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. Surprising place northeast of Dallas could be ‘the next Austin,’ says Bloomberg. For years, cities around the country have competed for the banner of “the next Austin.” In hopes of replicating Austin’s astounding success as a much-admired economic hub, fans have touted their cities as the next incarnation of Austin. Now, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Conor Sen makes the case for the mountainous Northwest Arkansas region to be the Austin-in-waiting.
2. Thriving Dallas suburb boasts 7th hottest neighborhood for U.S. homebuyers. The population of Forney climbed 60 percent from 2010 to 2020, and the growth shows no signs of letting up. A new report from residential real estate platform Opendoor provides further evidence of the continued popularity of the Dallas suburb. Forney's 75126 ZIP code ranks seventh on Opendoor’s new list of the country’s 10 most popular ZIP codes for homebuyers.
3. 2 popular Texas burger brands team up to create beefy new powerhouse. Austin-based Hopdoddy Burger Bar has acquired Bryan-based Grub Burger Bar to form a new company that unites two of Texas' most prominent "better burger" joints. Now known as HiBar Hospitality Group, the new company will operate 50 locations, combining Hopdoddy's 32 restaurants in five states with Grub's 18 locations in four states — including restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth.
4. Dallas restaurant group lands prized Highland Park Soda Fountain space. The fate of the former Highland Park Soda Fountain on Dallas' Knox Street is in capable hands: A new restaurant, identity still TBD, is coming from the group behind Design District hot spots The Charles, Bar Charles, and sultry Greenville Avenue restaurant Sister. Duro Hospitality will debut a new restaurant in fall 2022.
5. 2 happy campers unplug to recharge at a tiny cabin Getaway in East Texas' Piney Woods. Getaway Outposts are “resorts” of about 40 trendy tiny homes that let city folk escape into nature in a slightly upscale way — to turn off digital devices, relax, and recharge internal batteries — “rustic without having to rough it,” they advertise. One city couple drove an hour-and-a-half east of Dallas into the Piney Woods to check it out.
The formerly sleepy — and always gorgeous — region of Northwest Arkansas could be the next Austin.
Crystal Charity Ball 2024 chairman Cheryl Joyner and Richard Joyner.
Photo by Ashley Gongora