2015 December Oak Cliff

WHERE ART HAPPENS

SOME OF OAK CLIFF’S MOST CREATIVE MINDS LET US EXPLORE THEIR WORKSPACES

This is where lung cancer patients are beating the odds.

Radiation oncologist Dr. Robert Timmerman and colleagues changed the standard of care for lung cancer when they demonstrated that patients with inoperable disease could still be effectively treated with a newer, more potent form of radiation. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy is a technology that was pioneered at UT Southwestern and is now being adopted worldwide. It’s another example of the specialized care available at UT Southwestern, where scientific research, advanced technology, and leading-edge treatments come together to bring new hope to cancer patients.

To learn more, contact: Radiation Oncology at 214-645-8525 | UTSWmedicine.org/radonc.

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THE COVER: Artist Clay Stinnett poses in his Oak Cliff studio. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)

‘TIS THE SEASON OF SCOFFLAWS?

Rising above the bad behavior to seek peace

I know this is a season of peace and goodwill, that we’re supposedly inclined to be a little more tolerant and loving toward each other.

But down here at street level, where most of us reside because that’s our only choice, I’m not sure we can count on a quiet season of hope and charity.

Already, people are being terrorized on the Katy Trail. And we know for certain, even without having to wait for it to happen, that some of us are going to be victimized in mall parking garages this holiday season.

And what about that crusty Granbury car driver who decided recently — when two motorcyclists tried to pass him on a road clearly marked with a “no passing” zone that it was his right to veer into the motorcycles and run them into the pavement. Quite a few broken bones later, he was arrested.

Yes, the law is clear — we aren’t legally allowed to pass in a “no passing” zone. But lacking some legal authority in the vicinity (and when is a “legal authority” ever around when we need one?), this guy either went vigilante to enforce traffic laws or went rogue and broke one law while trying to enforce another.

Of course, this type of behavior doesn’t end with one stubborn dude. Throughout Dallas, it’s not hard to find people willfully disobeying the law, and it’s hard to find anyone doing anything about it.

It’s not uncommon to drive the 30 mileper-hour speed limit on one of our residential streets only to be tailgated by someone who feels the need for speed, regardless of the placid surroundings. Am I within my

rights to hold my lane, since I’m not breaking a law and the guy behind me clearly wants to, or am I dangerously close to engaging in a game of cat and mouse with a car often twice the size of mine?

Folks deliberately run red lights all the time. People jump lines in stores and check out 15 items in the 10-items-only line. People flip off other people for all kinds of real and imagined slights, none of which really seem worth the anger.

For years, the City Council has crafted city budgets designed to provide three police officers for every 1,000 citizens. In layman’s terms, that means that probably 30 of us are in danger of being watched by a legitimate officer of the law at any one time, while the other 970 of us pretty much have free run of the playground.

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RACHEL STONE

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Notwithstanding the threat of cameras everywhere, a lot of our neighbors simply have no problem breaking a law, insignificant or otherwise, if they think no one is watching.

There’s an old saying that applies to some extent: “Character is what we do when no one is watching.”

What concerns me these days is that someone is watching just about everything we do, but no one seems to care. That’s not a particularly good recipe for peace, goodwill or a happy life.

So I guess we’re left with two options: Go rogue like some, or do like the song says: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

Even if the other guy doesn’t want to play along.

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There’s an old saying that applies to some extent: “Character is what we do when no one is watching.”

DIGITAL DIGEST

WHAT YOU’RE MISSING

Missing Oak Cliff man owned house where corpse was discovered

If he’s been missing since April, how did his house sell in June?

Five places to spend Chicken Fried Steak day in Oak Cliff

Where is Oak Cliff? The geographic boundary debate

QuikTrip is coming to Illinois and Cockrell Hill

IF HE’S BEEN MISSING SINCE APRIL, HOW DID HIS HOUSE SELL IN JUNE?

“I’m thinking someone killed him and made him into a new patio. If they were able to sell his house posing as him, they likely also maxed out some credit cards in his name as well. There’s always a paper trail.”

– Susan Thomas

“I think the person buried there was not Shumway or the police wouldn’t be looking for him. If you have a body and a name, it would have cleared by now.”

Smokey

CITY TO MOVE WEST DALLAS CONCRETE PLANT NEXT TO SUPERFUND SITE

“I’m sorry but I rather not pay to move this for a bunch of rich old white guys but I know, that’s how Dallas rolls. Since you are using our money, shouldn’t we get a say in where it goes such as NOT next to a school in a neighborhood? How about an industrial park outside of civilization?”

