Shopping in the 'burbs

Retail boom in fast-growing Forney fueled by massive mixed-use development

The Village at Gateway is a booming retail complex in Forney.

Photo courtesy of The Village at Gateway

Frisco's not the only North Texas city experiencing a retail explosion right now. Forney's getting in on the action, too.

A Dick’s Sporting Goods store will join EVO Entertainment and other new tenants at The Village at Gateway mixed-use development in the booming Kaufman County city, according to a release.

Dick’s hasn’t announced an opening date for the 60,000-square-foot store. The retailer operates more than 10 locations in DFW.

The 82,000-square-foot EVO location will be an all-in-one entertainment venue. Think Dave & Buster’s meets Alamo Drafthouse. (Fun facts: Dave & Buster’s headquarters is in Coppell, while Alamo Drafthouse is based in Austin.)

The Forney venue will feature:

Nine movie theaters, including one IMAX auditorium and two EVX auditoriums
A full-service bar and restaurant
An upper-level lounge area
Event and conference spaces
22 bowling lanes
More than 125 arcade games
Rock-climbing walls
A multilevel ropes course
Bumper cars
Laser tag

An opening date for the EVO location hasn’t been set, although EVO previously said it would be ready this fall. It’ll be the first North Texas venue operated by Austin-based EVO after locations in Addison, Southlake, and Waxahachie rebranded as Hooky Entertainment under new ownership.

Construction of the EVO venue kicked off in January.

EVO Entertainment Group Kyle EVO construction is underway in Forney. EVO Entertainment Group Facebook

Developed by Dallas-based StreetLevel Investments, the Village at Gateway also will welcome other new tenants such as:

Luna Grill, a Mediterranean restaurant (October opening date).
Forney Nail Bar (October opening date).
Handel’s Ice Cream (future opening date).
Costa Vida, a Mexican restaurant (future opening date).

“The Village at Gateway is an exciting milestone for Forney, bringing new jobs, shopping, and dining opportunities while continuing to strengthen our local economy,” Forney Mayor Jason Roberson says in the release.

Tenants already open at the 152-acre development include:

Target
Home Depot
H-E-B
BJ’s Wholesale Club
Five Below
Burlington
Ross Dress for Less
James Avery
Bath & Body Works

“Forney is one of the fastest‑growing communities in the Dallas area, with exceptional schools, strong employment, and a rapidly expanding population — yet it has long been underserved when it comes to convenient, high‑quality retail and dining,” says Brian Murphy, managing principal at StreetLevel Investments.

From April 2020 to July 2025, Forney’s population soared by 79 percent to nearly 41,700, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in North Texas and the U.S.

A report released in January 2025 by OpenDoor revealed Forney’s 75126 ZIP code claimed the No. 6 ranking as the hottest U.S. housing market in 2024 for the second year in a row. It was the only North Texas ZIP code to make the top 10.

Forney failed to crack the top 10 in OpenDoor’s 2026 report, though. The only DFW ZIP code appearing in the latest top 10 is McKinney’s 75071, landing at No. 8.

forney retail shopping

Big deal

Houston investor acquires Bishop Arts mixed-use portfolio in $170M deal

Photo courtesy of Hines

Michelin-recognized Written by the Seasons is one of several Bishop Arts businesses acquired by a Houston-based investor.

A Houston investor has snapped up a mixed-use portfolio of nine buildings in the Bishop Arts District, the second Bishop Arts property acquisition since August.

Hines Global Income Trust told CultureMap it paid more than $170 million for a mixed-use complex with 539 apartments and 49,000 square feet of high-end shops. The Bishop Arts Portfolio, as Hines refers to the real estate package on its website, sits on almost seven acres.

“Bishop Arts is a special place, shaped by the care and investment of its prior ownership. We see our role as building on that foundation through thoughtful ownership and Hines’ integrated operating platform,” Corbin Eckel, managing director at Hines, told CultureMap.

Hines identified the seller as Dallas-based Exxir Capital. Exxir developed Oak Cliff's 750,000-square-foot, two-block Bishop Main Street area, which features retail, residences, and offices, and includes the properties acquired by Hines.

Tenants of the newly acquired properties include:

Italian restaurant Lucia, a Michelin recommended restaurant.
Michelin-praised Written by the Seasons, which serves a New American menu.
Paradiso, a Southern European-inspired eatery.
Bar Eden Lounge, a swanky cocktail bar.
Village Baking Co., an artisan bakery.

Hines is taking over all leases at the residential properties:

Bishop North, 200 N. Bishop Ave.
Bishop Canopy, 515 W. 10th St.
Bishop Flats, 305 and 431 Melba St.
Treehaus, 211 W. 10th St.
Retail at 308 and 275 N. Bishop Ave.; 404, 332, 336 and 337 Melba St.; and 403 and 321 W. Ninth St. Altogether, the portfolio’s retail component comprises 22 tenants.

The Hines deal comes two months after Dallas-based investor 90Ten purchased 301-321 N. Bishop Ave.301-321 N. Bishop Ave. in Bishop Arts. Tenants include burger diner Hunky’s, Italian pastry and coffee purveyor Palmieri Café, vintage clothing store Dolly on Bishop, gift shop Kawaii Candle Co., and cosmetics retailer Simply Bella.

bishop arts hines global income trust dallas real estate commercial real estate residential oak cliff real estate

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Big deal

Houston investor acquires Bishop Arts mixed-use portfolio in $170M deal