Bye-bye Breastaurant Town

Bikinis gets wiped off Texas map in favor of family-friendly destination

Bikinis, Texas, is off the map. The town owned by ATX Brands CEO Doug Guller is returning to its roots and original name of Bankersmith, Texas.

ATX Brands, owner of Bikinis sports bar and the Texas franchise of Gino's East, unveiled the new identity this week, signaling a shift from gimmicky "breastaurant" attraction to quaint Hill Country town.

Guller snatched up the ghost town of Bankersmith — located 10 miles from Fredericksburg and six miles from Luckenbach — in 2012. The Austin entrepreneur saw the municipality as a means to extend his Bikinis brand and "put Bikinis on the map — literally."

In 2013, Bikinis, Texas opened with much fanfare; Carmen Electra was even at the grand opening to have her breast imprint inducted into the Bikinis Hall of Fame. However, the concept was met with much opposition, and after a couple years, Guller has decided to make nice with his neighbors.

"We want a long-term relationship with Fredericksburg, and after working with the community for over two years, we feel changing the name was necessary and want to take it back to its grass roots," Guller explained in an email statement.

The town is now being billed as a hot spot for vacations, private events and Hill Country charm. "We're really excited to reveal Bankersmith, and everything it has to offer, to the surrounding community," said Guller. "Bankersmith has evolved into the perfect destination for day trips, weddings and so much more."

The main attraction is Bankersmith Hall, which will regularly host Texas country acts. The town also has four bars and an outdoor stage. It can accommodate around 3,000 guests. The new Hill Country destination is open to the public Friday and Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday, noon to 10 pm.

Goodbye, Bikinis, Texas.

Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill Facebook

Goodbye, Bikinis, Texas.

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Downtown News

Dallas convention center re-do will shut down DART stop for 3 years

Courtesy photo

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is about to shut down its stop at the Convention Center Station for the next three years.

The agency is being forced to close the station to accommodate the city of Dallas' construction and redevelopment of the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. As part of the project, the station will be closed for the duration of construction, which is currently estimated at three years.

The Convention Center Station is a stop on both the Red and Blue lines, and the shutdown will affect anyone traveling to or from southwest Dallas. North Dallas, Plano, Rowlett, and Carrollton will thankfully be spared.

Rail detours
Riders who previously used the Convention Center Station will be directed to nearby alternative stations at Cedars or EBJ Union. DART has prepared clear signage, rider alerts, and bus connections to support customers and make navigating the closure as easy as possible.

Bus detours
Routes 28 and 106 will maintain regular service outside of downtown. Within downtown, instead of taking Lamar to the Convention Center, the bus will turn left on Young Street, right on Akard Street, right on Marilla Street where the Akard and Marilla bus stop is located (stop number 20685).

Outbound, routes 28 and 106 will turn left on Young Street, right on Lamar Street and then proceed on their regular route.

Layover at Akard and Marilla: Passengers deboard at Cedars Station and take the special South Dallas GoLink to bus stops at Akard and Marilla or to EBJ Union Station.

Route 224 will operate a detour going inbound. Inbound trips will come downtown via Elm and continue to Houston, turn left on Commerce and continue to Harwood. It will then turn left to go to the East Transfer Center where it will layover. Outbound trips will originate from the East Transfer Center and operate a regular route out of downtown.

Layover at East Transfer Center

Passengers arriving by train can deboard at Convention Center Station to board route 224.
Another option for passengers is to deboard at Akard Station, then board 224 at Elm and Akard.

Route 383 East Transfer Center is your final stop. 383 will not continue past this station. This route will be discontinued on February 02, 2026.

DART will implement a new GoLink Zone for Convention Center Station customers that will only provide service for trips originating at EBJ Union Station, Cedars Station, or the substitute bus layover location on Akard and Marilla and terminating at one of those locations.

The service will operate 7 days a week, from 5 am to midnight. Customers using this GoLink Zone may only travel between these three designated points.

All changes will be reflected online and in the GoPass app for the duration of construction.

downtown transportation