Vintage Car News

Restaurant-bar with cool vintage Ford garage theme vrooms into Dallas

It'll be a fun place to visit if you like vintage car memorabilia.

Courtesy photo

A new concept from Florida with a cool vintage garage theme is coming to Dallas-Fort Worth: Called Ford's Garage, it's a budding burger-and-craft-beer franchise that gives the vibe of being in a 1920's service station and/or prohibition bar, and will open its first DFW location in Plano in early 2022.

The restaurant-bar will open at a high-profile address at 3904 Dallas Pkwy., a former Razzoo's Cafe which closed in December 2019 after 20 years.

Ford's Garage was founded in 2012, and currently has more 16 locations across Florida, plus one with symbolic meaning in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the corporate headquarters of Ford Motor Company. Ford's Garage has a unique brand licensing agreement with the automaker: They have the rights to use the company's iconic blue oval logo and other brand imagery including archived historical photographs, images of vehicles, and actual Model-Ts.

"Ford Motor Company has quite a rich history as one of America’s most important manufacturing companies," says Brian Judd, part of the Dallas franchising team, in a statement. "That history also translates to a pretty cool dining experience, as it turns out, and we're excited to be bringing that experience to Dallas. With its Ford-inspired design cues and first-rate service and food, Ford's Garage will offer something for everyone."

The vintage and historical items are standard décor at Ford’s Garage. Each restaurant is designed to look like a gas station from the 1920s and is filled with vintage Ford vehicles, fixtures, and gas pumps.

Servers sport blue mechanic shirts. Blue shop cloths double as napkins. The bar is also vintage, mixing prohibition-style elements like brick, richly colored woods, and a copper bar top thats hammered by hand. The release says that there are more unique features, too numerous to list, that make Ford's Garage a fun place to visit and take pictures. Gotta have an instagram component these days.

Food
Burgers are the main draw, with good-quality ingredients, cheeses, toppings, and gourmet sauces on buns branded with the Ford logo.

The cuisine is American comfort food, with meatloaf, chicken wings, tenders, onion rings, and macaroni & cheese, as well as salads, grilled chicken, and seafood.

Drink
The beer list at Ford's Garage is carefully mapped out with 150 different types of beer (40 on draft), specializing in American craft beers from all around the country. The restaurants also serve wine and cocktails, as well as nonalcoholic options.

Ford's Garage has a Dallas tie: Its president is Steve Shlemon, who was CEO at FrontBurner Group for two years.

And there are more Ford's Garage locations in the works for DFW. Friends and restaurateurs Brian Judd and Jason Borders, who possess decades' worth of experience owning and operating restaurants ranging from fast casual to fine dining, are bringing the concept to the area and are scouting locations in North Dallas, the mid-cities, North Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

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Craft Beer News

Dallas Stars owner to open beer-centric Craft restaurant in the U.S.

Craft

Food and beer from Craft.

A restaurant concept from Canada is opening its first U.S. location in little old Dallas: Called Craft Restaurant & Beer Market, it's a small chain with an emphasis on craft beer and elevated casual dining opening in Preston Center at 5974 W Northwest Hwy.

That location is a former medical office, across the street from the Starbucks at the corner of Kate Street. According to a release, it will open in in early 2026 — their first in the American market.

The concept was founded in 2019 by craft beer wunderking PJ L'Heureux, who is partnered with Tom Gaglardi, owner of the Dallas Stars and the Moxies chain. It will feature more 100 beers on tap including local Texas brews, along with cocktails, wine, and a fresh, globally inspired menu.

L'Heureux calls Dallas "a natural fit" for Craft.

"Our large restaurant footprint, commitment to local products, and dedication to community are what Texas is all about," L'Heureux says in a statement. "Texas and specifically the Preston area of Dallas, with its booming economy, diverse culture, and love for craft cocktails and beer, is the perfect place for us to begin this exciting new chapter."

Craft will occupy a state-of-the-art, 10,500 square-foot space with a modern yet welcoming interior, featuring warm woods, industrial accents, and a massive 360-degree bar as its center.

The space will also include a 5,250 square-foot rooftop patio with a full bar, booth seating, lush greenery, and a games area — suitable for casual gatherings and special celebrations.

Craft president Scott Frank says that the chain, which has nine locations across Canada and is no relation to the Craft restaurant concept by chef Tom Colicchio, likes to create unique menus and partnerships in each of the communities they are in.

"Craft has always been about bringing people together, and we're thrilled to share our passion for craft beer, exceptional dining, and community building with our friends in the Texas market," L'Heureux says.

Gaglardi previously brought Moxie's Grill & Bar, his glossy Canadian sports-bar restaurant, to Dallas in 2016 — the first in the U.S. He's since opened locations in Plano, Southlake, and Houston.

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