Person

FRENCH RESTAURANT OPENS ON WEST DAVIS

“Excellent menu, great portion sizes and prices.” – Mike

Mini-Fab

How a modern Oak Cliff company is reviving light manufacturing

In a time when fewer and fewer products are made in America, one Oak Cliff business is keeping the local manufacturing industry alive while also paying homage to the history of the neighborhood.

In its heyday, DEMCO Manufacturing Inc., with production facilities on West Davis for nearly 50 years, set the gold standard of the era making ornamental iron products for Home Interiors and Gifts, the generically named dynastic company that not enough people remember. These days, DEMCO is all but defunct now that most of its former products are made more cheaply overseas.

But Mini-Fab, an upstart from Fort Worth-based entrepreneur Matt McCoy, is reviving the DEMCO building’s legacy of light-industrial manufacturing.

Mini-Fab designs and creates clocks, lamps, combs, key chains, straight razors, liquor flasks and many other products, mostly geared toward men.

“They’re things that tickle my fancy and fit my lifestyle,” McCoy says. “People are looking for things that are interesting.”

McCoy started the company out of an old woodworking shop he bought a couple of years ago.

It all began with a beard comb, he says. Unable to find just the one he wanted, he designed one, crafting it with the assistance of a woodworking laser cutter.

He liked it so much that he made more and offered them on Etsy, where the business grew faster than he could have expected.

His products were featured in editorial gift guides in “Cosmopolitan,” “Real Simple,” “Country Living” and other national magazines. Soon, he had wholesale retailers in New York, San Francisco, London and Paris.

He moved his business into the DEMCO building earlier this year, and Mini-Fab now has two fulltime employees besides McCoy. McCoy is the one who commissioned a mural for the building from artist collective Wheron, and he recently opened the studio to the public as a retail shop.

Daniel McDonald, who owns the DEM-

CO building, says it is fully leased. His dad started DEMCO in the early 1950s out of a chicken coop in his brother’s Elmwood backyard. He later moved to a shop in Elmwood before relocating on West Davis in 1961.

Throughout its history, the company also made air conditioning cooling systems, dump trucks and even bomb parts during the Vietnam era.

But Home Interiors and Gifts, the directsales retailer founded by Dallasite Mary Crowley, was by far its biggest client. Crowley left the company to her son, Dallas Mavericks founding owner Don Carter, who sold it. The company merged with another retailer in 2008 and moved to East Texas.

McDonald says he has plans to revive DEMCO’s manufacturing efforts.

“There are some things I want to make,” he says.

McCoy, who had worked as a caricature artist in college, started a business providing art services to Six Flags Over Texas and other “seasonal tourist traps.” He sold that business about a year ago when he decided to go all in on Mini-Fab.

His business is rare, he says, because there are very few American companies that manufacture and retail items.

One of the most popular items is a shaving kit that includes a brush, straight razor and “man card” mini strop, plus beard balm that McCoy’s wife, Agnieszka, makes in their kitchen at home.

Any of Mini-Fab’s items can be personalized. Find them online at mini-fab.com.

—Rachel Stone

Opposite page: Matt McCoy in his DEMCO building studio and shop, Mini-Fab. Mini-Fab designs, makes and sells a variety of goods, including wallets, shaving kits and beard combs. (Photos by Danny Fulgencio)

Out & About

DEC. 10-20

‘Black Nativity’

TeCo Theatrical Productions continues its tradition of producing Langston Hughes’ telling of the Christmas story through praise dance, gospel music, poetry and folk spirituals. Tickets cost $18 in advance or $22 at the door.

Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler, 214.948.0716, tecotheater.org

Dec. 4-Jan. 15

La Virgen de Guadalupe

This annual exhibit, now in its 20th year, honors the patron saint of Mexico. This year’s exhibit is the start of an art exchange between the Oak Cliff Cultural Center and the Ysleta Independent School District in El Paso. Art teachers from those schools will show their work here. And Dallas artists have the opportunity to show their work in a similar exhibition in El Paso. This is the first of many planned collaborations between exhibit curator Jose Vargas and Samuel A. Garcia of El Paso, a gallery curator and instructor. Oak Cliff Cultural Center, 223 W. Jefferson, 214.670.3777, dallasculture.org/oakcliffculturalcenter, free

DEC. 1 ‘Iris’

The Albert Maysles documentary about nonagenarian fashion maven Iris Apfel is this month’s first Tuesday social justice film.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff, 3839 W. Kiest, firsttuesdayfilms.org, free

DEC. 4

Darlingside

This Massachusetts-based band’s sound blends ‘60s folk with classical arrangements, harmonies and wit.

