements to a traditional theme.
by Tori Rubinson
As one enters the traditional-meets-modern home, visitors are greeted with beautiful creams, soft greens, and blues. The two-story entry features Tudor-inspired millwork, an antique entry table, and a beautiful, custom skirted entry console with an antique mirror and modern blush abstract art. The finishing touch is a beautiful antique rug that perfectly completes the space.
photography by Stephen Karlisch
We raised the family room ceiling to help define the space in the open-concept home; it also makes the room feel much larger. We added a coffered ceiling, beautiful antique mantel, custom built-ins, and painted all millwork the same creamy white. Layers of textiles work well to create a beautiful mix.
The backsplash is a combination of gray subway walls and a scalloped marble. The hood is painted the same color as the rest of the millwork with brass inset strips. Modern brass lighting and hardware keep it fresh, and the counter stools are super easy with vinyl cushion and perennial backs for easy cleaning.
This room was inspired by the emerald lamp that was in my mother-in-law’s last home, and I just loved it. We ran with the emerald green in the trim color and the tape trim on the window treatments. The walls are covered in an aqua and ivory stripe wallpaper by Schumacher, and the furniture is a mix of new and antique while the chandelier makes a big statement in scale and style.
The master bath all started when I found the marble vessel sinks and combined them with beautifully reeded modern vanities. We went with modern brass hardware, mirrors, wall-mounted faucets and sconces, and the marble floors contain a contemporary pattern that runs wall to wall. A small but important detail is the leaded glass, which serves as an homage to the home’s Tudor architecture.
The master was inspired by two paintings. One was painted by my mother-in-law’s mom, and one was handed down from generation to generation. This room is striking and chic — just like my motherin-law. The nightstands were custom made by CEH, and the bed is by Hickory Chair. Elegant bedding and linens, modern lamps, and framed intaglios above bed that complement the navy grass cloth walls complete the room’s bold look.
We wanted the guest bedroom to be soft and serene — a place for a guest to rest and relax. The floral and bird fabric by Katie Leede was the starting point and worked perfectly with the Oushak rug we had from French Market Collection. The headboard and bed skirt were custom made, and the nightstands — which are wrapped in ivory linen — are a favorite of mine for smaller spaces from Made Goods.
The game room sits at the top of the stairs and serves the grandchildren when they come to play. The room features plenty of storage in the custom built-ins for games, books, and puzzles. Wallpaper from Quadrille, a green velvet sofa from Simple Things, and whimsical-patterned armchairs create a fantastic retreat for kids. Other elements include a contemporary light fixture, burlwood coffee table, patterned blue carpet, custom window treatments, and a mahogany Asian-style TV console.
¡
¡ Professionally trained Movers and Supervisors
¡ Drug tested, Background checked.
¡ Uniformed
¡
¡ COVID precautions
BUILD. DESIGN. REMODEL.
How to Find a Reliable Contractor
Hiring the wrong person for a home project can empty your pockets, drain your time, and result in potential dangers. Here are some tips for dodging these disasters.
by FWTX Staff
Whether you’re doing a new home build, a remodel, or a little renovation, finding a trusted contractor to do the work is the trickiest and most important thing you can do. With our city growing and construction being a near constant, your options for finding a contractor are nearly endless — seems you can throw a rock in this town and hit someone in the industry. But how do you navigate these waters where shysters and charlatans exist? The last thing you want is to be left with a poorly done job and a big bill.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a few pointers for you to consider when looking for a contractor. We also recommend you thumb through the following few pages, where you’ll find upstanding contractors who do outstanding work.
Know what you want. Have a detailed plan of what you’re looking for before you speak to a contractor, including what materials you’d like to use. Don’t start by talking to a contractor.
Ask around. Use your network of friends, relatives, coworkers, and neighbors who might’ve had similar work done. They might point you in the right direction.
Don’t settle. We recommend you reach out to at least five contractors before you pull the trigger. Be sure to get written proposals and estimates from each and compare the bids.
Ask what work will be done by subcontractors. Larger jobs might require additional help, such as plumbing, electrical, or detailed carpentry. So,
the contractor might bring in various subcontractors who specialize in their specific fields. Make sure to ask when subcontractors will be in your home and if the contractor will manage and supervise their work.
