BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

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Hood hangout

Chef John Tesar spent many years in Lakewood-East Dallas, and one of his favorite hangouts was Central 214 in Hotel Palomar before it became more of a “hotel restaurant,” he says. “A lot of people from Highland Park and Lakewood would frequent [Central 214],” Tesar explains. “I really felt like this was one of the younger, cooler places.” His dream is to revive that neighborhood-hangout vibe with his new steakhouse, Knife, which opened in the old Central 214 location in Hotel Palomar in May. “When I got the opportunity to do this, I wanted to recreate what I had seen in the beginning,” he says, “to make it a local spot, rather than a hotel restaurant, which is kind of what it had turned into over the years.” Tesar is nationally acclaimed for his other Dallas restaurant, Spoon Bar & Kitchen, where he became known for his modern American cuisine with a classic European twist. In 2014, he was nominated for “Best Chef Southwestern” with the James Beard Foundation, and he also competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef.”

Mecca closes

The Mecca Restaurant closed its Skillman-Live Oak location on April 27. According to general manager Ramiro Aguilar, it won’t be gone forever. Owner Michael Sealy is shopping for a new location, although at this point no one knows where. Throughout the transition, Mecca will continue to cater breakfast, lunch and dinner options, including its famous cin- namon rolls and bread pudding. It was Mecca’s decision to leave. Mecca began serving “home cooking” in 1938, and it had a 40-year run on Harry Hines, but since moving to the Skillman-Live Oak shopping center two years ago, the restaurant hasn’t been lucrative enough to handle the rent. “Business here has been really slow,” Ramiro explains. “The rent here is ridiculously high. Our sales being low, it’s just not happening.”

Fast-casual pizza

Project Pie, a new “fast casual custom pizza restaurant,” is coming soon to Lower Greenville. Project Pie is the brainchild of James Markham, who opened Mod Pizza in Seattle and Pieology in California. His website claims he “pioneered the category” of fast casual custom pizza. Next door, Steel City Pops, a gourmet popsicle joint, opened on Lower Greenville in May. Steel City Pops offers cool treats that are colorful, delicious and even healthy with flavors such as cucumber lime, blueberry basil, blood orange and raspberry lemon.

6 In June 2013, Half Price Books announced it has have big plans for the six acres next door to its flagship location on Northwest Highway. Now Half Price Books announced in a press release that outdoor retailer REI is the first retailer to sign on at its new shopping center development, which will be located on Northwest Highway right across the street from the bookstore. REI plans to move its LBJ location to the brand new 34,000 square-foot space in spring 2015.

7 As one of the longest running establishments on Lower Greenville, Simply Fondue is finally receiving a much-needed home makeover, putting a fresh face on the front of the building and reworking the bar area.

Anglican

ALL SAINTS DALLAS / 2733 Oak Lawn / 972.755.3505

Radical Inclusivity, Profound Transformation. Come and See!

9:00 & 11:00 am Sunday Services. www.allsaintschurchdallas.org

Baptist

LAKESIDE BAPTIST / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Worship — 8:30 am Classic & 11:00 am Contemporary

Pastor Jeff Donnell / www.lbcdallas.com

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

All services & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45. Trad. & Blended (Sanctuary),

Contemporary (Great Hall), Amigos de Dios (Gym) / 214.860.1500

PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH / “A Church to Call Home”

Sundays: Bible Fellowship (all ages) 9:15 am /Service Time 11:00 am

12123 Hillcrest Road / 972.820.5000 / prestonwood.org

RIDGECREST BAPTIST / 5470 Ellsworth / 214.826.2744

Sun. Life Groups 9:30 am, Worship 10:45 am / Wed. Nights 6:00 pm

Pastor Greg Byrd / www.rcbcdallas.org

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

Disciples Of Christ

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / THE TABLE Worship 9:30 am

Worship 8:30 & 10:50 am / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

Episcopal

ST. MATTHEW’S CATHEDRAL / 5100 Ross Ave.

Sunday Traditional: 8:00 & 10:30 am / Adult Education 9:30 am

Servicio en español 12:30 pm / 214.823.8134 / episcopalcathedral.org

Lutheran

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Lane

Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

Methodist

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee

Worship: 8:30 am & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary

MUNGER PLACE CHURCH / Expect Great Things.

Worship Sundays, 9:30 and 11:00 am / 5200 Bryan Street

214.823.9929 / www.mungerplacechurch.org

RIDGEWOOD PARK UMC / 6445 E. Lovers Lane / 214.369.9259

Sunday Worship: 9:30 am Traditional and 11:35 am Contemporary

Sunday School: 10:30 am / Rev. Ann Willet / ridgewoodparkchurch.org

WHITE ROCK UNITED METHODIST / www.wrumc.org

1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

Presbyterian

NORTHRIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr.

214.827.5521 / www.northridgepc.org / Welcomes you to Worship

Summer Worship: May 25 - Aug. 31 / 10:00am / Childcare provided.

ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN / Skillman & Monticello

Rev. Rob Leischner. / www.standrewsdallas.org

214.821.9989 / Sunday School 9:30 am, Worship 10:45 am

Unity

UNITY OF DALLAS / A Positive Path For Spiritual Living

6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 / 972.233.7106 / UnityDallas.org

Sunday services: 9:00 am & 11:00 am

UNITY ON GREENVILLE / Your soul is welcome here!

3425 Greenville Ave. / 214.826.5683 / www.dallasunity.org

Sunday Service 11:00 am and Book Study 9:30 am