Kessler Park United Methodist Church, 1215 Turner, thekessler.org, $15

DEC. 4-6

Holiday mercantile

Local artisans offer their wares for your gift-buying pleasure.

Oil and Cotton, 817 W. Davis, 214.942.0474, oilandcotton.com, free

DEC. 5

Jingle Bells on Bishop

Shop local while enjoying neighborhood specials, carolers and a visit with Santa.

Bishop Arts District, Seventh and Bishop, bishopartsdistrict.com, free

DEC. 5

Tamale Libre!

Taste the best homemade tamales in Oak Cliff, and vote for your favorite, during this fundraiser for the Bishop Arts Neighborhood Association, from 6-10 p.m.

Oak Cliff Cultural Center, 223 W. Jefferson Blvd, $10

DEC. 11

‘Bikes vs. Cars’

This documentary about the growing conflict in urban planning between bike infrastructure and cars starts at 7 p.m. The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, 214.948.1546, thetexastheatre.com

DEC. 18

‘Holiday Shindig’

Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis perform two Christmas shows at 6 and 9 p.m. The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis, 214.272.8346, thekessler.org, $22-$34

DEC. 6

Holiday home tour

The City of Dallas named Winnekta Heights as a historic district 33 years ago, and six of the neighborhood’s most interesting homes will be open to ticketed guests during the annual Holiday Home Tour. Those who purchase the VIP package for $30 will also enjoy a champagne reception and an exclusive tour of a seventh neighborhood home. The tour is noon-6 p.m.

Turner House, 401 N. Rosemont, whhometour.org, $12-$30

Delicious

Aprep cook spreads fat portions of masa onto cornhusks on the production line at Tia Dora’s. The next woman places a sliced jalapeño and a block of white cheese inside and folds it up. Still another cook wraps the whole thing in tin foil and lays it on a sheet pan. They do this all day long.

It is no wonder there are so many who consider Tia Dora’s the best non-homemade tamales money can buy. They’re steamed for three hours, and the masa comes out fluffy and not too oily. Fillings of pork, chicken, beef, beans or jalapeño/cheese are plentiful and perfectly balanced.

Tamales are only part of what Tia Dora’s does. The bakery produces fresh pan dulces every day, and the pastries often sell out by closing time, says manager Juana Pineda.

The kitchen serves breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The menu includes chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, barbacoa, taco plates, big burritos and Tex-Mex plates. The bakery is open until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday.

TIA DORA’S BAKERY & CAFÉ

2478 W. Illinois at Hampton 214.333.4254

tiadorasbakery.com

AMBIANCE: BAKERY, COUNTER SERVICE

PRICE RANGE: $6-$8

HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY, 7 A.M.-9 P.M.; SUNDAY, 7 A.M.-7 P.M.

SEE MORE PHOTOS

Visti oakcliff.advocatemag.com

—Rachel Stone

If you want to have tamales from Tia Dora’s on Christmas, start dialing the number. Even in the offseason, the restaurant produces about 2,400 tamales a day. During the holidays, they increase production by almost double, and they still sell out.

This page: A plate of of pan dulces from Tia Dora’s. Opposite page: Pork tamales from Tia Dora’s. (Photos by Kathy Tran)

|

TASTY TAMALES |

Tienda Santa Rosa

This hole-in-the-wall Salvadoran restaurant has a big presence in Oak Cliff, with locations on West Davis and the Hampton/Clarendon area. Order holiday tamales in advance, as they will sell out.

521 W. Davis 214.943.3162

El Padrino

Tamales are not normally on El Padrino’s menu, but they turn out pork, beef and chicken tamales by the dozens during the holidays.

408 W. Jefferson 214.943.3162

The Tamale Co.

