Pickle News

The Hub, new food hall and outdoor venue, makes Texas debut in Allen

The Hub in Allen is so so family-friendly.

The Hub

An entertainment venue that is described in a release as first-of-its-kind has opened in Allen: Called The Hub, it’s part of The Farm in Allen, the 135-acre mixed-use development from JaRyCo Development and original landowners Bob and Doris Johnson.

The Hub is a three-acre open-air venue and 15,000-square foot indoor heated food hall with live music, outdoor movies, sports parties, and 23,000 square feet of restaurant space.

There are at least 10 restaurant concepts listed on the website, with six currently open:

Crave Roadside Sliders, doing sliders
Local Smoke BBQ, doing BBQ duh
Republic Kitchen & Bar, the local concept whose menu includes spicy fried chicken sandwiches
SuperFreeze, a beverage place
Spoke, a bar
Spout, also a bar, with mixed drinks on tap, beer, wine, cocktails, and boozy milkshakes

Other concepts listed but not open include The Salty Butcher, Flora Pizzeria, Macho Taco, All Purpose Coffee & Doughnut, and Hooked, a seafood place.

The Hub was founded by Brad Zeitlin, CEO of Hub Entertainment Group, a Dallas-based developer of entertainment districts. They're planning more in Texas, including Austin, slated to break ground in 2023, and Frisco, which their website says is coming soon.

Daniel Bowman, executive director of the Allen Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) celebrates the arrival, which he notes in a statement is just in time for the holidays.

“It will be a prime location for spending quality time with family and friends, offering an opportunity to enjoy typically mild Texas temperatures in a lively open-air setting," he says.

Fingers crossed that quote doesn't jinx this warm front we're enjoying right now.

Two other attractions are scheduled to open at The Farm in Allen in 2023: Chicken N Pickle, the Kansas City-based chain combining pickleball courts with in-house restaurant and sports bar; and High 5, an upscale Austin-based chain featuring bowling, laser tag, ax throwing, escape rooms, and miniature golf course.

The Farm in Allen will eventually have office, retail, a 150-key hotel, 60,000 square feet of restaurants, townhomes, residential units, a 1.5-acre lake, hike and bike trails, parks, and a greenbelt along Watters Creek.

“When we partnered with the Johnson family, we set the goal of creating a community space for the whole family and to heighten Allen’s reputation as a city with a family-first focus," says JaRyCo president Bruce Heller. "The opening of The Hub, and the upcoming openings of Chicken N Pickle and High 5 set the stage."

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In This Week's Top Stories

Global ice cream chain tops this week's most popular stories in Dallas

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Ice cream from Dumont Creamery & Cafe

Editor's note: A global ice cream chain from India that opened two DFW locations was the hottest topic this week in Dallas. Also of note: A buzzy burger restaurant, the death of a beloved Dallas musician-DJ, and an impressive ranking for Flower Mound. Here are the most-read stories of the week. If you're looking for things to do this weekend, we got you: That list is here.

1. Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops. An ice cream concept from India has made its U.S. debut, right here in Texas: Dumont Creamery & Cafe was founded in Hyderabad and now has two locations in the Dallas area. Ice cream is the centerpiece with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

2. Acclaimed Burger Schmurger pop-up finds permanent space in East Dallas. A buzzy burger pop-up is graduating to brick-and-mortar status: Burger Schmurger, which has earned oodles of acclaim for its smash burger style of burgers, is moving into a permanent home at 718 N Buckner Blvd., the space previously occupied by Bar None which closed in August..

3. Colorful Dallas musician and DJ Mark Ridlen passes away at 65. A bright and colorful light in Dallas' music scene went out: Mark Ridlen, DJ and musician, passed away on November 17, following a bout with cancer; he was 65. As a professional DJ under the moniker "DJ Mr. Rid," Ridlen had been a steady staple on the local creative scene.

4. Fill up on the festive fare in this roundup of Dallas restaurant news. This roundup of restaurant news around Dallas is all about new menus, with lots of festive-themed dishes and menu additions. There's a new brunch at a surprising destination, new cocktails, and lots of hot chocolate, fitting for the season..

5. Well-to-do Dallas suburb lands on top-10 list of holiday big spenders. It looks like Santa Claus is going to be competing with residents in Flower Mound to see who brings the most lavish holiday gifts this year. Festive Flo-Mo ranked No. 7 in WalletHub's annual report on U.S. cities with the biggest holiday budgets in 2024.