Deli News

Gourmet market Ari's Pantry to open in Dallas' Trinity Groves

Loaded shelves at Ari's Pantry

Ari's Pantry

A new gourmet grocery is coming to Trinity Groves: Ari's Pantry, the market launched in Oak Cliff by husband-and-wife Ari and Amy Lowenstein, will open a second location in West Dallas’ Trinity Groves, with a grand opening celebration on Saturday, November 30.

Located at 3011 Gulden Ln. #119 in the space that was once home to Potato Flats who remembers them, the Trinity Groves store will offer: pasta, olive oil, vinegars, preserves, candy, bread, crackers, cheese, meats, pizza dough, fresh pasta, housewares, cocktail ingredients, novelty kitchen gadgets, spices, prepared foods, fresh pesto and Ari’s own tomato sauce.

“We are excited to open our newest location at Trinity Groves joining the great businesses already there and the wave of new ventures opening in the development,” Ari Lowenstein says in a release. “With this location we will reach a new audience in West Dallas and be closer to our customers coming from downtown and the north.”

The couple opened their first location in Winnetka Heights at 1307 ½ W. Davis St. in December 2023 to fulfill Ari's passion for all things Italy. The idea was a small Italian food store with recipe-ready staples, with a hyper-local vibe. It has since blossomed into a general-purpose gourmet stop.

In addition to the food staples for sale found at their Bishop Arts location, Ari’s Trinity Groves location will also include a commercial catering kitchen that will enable them to provide full-service catering, prepared meal pick-up, pasta classes, and private dinners.

“Amy and Ari bring something new and special to this development as our first partner to offer consumer packaged goods made by people and companies outside of Trinity Groves,” said Sam Romano, Partner at West Dallas Investments, parent company of Trinity Groves. “They are part of the vision we have for the future of Trinity Groves that will combine innovative, up and coming chefs and restauranteurs with lifestyle and entertainment options like pickleball, bocce ball, popup events, arcade game play and additional retail partners.”

The Ari's empire doesn't stop here: Their goal is to open multiple locations "in all corners of DFW and beyond," and that includes a location in the Cyprus Waters community in Coppell, slated to open in spring 2025.

downtown openings

Ice Cream News

Over-the-top Sloan's Ice Cream from Florida makes Texas debut in Plano

Sloan's

Sloan's Ice Cream

A fantastically over-the-top ice cream shop has made its Texas debut in Plano: Sloan's Ice Cream, a Florida-based chain, has opened a location at Village 121, a bustling center at 8315 Preston Rd. #300, where it's scooping fun flavors in a space drenched in Instagrammable candy-colored hues.

Sloan's was founded in 1999 in West Palm Beach by ice cream enthusiast and trained chef Sloan Kamenstein, and currently has a dozen locations including eight on Florida's east coast, plus California, Ohio, and Las Vegas, Nevada. They've been featured on TV shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The World According to Jeff Goldblum, and also made a USA Today list of Top 10 Ice Cream Parlors in the USA.

Each Sloan's delivers an immersive experience. Colorful decor was a theme from the get-go, with early locations featuring extras such as hand-painted angels on the ceiling, in an effort to make the stores more of an experience versus a plain old scoop shop. Their shops boast vivid, almost psychedelic interiors and eye-catching chandeliers in hues of pink, magenta, aqua, and neon green.

Row of chandeliers at Sloan's Ice Cream in PlanoSloan's

Ice cream is surely the star, with a library of more than 50 flavors including your basic choc-van-straw, along with foodie-level creations such as:

Black & White Malt: old-fashioned black and white malted milkshake flavor with malt balls
Carrot cake ice cream with chunks of carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, and walnuts
Circus: cotton candy ice cream loaded with gummy bears
Coffee & doughnuts: coffee ice cream with Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts
Coconut Storm: coconut ice cream with shredded coconut

The ice cream can be ordered in a waffle cone they make on site, as well as in shakes, smoothies, ice cream sodas, and sundaes including some outrageous shareable varieties like Tracy's Kitchen Sink, which comprises 18 scoops of ice cream, every topping, cookies, brownies, whipped cream, and cherries – all served in a real sink.

But they go beyond ice cream with chocolates, cookies, brownies, chocolate and caramel candy-apples, bulk candy, plus gifts and fluffy toys.

Bringing the concept to DFW are Pardhu Vemuri and his wife, Susmitha Katkoori, an acclaimed makeup artist. The couple became enchanted by Sloane's wondrous atmosphere, and their customers have, as well.

"The ice cream is incredible, but everyone loves it, the moment they walk in the door," Vemuri says. "It's fun to watch when they come in — out come the cameras, when they see this is a cool place. They stop and spend time with the decor before placing their order."

desserts ice cream openings plano texas debut