This Week's Hot Headlines

Favorite brunch spot's sad goodbye tops this week's 5 hottest Dallas headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines.

1. Henderson Avenue staple and Dallas brunch favorite will close. One of Dallas' original brunch spots is getting ready to leave the building: Capitol Pub, which has been the toast of Henderson Avenue for the nearly 13 years it's been in business, is closing. According to a release, it'll close at the end of 2019.

2. Someone got a real deal on the Dallas Spaghetti Warehouse trolley. Someone got a real deal on the vintage trolley that once resided inside the Spaghetti Warehouse in Dallas' West End. The restaurant shuttered in October after 47 years at that location, but offered most of its equipment, fixtures, and decorative items in a monster auction with 491 items or sale — including the trademark trolley, treasured by so many diners over the years.

3. Medical school sweethearts tie the knot in sweet outdoor wedding at Arlington Hall. It had been an unseasonably wet spring, but on April 20, 2019, the clouds parted and the sun shined brightly — which was lucky, because Lindsey West and Dietrich Riepen's wedding ceremony took place outdoors at Dallas’ Arlington Hall.

4. Dallas dominates list of most popular places to move to in the U.S. A new study shows Texas' major metros are some of the hottest places to move to in the U.S. — and, of course, that includes Dallas-Fort Worth. Real estate site CommercialCafe recently looked at "metro-to-metro" migration to see which areas are "winning" in terms of new residents, and a trio of Lone Star cities appears in the top five.

5. Ex-baseball player brings convivial neighborhood bar to Lake Highlands. A popular neighborhood bar and eatery on Greenville Avenue has found a new neighborhood — and with a new name, to boot. Formerly known as 504 Bar & Grill, the new concept will open as Yogi's Home Plate, which will relocate its fun atmosphere, excellent food, and charismatic owner to Lake Highlands.

The days of brunch are winding down.

Capitol Pub

The days of brunch are winding down.

Historic Theater News

Forest Theater in South Dallas continues restoration with eye on 2025

Courtesy of HKS Architects

Forest Theater

In the midst of an epic renovation, the historic Forest Theater in South Dallas is taking a moment to celebrate a milestone birthday: The facility turns 75 years old. And to keep it running another 75, the facility is seeking donations.

First built in 1949, the theater was expected to be demolished in 2015, when Preservation Dallas advocated for recognition of its historical value as a landmark.

The property was gifted to nonprofit Forest Forward in 2017 and has since become one of their main initiatives in a mission toward preserving history and bringing neighborhood revitalization to South Dallas.

A restoration to the tune of $75 million began in April, starting with expanding the building to a 66,000-square-foot space.

The plan includes a 1,000-seat performance hall, 13,000 square feet for arts education in partnership with MLK Arts Academy, and a 200-seat studio theater and rooftop feature.

Although currently funded for the restoration, the project will eventually need more funds for day-to-day operation. Donations can be made through their website.

Developed by theater owner and philanthropist Karl Hoblitzelle, the theater closed in 2008 and had become significantly run down — down to three walls and not much of a roof.

“Our support of Forest Forward is about more than the effort to restore the theater built by our founder,” says Katie Robbins, president and CEO of the Hoblitzelle Foundation. “It’s about our ongoing commitment to Dallas that will bring educational, economic, and cultural opportunities to a neighborhood that’s important for the next 75 years.”

The role of the theater in the South Dallas community has evolved since its first opening. It closed and reopened as a theater serving mostly Black residents in 1956, following the construction of U.S. 75. In the years after, notable artists such as Erykah Badu, B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Ike and Tina Turner, and Prince performed at the theater before its 2008 closure.

“It will continue to be more than a venue for entertainment. The Forest Theater is making its comeback as a cornerstone for social change, important dialogues, community gatherings, and educational initiatives,” Elizabeth Wattley, president and CEO of Forest Forward, said in a statement.

Renovations on the theater are expected to be completed by December 2025.

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