Do your research. Make sure anyone you hire to do a home project is a licensed contractor. You can check online at tldr. texas.gov. We also recommend you look them up on the Better Business Bureau and read any online reviews they might have.
Check references. Talk to former clients and subcontractors to get a sense of their work and whether they pay on time. You might also ask to see photos of previous work.
Sign a detailed contract. Spare no details when putting together a contract for the work being done. Make sure to specify deadlines, payment schedule, and what materials will be used and who will be providing them.
Get the proper permits. A good way to determine if you’re dealing with a fly-by-night contractor is if they never broach the topic of permits. Most renovation projects require permits, and it’s the contractor’s job to secure them. Verify insurance coverage. In case of an accident, determine what’s covered by your homeowner’s insurance and what’s covered by the contractor’s business insurance. Be sure to get a copy of the company’s insurance policy.
Don’t pay more than 10% up front and don’t make final payment until the job is 100% complete. Your contract should include a payment schedule that ensures the money you’re paying is going to your project and your project only. Make sure the schedule is not tied to specific dates but, rather, work that’s being completed. Once the job is completed, confirm that the job is done to your satisfaction before you make your final payment.
The Book: Contractors
& Remodelers
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
FOCUS: Timeless residential Architecture and Interior Design, holistic 3D Modeling, creating Development Standards.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/ AFFILIATIONS: The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA).
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: When we present
Heritage Design Studio and Heritage Interiors
a new design to our client and see their tears of joy, this is the ultimate compliment for our team.
WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE THEM: As an Architecture and Interior Design firm, we believe our greatest contributions are timeless creativity and a listening ear. Each home is created as a one-of-a-kind work of art, shaped around the lifestyle of our clients. By asking key questions and listening to our clients’ needs and desires, we reach the ideal vision. Founded in 2000, we serve families all over Texas and beyond.
BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN BUILDING OR REMODELING A HOME: Avoid compromising while your home is being designed in areas that are a high priority. You will be living in the home for many years, and you should be proud to pass the home on to future generations.
ADVICE: If you desire a home that will beautifully stand the test of time and outlast trends, look for materials that match the origin of the style. Additionally, scale and proportion will either make or break a design. Landscaping can only do so much.
PICTURED: Carole Harston, Renee Chappell, Chris Hough, Angela Hough, Shawn Webb, Marta Chavez, and Marlene Small.
Heritage Design Studio and Heritage Interiors 596 N. Kimball Ave. Ste. 100 Southlake 76092 817.988.9680 heritagedesignstudio.com
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
M The Builders
FOCUS: High-end custom homes and complex residential remodel. Singlefamily lot development.
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS: Fort Worth Housing Hall of Honor, 2019; Greater Fort Worth Builders Association Builder of the Year, 2011; Greater Fort Worth Builders Association Developer of the Year, 2009; Builder Advocate Award, 2016; Texas Association of Homebuilders; Diamond Award Winner; Past President of Greater Fort Worth Builders Association, 2013.
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Our company is a referral-based business existing since 1987.
WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE THEM: We can boast of a wealth of experience in our employees, from ownership to sales. Many subcontractor partners have been with us going on three decades. This continuity dictates a
better experience for our clients.
MOTTO: “Details Matter.”
BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN BUILDING OR REMODELING A HOME: Avoid compromising while your home is being designed in areas that are a high priority. You will be living in the home for many years, and you should be proud to pass the home on to future generations
FREE ADVICE: Let your new home project be a source of fun and excitement for you — and let it be work for your builder. They have “been there and done that,” so let them go to work, and you enjoy the experience.
PICTURED: Sam Noel and Lee A. Hughes
M The Builders 9728 Camp Bowie Blvd. West Fort Worth 76116 817.307.4159 mthebuilders.com shaye@mthebuilders.com
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
FOCUS: Fine Decorative Hardware, Plumbing, and Lighting.
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS: Best of Big D 2021 and Best of Big D Home 2021 for Best Decorative Hardware.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS: Decorative Plumbing and Hardware Association (DPHA); Forte Brands.
Pierce Decorative Hardware
BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY: Experience matters! We only employ the finest and most knowledgeable professionals in the industry. They will save all stakeholders time and worry.
FREE ADVICE: Come in to pick out your hardware early. We have many options, but the options are more limited the longer you wait. Features like light-up TV mirrors, steam systems, and wall-mounted toilets take a little bit of extra planning with your architect, builder, and designer, but they are well worth it.
