Give Them Liberty
Richardson restaurant scene gets juicy new addition of local burger chain
Locally grown mini-chain Liberty Burger is sprouting another branch, in a corner of Dallas-Fort Worth that is currently on fire: Richardson. Owner Mariel Street confirmed that she's opening her fifth DFW location, in the Shire complex at the southwest corner of George Bush Turnpike and Jupiter Road.
That's the office and retail complex owned by restaurateur Dale Wamstad, and it was considered a bold move in 2005, when he first built it in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. But that part of Richardson on the east side of 75 is on the upswing, with the development of the new CityLine mixed-use complex at George Bush and 75.
"Dale Wamstad had been trying to get me out there for two years," Street says. "I was initially resistant, but then State Farm started building a huge office building out there. That whole area has changed a lot."
The Shire is currently home to a number of restaurants, including Texas, Casa Cha Cha, Apollonia's Italian Kitchen, Shire Tavern and Main Street Baking Co. At 1,400 square feet, this Liberty will be "tiny," but Street says the City of Richardson granted her a valuable incentive.
"They gave us a permit to do a big gorgeous patio, and that will increase the space for us," she says. "In fact, we could open now because the restaurant space itself is almost done, but the patio is taking longer. We're installing this really nice copper roof."
In addition to its five local branches, Liberty also has a couple of franchised locations, including one in Jackson, Wyoming, and another set to open in Tulsa later in 2015. Street likens this new branch to the original on Forest Lane, which she opened in 2011.
"At Richardson, we'll just serve beer and wine," she says. "Forest Lane just got draft beer, and we'll be making that a central part of what we do at Richardson, focusing on craft beer instead of liquor. Forest Lane is a firecracker, and I think this will be the same style."
