The Restaurant Name Game

Catchy name revealed for Uptown restaurant-bar going into Primo's space

A crucial piece of the puzzle on the restaurant-bar going into the old Primo's Tex-Mex space on McKinney Avenue has emerged: the name. And that name is So & So's.

Co-owner Brandon Hays confirmed the name, but he was oblique about the etymology of the name, the concept, menu, chef, signature dish, waitstaff uniforms, cocktails, beer selection, decor and hours of operation.

"You can go ahead and say it's called So & So's, but that's all I can tell you," he said. A Facebook page has been created to give interested parties the opportunity to stay up on future developments.

Hays' partner in So & So's is Phil Schanbaum, with whom he used to work at Sfuzzi on McKinney Avenue, also recently closed. Less than a week ago, he said their new venture would be a bar-restaurant, but they were unwilling to release anything as far as concept goes. That still holds true.

Primo's closed abruptly in mid-December, after 28 years in Uptown. Hays and company have already begun to renovate the space, which he called "legendary," saying that he and his team felt "honored to be selected to take it over and shepherd in something new."

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Snack Local

Snap Kitchen adds market to stock fresh local groceries in East Dallas

Photo courtesy of Snap Kitchen

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A healthy to-go shop in East Dallas is expanding its offerings beyond prepared entrees to include goods from regional bakers, small food makers, and more: Snap Kitchen is transforming its store at 4115 Skillman St. (at Mockingbird Lane) into Snap Kitchen & Market.

Dallas is the first to get the new market format, where customers can still pick up Snap's chef-prepared entrées, proteins, and breakfasts, but now they'll find a larger selection of groceries, including seasonal organic produce, sourdough, refined-sugar-free treats, honey, spreads, and dairy from Texas farmers, bakers, and creameries. Even the new snacks, sauces, and beverages have a shop-local focus, a release says.

New offerings include:

Specialty pantry: Snap-prepared sauces and spices, honey, jams, ferments and spreads
Artisan bakery: Fresh Sourdough and refined-sugar-free treats from Texas bakers
Marinated proteins: Ready-to-cook premium cuts, prepped in Snap's own kitchens, free of seed oils
Dairy: Local creameries and clean-label staples
Fresh produce: Seasonal organic fruits and vegetables
Expanded snacks and drinks: A wide variety of better-for-you Texas-based brands

The East Dallas health food mainstay will include more fresh groceries at Snap Kitchen & Market. Photo courtesy Snap Kitchen & Market

The new format reflects how customers are using Snap Kitchen, store leaders say - not just for prepared meals, but also to stock their own pantries with healthy staples and snacks.

"Our Skillman customers already trust us with their weekday meals, so we asked what else we could take off their plate," CEO Steve Bloom says in the release. "Snap Kitchen & Market is our answer: bringing the same standards we apply to our own meals to a broader selection of Texas-grown, Texas-made and thoughtfully sourced foods. We've done the vetting, so our customers can shop with confidence."

On a happy comeback from a number of pandemic-era closures, Austin-based Snap Kitchen continues to operate stores across Dallas-Fort Worth Houston, and Austin, preparing every meal from scratch in its Fort Worth kitchen.

To celebrate the launch of the new Snap Kitchen & Market concept, the Skillman-Mockingbird store will host a grand reveal on Sunday, October 4, from 9 am-8 pm, followed by a series of free in-store events throughout the month including chef tastings, meet-and-greets with local food makers, and a Q&A with Snap’s registered dietitian.

Founded in Austin in 2010, Snap Kitchen offers in-store shopping, pickup, delivery, and long-distance shipping.

snaps kitchen & market grocery stores healthy living east dallas openings expansion plans