PRODUCTS: At Pierce Hardware, discover the large selection of elegantly styled items including door hardware, kitchen accessories, and bath furnishings, plus over a thousand knobs and pulls to provide the perfect finishing touch. Choose from the best names in the business as well as many Pierce exclusive products.
BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN BUILDING A HOME: The biggest mistake people make when building or remodeling a home is waiting until the end of the project to come buy hardware.
PICTURED: Lenny Russo, Kelly O’Neal, Steve Beck, Jared Prewitt, Dayana Munoz, and Heather Ethridge.
Pierce Hardware
4030 W. Vickery Blvd. Fort Worth 76107 817.737.9090 info@piercehardware.com piercehardware.com
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
The Kitchen Source
FOCUS: Our team at The Kitchen Source is dedicated to providing the finest products and service for the kitchen and bath. By creating the most functional room for our clients’ needs, we provide a working space that fits their specific lifestyle.
AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS: Legacy of Design awards for kitchens and baths; Wood-Mode’s Platinum Level Award; ASID’s Designer’s Choice Awards for Cabinetry/Cabinet Materials; NARI’s Contractor of the Year for Residential Kitchens; NARI’s Contractor’s Choice Awards for Kitchen & Bath; Sub-Zero/Wolf’s Regional Kitchen Design Contest winner and NARI’s CotY awards for Residential Kitchens.
MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS:
American Society of Interior Designers, National Kitchen & Bath Association, National Association of the Remodeling Industry, Dallas Builders Association,
and Institute of Classical Architecture & Art.
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT: Serving the DFW metroplex for over 30 years and having our clients rely on us to complete their projects anywhere from New York to Hawaii to the Cayman Islands.
WHY CHOOSE THEM: We are full turnkey, and our kitchen designers take the client through the process from beginning to end.
MISSION STATEMENT: The Kitchen Source has built a reputation for professionalism and quality work. Our goal is to give our clients an exceptional experience throughout their remodeling or building project.
PICTURED: Amber Paulk, Haleigh Gray, Jennifer Johns, Natalie Jacinto, Elizabeth Tranberg, Haley Meredith, and Corinne Danicki.
The Kitchen Source 3116 W. 6th Street Suite 101 Fort Worth 76107 Fort Worth 817.731.4299 Southlake 817.857.4001 Dallas 214.741.1912 thekitchensource.com info@tkstx.com
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
FOCUS: Weathershield Roofing provides turnkey commercial and residential roofing services, with a custom sheet metal fabrication shop that produces metal roofing components, trim, panels, etc. We provide disaster recovery services all over the Gulf Coast Region.
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Our
Weathershield
Roofing, LLC
company’s greatest achievement is consistent growth over the last 10 years without adding a huge sales force. Most of our work is referral or repeat business, and there is no better compliment than that.
WHAT SETS THEM APART: We believe we are unique in the fact that we concentrate our efforts and resources on the best crews, project managers, tools, and equipment we can find.
MISSION STATEMENT: Do things right the first time.
MOTTO: Protect your investment for years to come, WeatherShield it!
BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN BUILDING A HOME: The biggest mistake we see our customers make is choosing the lowest bid or
selecting a roofing material because it was a little cheaper than the other options.
FREE ADVICE: Do your research when selecting a contractor. Check references, project history, financial history, license status with roofing manufacturers, etc.
PICTURED: Cole Thompson, Brandon Flowers.
Weathershield Roofing, LLC 377 Savage Lane Aledo 76008
817.441.1446
Fax 817.441.1457 weathershieldroofs.com
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
WinterGreen Synthetic Grass
SPECIALTY: Artificial Grass Installation.
GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Over 1 million square feet of artificial grass installed. The benefits of artificial grass far outweigh the benefits of natural grass. Artificial grass needs no trimming, edging, or mowing. It also needs no water, fertilizer, pest or weed control.
WHAT SETS THEM APART: We are not a franchise, which allows us to use the best material for the job without being constrained to a particular brand or manufacturer. We also employ our crews, allowing for more precise scheduling and better quality control.
FIRM’S MISSION/APPROACH:
Winter’s mission is to approach each project as a unique challenge, focusing
on completing each detail, one project at a time. WinterGreen creates the yard of your dreams.
