Cookie News

Downtown Dallas art venue debuts first real-deal Girl Scout cocktails

A cocktail with a Girl Scout cookie theme at Sweet Tooth Hotel.

TA Visuals

January 12 is the official kickoff of Girl Scout cookie season, meaning you can now get your Thin Mint Fix as well as order a box of the new special Raspberry Rally flavor, available online only.

But in 2023, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX) have collaborated with a hip downtown Dallas lounge to offer Girl Scout cookie flavors in a revolutionary new way: cocktails.

It's going down at Sweet Tooth Hotel, the innovative immersive art venue, which will host the first official cookie cocktail bar in Dallas, at 1511 Elm St.

Beginning January 13, Girl Scouts will take over the lobby area with an interactive photo installation featuring cookie box creations and photo props. Local troops will be setting up shop and selling cookies on weekends.

While many bars and restaurants have concocted their own Girl Scout cookie-themed drinks, this will be the first authorized and official menu with five cocktails, in which GSNETX worked closely with the Sweet Tooth team to ensure that each cocktail would be true to the cookie.

The cocktails were devised by Sweet Tooth bar manager Steven Yeager. Cookies that provided inspiration include Trefoils shortbread, Thin Mints, TagAlongs, Lemon-Ups, and Samoas.

"As we reimagine Girl Scouts for a new generation with even more momentum in 2023, cookie season is no exception," says Jennifer Barkowski, CEO of GSNETX, in a release. "This is a great opportunity to get more people in Dallas buzzing about our cookies and generate greater interest in Girl Scouting and our Entrepreneurial Program."

Sweet Tooth Hotel, which brings together work by most innovative local and national artists, seems like a fitting venue. Their first installation offered five sugar-themed rooms based on brand name treats. They also have a specialty bar featuring whimsical craft cocktails at their downtown Dallas flagship location.

But beyond that, Sweet Tooth Hotel cofounder Jencey Keeton and other Sweet Tooth Hotel staffers have a personal connection, holding fond memories of growing up as Girl Scouts, earning patches, and selling cookies. Jencey still even has her sash.

"The Girl Scouts taught me to be creative, resourceful, and collaborative. I learned all kinds of entrepreneurial and leadership skills that have helped me be successful in my career today," she says. "It's such an amazing organization doing important work for young girls, and we want everyone in the area to know it."

They'll host a kickoff party on Friday, January 13, with DJ Ursa Minor and a green carpet event. Doors open at 7:30 pm. The partnership will extend through National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, with special events each month, including a Galentine's Party on February 9 and a grand finale "Goodbye Girl Scout" event on March 3.

They still have a few tickets for the kick off event. You can RSVP at https://www.showclix.com/event/girl-scouts-cookie-launch-party.

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Supermarket news

H-E-B to open 2 new stores in Garland, including Joe V's Smart Shop

newsroom.heb.com

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Texas grocery chain H-E-B is expanding into the Dallas suburb of Garland, with not one but two stores in the works.

A February 24 news release breaks down the double projects:

Joe V's Smart Shop
"First, the company will revitalize a vacant shopping center located on the northeast corner of Centerville Road and LBJ Freeway," the release says. "The approximately seven-acre site will soon be home to North Texas’ fourth Joe V’s Smart Shop, an innovative price format that focuses on offering fresh, high-quality products at the lowest prices in the marketplace."

Joe V’s Smart Shop is an H-E-B spinoff that operates 14 stores in North Texas and Houston. The first one in DFW opened in Dallas in June 2024 at 4101 W. Wheatland Rd. A second opened in far east Dallas in March 2025. The third opened on Airport Freeway in Irving in November 2025.

Products include fresh produce, organics selections, in-store cut meats, in-store made tortillas, breads, and sushi made daily.

"Construction is expected to begin in the coming months," the release says.

H-E-B grocery store
"The second project involves H-E-B’s intent to develop an H-E-B store on a 21-acre site located between Crist Road and Firewheel Parkway off President George Bush Turnpike," the release says. "The purchase of that property is not yet final."

The Garland location will join H-E-B stores that have opened in Forney, Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Melissa, Prosper, and Rockwall, plus two in Tarrant County: Fort Worth/Alliance, and Mansfield. Stores in Irving, Denton, Dallas, Carrollton, and the Mid-Cities are in the works.

Although details of the Garland store have not been revealed, if it's like other H-E-B stores, it could include a full-service H-E-B Pharmacy with drive-thru, Curbside and Home Delivery service, Wellness Primary Care clinic, and a True Texas BBQ restaurant with drive-thru.

San Antonio-based H-E-B has been in Dallas since 2001 when it opened its first high-end chain Central Market, which now has six locations in Dallas, Plano, Southlake, and Fort Worth. The regional supermarket chain is consistently rated among America's best grocers by industry and consumer reports.

Additional details on the Garland projects will be shared as they develop, the company says.

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Teresa Gubbins contributed to this story.

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