Produce News

UNT Dallas students convert DART bus into produce market for southern Dallas

Highland Park San Antonio farmers market produce

Produce is in short supply in certain parts of Dallas.

Highland Park Neighborhood Association/Facebook

Hoping to fill a food desert of sorts in southern Dallas, students from UNT Dallas are crafting a mobile food market from which they can sell fresh produce.

The fun part: It'll be in a low-emission bus, provided by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) that's been converted into a mobile food market. The project is funded by a $268,000 grant from Toyota.

According to a release, UNT Dallas, Toyota, and DART launched this initiative on the UNT campus in an event that included a free farmers market for community members in nearby neighborhoods.

The market is an effort to counteract the shortage of grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables in certain parts of southern Dallas.

The bus will sell fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from local community gardens. In addition to funding the retrofit of the bus and providing scholarships for students, Toyota is also sharing its knowledge and expertise with students to help guide the effort.

The project came about via UNT Dallas biology professor Kelly Varga, whose work in a southern Dallas neighborhood gained the attention of Toyota as it seeks to advance its own mobility strategy.

"If we can help connect the community to fresh produce and healthy food, we can help fuel a young person’s development, learning and progress toward adult success,” says Varga in a statement. "The project nurtures social mobility through wholesome meaningful education and outreach."

Dallas County is 20.6 percent food insecure, well above the national average of 14.9 percent. Food insecurity in children is a staggering 26.6 percent in Dallas County, above the national average of 22.4 percent.

"By bringing fresh, locally sourced produce directly into neighborhoods in southern Dallas, we can also spur business growth, support local gardens and uplift the community," said Al Smith, a Toyota VP. "Through projects like this we can inspire new solutions and provide hands-on learning opportunities for students."

DART is providing a compressed natural gas bus that will be converted to a mobile farmer's market; the bus is expected to launch in spring 2019.

In addition to selling fresh produce, the program will also provide education on healthy living, professional development workshops among other opportunities. Students will also get hands-on learning experience.

UNT Dallas Urban SERCH Institute and School of Business students will collaborate with the community and local farms to develop and launch the program, which is supported through scholarships from Toyota and UNT Dallas.

Students will conduct a community assessment, create a strategy to source food, plan delivery routes that minimize emissions, and develop a business plan. Students from Cedar Valley Community College’s Automotive Program will also participate in the initiative, helping to renovate and maintain the bus.

sustainability

Global tastes

New botanería pairs drinks with free bites near Dallas Farmers Market

Chef Karla Soria Palomino's menu delivers authentic Mexican flavors and bold heat.

Photo credit: Paul Torres.

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There is a novel concept open in the Dallas Farmers Market district: Called Sor Juana, it's a botanería inspired by traditional Mexican establishments where drinks are served alongside complimentary snacks and bar bites.

Located at 1908 Canton St., the space provides an immersion into Mexican culture through its food, beverages, decor, and overall atmosphere.

Sor Juana comes from Alexandra Hernández and Karla Soria Palomino. Hernández brings a background in front-of-house hospitality, theatre, and events while Soria Palomino contributes extensive kitchen experience from restaurants across Mexico and Dallas.

The inspiration behind the name and concept comes from 17th-century nun and scholar Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Recognized as the "First Feminist of the Americas," she was a literary trailblazer who learned to read and write during an era when women were denied an education. Considered one of the greatest poets of the Baroque period in what is now Mexico, Sor Juana defied societal norms, stood up to the male-dominated clergy, and excelled in science, mathematics, music, and culinary arts.

“We wanted to pick a strong woman from Mexico as the emblematic figure of our botanería — traditionally run and frequented only by men,” Hernández says. “With our women-run botanería, which is a unique concept for Dallas, we are creating a space for everyone.”

The frame for their idea is a landmark Dallas building originally constructed over a century ago for the Desco Tile Company. Designed in a Venetian Gothic style with exterior arches and columns, the interior features original chandeliers alongside decorative, colorful tilework — including a wall fountain, a fireplace, and terrazzo floors — all preserved intact for Sor Juana, with a few new tile accents added to the bathrooms and bar backdrop.

Historic Dallas architecture meets traditional Mexican hospitality at Sor Juana.Photo credit: Paul Torres

“We tried to respect the architecture of the building by adjusting our concept to the space, rather than forcing the space to adjust to us,” Hernández says.

The duo worked with interior designer Callie Windle on the details, sourcing decorative pieces from artists both in Mexico and locally (many of which are available for purchase).

The 90-seat venue features comfortable seating centered around a dynamic bar program managed by Saúl Hernández (previously of Midnight Rambler, La Viuda Negra, and Las Almas Rotas).

True to the hospitality spirit of a traditional botanería, patrons receive a complimentary botana (bar bite) with every drink purchase. While the offerings rotate regularly to maintain an element of surprise, options range from spiced nuts, fresh fruit, and popcorn to more substantial plates like tacos and caldo de camarón.

The creative cocktail menu ranges from $12 to $16, anchored by their signature “La Nueva Sangre” — an orange blossom gin cocktail balanced with beet juice, lemon, passion fruit, and lavender bitters. Hernández notes the drink is “as complex and interesting, with a little bit of everything, just as Sor Juana was.”

The bar also pours Mexican imports alongside local favorites Shiner and Michelob for $7, wines, and zero-proof options including non-alcoholic champagne.

Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday from 5:30-7:30 pm, featuring $6 beers, $8 wines, and $8 cocktails infused with house-made Mexican chili oil macha sauce.

Beyond the complimentary botanas, the venue offers a full food menu designed by Chef Soria Palomino. It comes with a playful warning: “Expect bold flavors and a little heat — that’s what the cerveza is for.” Signature items include ceviche, mezcal-glazed wings, tacos, and tostadas, all centered on authentic Mexican flavor profiles.

For dessert, they feature a ganzote crafted by Diana Zamora of Nena Postrería, inspired by the classic packaged Gansito sponge cake.

Community events play a major role in the space, including lotería nights, "Bring Your Own Vinyl" Sundays, and rotating local DJs every other Friday. The team is actively taking community feedback to build out future programming, including upcoming collaborative dinner series.

“Events are a way to build community and bring people together,” Hernández says. “When we started crafting this concept, we looked at every detail — from the playlist to the food and cocktails, as we wanted a total experience where every element comes together and complements the rest.”

Sor Juana is open 2-10 pm Wednesday-Thursday 12 pm-12 pm Friday-Saturday, 12-10 pm Sunday. Metered street parking is enforced until 6 pm, with free parking available afterward.