FREE ADVICE: If you want a perfect looking, consistently green and manicured grassy area or lawn yearround, then artificial grass is the way to go. No matter the time of year, artificial grass maintains an evergreen plush appearance with minimal maintenance. And consider installing your own personal putting green! Putting greens are a fun addition to a backyard or inside play area. They provide hours of entertainment and skill building while providing greater resale value to the home.
PICTURED: Winter Moore.
WinterGreen Synthetic Grass LLC 1507 E. First St. Fort Worth 76102 817.386.7261 wintergreengrass.com
THE BOOK: CONTRACTORS & REMODELERS
FOCUS: At Galactic Glass, our main focus is putting out a quality product that our customers will love and installing glass that will hold up over time. We strive to be the best and have one of the best teams in the metroplex. We believe every job, big or small, should be treated the same, and everyone should get exactly what they want.
Galactic Glass
RECOGNITIONS: Fort Worth Magazine’s Dream Home partner for three years.
WHAT SETS THEM APART: Our company strives to be the best. We give a fair price to everyone, and our warranty is unmatched by our competition. We believe a company should stand by its product, and that’s exactly what we do. With over 45 years combined experience, we are confident we can help anyone make their glass dreams come true.
MISSION STATEMENT/MOTTO: Galactic Glass shoots for the stars on every project. Best glass company this side of the Milky Way.
FREE ADVICE: Always get bids. Do your research on a company and don’t
always go with the cheapest guy. Both parties must feel comfortable.
Galactic Glass 2401 E. Loop 820 N. Fort Worth 76118 682.626.5447
jordan@galactic-glass.com
jeff@galactic-glass.com galactic-glass.com
Jeff Benson, Jordan Lively
Have you seen the 2022 Dream Street website yet?
Follow along as we build three magnificent homes in Fort Worth’s new Montrachet development! The website is consistently updated with the latest information regarding Fort Worth Magazine’s annual project, which brings together top members of the homebuilding community to produce show-stopping homes for a month of public tours.
Find out this year’s partners and subcontractors, check in on the building process, learn more about the Dream Home project and its mission, purchase tickets for the tour, and more! dream.fwtx.com.
Give Back
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. give
Nov. 6
Light the Night Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Nov. 10
Bring the Conversation Luncheon
Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation
Nov. 13
Fort Worth Margarita Ball Children’s Charities of Fort Worth
Nov. 13
Hoot ’n Holler for the Children ACH Child and Family Services
Nov. 18
Delicious Wishes Make a Wish
Nov. 19
Artists’ Christmas Art & Gala Camp Fire
CADDIE SPONSOR
The Greatest Gift Catalog Ever and local charities are helping more than 280,000 Tarrant County neighbors with critical services like hunger and homelessness. We need your help. Please consider:
OPTION 1
Scan to make a donation to any of our 22 local charities.
OPTION 2
Read about the charities and make a donation on the website, scan below.
OPTION 3
Venmo @Greatest-Gift-Catalog-Ever
Send $22 or more. Note which charity to designate, or leave blank to help them all.
Green Granite Pass
S ILVER C REEK M ATERIALS steward of the earth
STAYING IN TUNE WITH OUR COMMUNITY
When COVID-19 hit, our agency acted swiftly. We created our Community Care Call Center and Short-Term Stabilization program. Our rapid response provided immediate financial assistance, connected clients with community resources, and helped many plan for the future. We answered the call of thousands, serving more than 4,000 clients through Community Care within the first six months. In the midst of this crisis, we continued walking with current clients on their individual journeys.
Nearly 10,000 clients served by Community Care in 2020.
519 clients served by our short-term stabilization program.
134 clients continued into our signature long-term case management program.
Nearly 37,000 shelf-stable food kits and frozen meals delivered to seniors in need, in partnership with Tarrant County and the Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Ready to join our mission?
As COVID-19 continues to impact our clients and our community, we remain committed to providing support and empowering pathways to stability.
To support our work, visit CatholicCharitiesFortWorth.org.
Want to help?
Support our work at CatholicCharitiesFortWorth.org.
