Chips on Cole – One of My Favorite Spots in Dallas is Closing

As you can see, this is a cup from Chips on Cole Avenue. As you may have heard, Chip’s on Cole is closing. Nancy at D Magazine has confirmed the closing date as September 30th. According to whom you ask the rent was doubled or tripled and after 10 years on Cole they are closing up shop.

While I do like some fancier places, this is my favorite place to eat in Dallas. From what I’ve learned, it’s one of the most famous burger spots in Dallas, and has been around since 1981.

I guess since I’ve moved out of the neighborhood I’m not the frequent customer I used to be. When I lived there, the main guy behind the counter knew my name and remembered what I ordered. When I traveled on the road and got back to town, I’d leave the airport and grab my Chip’s before I took my bags home.

I know that there’s another location on Lovers, but to me this one is better. So is the parking and the walk-around aspect of being in that neighborhood. One of the coolest things to do in Dallas on a Sunday afternoon or early evening is to sit outside Chips as the cars and people roll by on Cole Avenue. I can’t imagine doing that as people hop the curb in their attempts to make it to the tollway off of Lovers Lane. Don’t get it twisted… I will be buying my burgers from there, but the location will make me work for it.

In the end, all we have is great memories. I always thought that I would take my future kids to Chip’s and it would be our spot, just like my Dad and I have certain spots in Philly. Everything that I loved about living in Knox-Henderson is closing little by little. I wonder now if Wild about Harry’s on Knox is next.

No More Slurpees on the Katy Trail

The DMN reports that Steve Shafer of Shafer Property bought the Knox-Travis site (map) that held the 7-Eleven as well as Bill’s, my favorite flower shop. I’m not sure if he bought the vacant lot next to Bill’s on Travis. Shafer is planning a 60,000 SF office/retail development.

I’m not mad at Shafer at all for doing his thing. Sites gets redeveloped, development moves forward. There’s a 7-Eleven down the street on Fitzhugh but we all have our favorite spots to which we get attached.

When I lived in Knox-Henderson, this was the place where you stopped after coming off of the trail on a hot day. It was also the site of almost every bouquet of flowers I bought for my wife.

I have already read that the 7/11 was being torn down as this is being typed. I’ll be interested to see how the rendering looks and hope the new building will preserve the character of the area.

The Randomness-Having Fun in Urban Dallas

We decided to hang out a little yesterday.

It started off by looking at a couple of houses and then attempting to go to my favorite chicken place, Brothers on Gaston Ave. We were kindly informed that they were out of mostly everything due to the glowing review that was in the Dallas Morning News last week. They had nothing but wings and peppers, and were out of my beloved fries as well. The cherry limeade did soften the blow, however. So I got my wife some wings and then headed to Chip’s on Cole for more food. We then hit up Cole Park for our mini-picnic. That was just the beginning.

We then rode through Victory Park, circled back to the Angelika and came up on some free tickets to AFI Dallas. We went to a few late-night screenings. I love indie films, and the ones we saw were definitely interesting. We got home way late for a Sunday, but we had a ball.

Life is fun in Big D. Sometimes a whole lot of little unplanned things can add up to a cool date night.

Geography Lessons Needed

I wish that the media would take the time to learn the neighborhoods of southern Dallas. I am sick of seeing or hearing news stories that call every area south of I-30 “South Dallas.” Yet, when you see stories about areas north of I-30 specifics are used. Examples include Love Field, Knox-Henderson, Oak Lawn, etc.

This has been an ongoing battle. Every e-mail that I have ever sent to authors of such reports has been ignored.

It’s not very hard. I’m sure there’s someone in your office that knows the difference and would be glad to use a Sharpie and a Mapsco to help you be more accurate. All I’m asking is that you show the same sensitivity that you would show for any other area.