Thank
Presenting
Bell
Poinsettia
Jere C. Robertson
Virginia Street Smith
Texas Capital Bank
Holly
Carol Sweeney
Terri Anderson and Paul Dorman, Harriette and Arnie Gachman,
Dan and Michelle Lowrance
Mistletoe
Frost
Rev. Dr. Kevin and Dr. Robin Henson
Cathy and Jim Kerrigan
Luther King Capital Management
Michele and Fred Reynolds
The Rios Group
St. Stephen Presbyterian Church
Ivy
Carol Adcock
The Baird Ryan-Jones Group
Balcom Agency
Bennet Partners
Mike and Susi Bickley
Dr. Jason Biggers and Kaci Roan
Biltmore Homes
BNSF Railway Co.
Bourland, Wall & Wenzel P.C.
Amy and Jason Brown
Kim Carter
Deborah Connor
First Presbyterian Church
J.P. Morgan Private Bank
JPS Health Network
Jim Lacamp
Marsh Wortham Insurance
Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation
Herd and Claire Midkiff
Muckleroy & Falls
Frank and Jane Neal
Philip and Alicia Newburn
David and Anne Norris
Lisa and Gary Nussbaum –
Molly and Mitch Snyder
QuikTrip
Sara and Matt Robison
Satori Capital
Zoe and Sam Sexhus
Jodi and Todd Spake
Courtney and Brian Tulbert
Burch and Lisa Waldron
Media Sponsor
WE SPEAK FORT WORTH
For over 20 years, we’ve had our ears to the ground, our eyes on the ball, and our fingers on the pulse of Fort Worth. This gives us an edge to deliver the city’s best lifestyle, business, and home content.
“Conjoined,” a stainless-steel sculpture by American artist Roxy Paine, sits in what’s essentially the backyard of The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, right beside the reflecting pond. Photographer Brenda DiVincenzo was attending Fort Worth Camera’s Foto Fest when she captured this image of the work. “As sunset approached, a communal energy could be felt among this crowd of photographers, making art while surrounded by art,” she says.
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
@brendajd PHOTO BY BRENDA DIVINCENZO
Experience the Gilchrist Automotive Difference.
What Juan Rodriguez loves most about his 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor is that it stands out. There’s nothing else like it out there. “I wanted to splurge — always wanted a Raptor. And I wanted something fast but that can haul equipment,” says Rodriguez, chef and owner of Magdalena’s Catering and Events in Fort Worth. Only 5.2 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standstill, he says, and “all the off-roading features that you can play with!”
We Drive the Difference:
¡ SouthWest Ford Promise which includes:
- 2 years of oil changes, tire rotations, & multipoint inspections.
¡ SouthWest Ford Valet Service which includes:
- Online or over the phone sales purchase and delivery
- Service pick-up and delivery
Family Owned and Operated since 1986. We tailor the purchase experience to fit your needs, not ours; because we don’t just want to sell you a vehicle, we want to build a relationship and become your trusted advisor for all purchases and service.
The Aledo resident is quick to praise his sales consultant, Scott Knebel, and his team at SouthWest Ford in Weatherford for the ultimate car-buying experience. “It was so simple, from introduction to test drive, approval, and final purchase,” says the former executive chef of Reata. “For me, it was about being a repeat customer and being loyal. It’s about loyalty and supporting a family-owned business.”
“We will work hard to earn your business for life.”
Stephen Gilchrist, owner Gilchrist Automotive
Stephen Gilchrist, Dealer Operator; Chris Bonnett, General Manager; Juan Rodriguez, customer.
STYLISH Standout
For Kristopher Zane Thomas, space is a necessity. As the lead interior designer for Homeology Interiors in McKinney, he transports his distinctive products to clients all over the metroplex on a regular basis. That’s why he purchased a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC SUV from Park Place Motorcars Arlington, which is not only convenient for his work life but also offers everything a driving enthusiast dreams about. “As much as I love all the tech, like full-screen dashboard and the safety features, the child in me is more obsessed with the ambient lighting that rolls through colors at night while driving,” Thomas says. “It just makes the drive more fun when you have the panoramic roof back and a good jam on.”
Thomas, born and raised in Fort Worth, is quick to praise the award-winning Park Place Motorcars Arlington dealership and GM Malcolm Gage. “I would absolutely implore people to go see Malcolm and team at Park Place Motorcars Arlington and let them welcome you to the family” he says. “You cannot go wrong with buying a Mercedes-Benz as they do not disappoint when it comes to style, technology, and overall experience of ownership.”
“Park Place is My Place because from the moment you step in, you are met with top-notch service and treated like a priority to everyone you come in contact with,” Thomas says.