This Oak Cliff-based company offers traditional and gourmet tamales, including vegetarian and vegan options, for about $14 per dozen. Find them at Cox Farms, Ann’s Health Food Center, Bolsa Mercado and other retailers. thetamalecompany.com

Does

Call Diane Sherman. No one gets classic homes quite like she does. Diane helped develop, and teaches, the Historic House Specialist curriculum at Preservation Dallas. She championed the Winnetka Heights renaissance and is the neighborhood’s most knowledgeable advocate. And she works with the city to help protect area landmarks. But most importantly, she’s a master at matching buyers with Dallas’ finest historic homes. Contact Diane today: 469 767 1823 , or dsherman@davidgriffin.com

•

Important

The statute of limitations on refunds is 3 years. Tax returns with refunds are forfeited if filed after the statute expires

•

•

•

Jack F. Lewis Jr., cpa

Diane Sherman | Preservation Dallas Advanced Historic House Specialist

THE CREATIVE

SPACE

THREE FULLTIME ARTISTS OFFER

A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR STUDIOS

P

rolific Western novelist Louis L’Amour once said, “I could sit in the middle of Sunset Boulevard and write with my typewriter on my knees. Temperamental I am not.”

A workspace can say a lot about one’s temperament.

Do you need noise cancelling headphones and a temperature of 72 degrees for optimum productivity? Are disorganized piles of papers a chaotic comfort? Is everything in its place?

Three fulltime Oak Cliff artists let us into their home studios to see the where they work and ultimately, who they are.

Hustle hard

Patricia Rodriguez

A large color picture of Patricia Rodriguez’s father hangs behind the workspace of her home studio in Kings Highway.

Juan Antonio Rodriguez was an auto-body mechanic, an immigrant from Mexico who took handyman work around Oak Cliff when he could get it.

“He’s my inspiration to keep working as hard as I can,” says Rodriguez, who was born in Oak Cliff and has never left. “He was really supportive of me being an artist.”

The year her dad died, 2010, Rodriguez developed a painful bulging disc in her spine from her job in shipping/ receiving at the Dallas Museum of Art. It was a slow recovery, but she looked at it as an opportunity, so she quit her job to paint fulltime.

She had taken art classes at Mountain View College after graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. But she developed her unique style from painting on record albums. It was kind of a fluke.

She had agreed to enter work into a Beatles-themed show at the nowdefunct Soda Gallery in Bishop Arts. The deadline was approaching, and she was so broke that she couldn’t afford to buy canvases. Rodriguez, who also is known in Dallas nightlife as DJ Tigerbee, had plenty of LPs lying around, some of which were scratched. So she used spray paint and acrylic to depict

“He’s my inspiration to keep working as hard as I can. He was really supportive of me being an artist.”

Featuring the ‘Burton Blue’ Noble

Sunday, December 20, 6:30 pm

Sunday, December 20, 6:30 pm

Sunday, December 20, 6:30 pm

EDCC Chancel Choir & Handbell Choir

EDCC Chancel Choir & Handbell Choir

EDCC Chancel Choir & Handbell Choir

Guest Soloists

Guest Soloists

Guest Soloists

Alfrelynn Roberts, Coretta Smith, Paul Mason, Bobby Tinnion

Guest Choir

Alfrelynn Roberts, Coretta Smith, Paul Mason, Bobby Tinnion

Alfrelynn Roberts, Coretta Smith, Paul Mason, Bobby Tinnion

Guest Choir

Guest Choir

Booker T. Washington High School Treble Choir

Booker T. Washington High School Treble Choir

Booker T. Washington High School Treble Choir

Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

Musicians of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

East Dallas Christian Church 629 N. Peak Street ♦ Dallas, TX 75246 www.edcc.org

East Dallas Christian Church 629 N. Peak Street ♦ Dallas, TX 75246 www.edcc.org

Daniel Pardo’s From A Land Far Away

Daniel Pardo’s From A Land Far Away

Daniel Pardo’s From A Land Far Away

www.edcc.org

Concert Series

Concert Series

Free admission and open seating

Free admission and open seating

Free admission and open seating

Donations accepted for EDCC Concert Series

Concert Series

Donations accepted for EDCC Concert Series

Donations accepted for EDCC Concert Series

Reception following with Christmas Cookies

Reception following with Christmas Cookies

Reception following with Christmas Cookies

Above: A scene from Patricia Rodriguez’s workspace. She often paints portraits on records for extra money. Right: A picture of Rodriguez’s father is posted behind her work station, hanging next to a portrait of herself, painted by a friend.

an octopus with a Ringo Starr moustache. It sold right away.

Over the past five years, she’s perfected her technique, which results in dense and fanciful botanic scenes in unexpected color combinations. Discretely painted in each canvas is often a bat or beetle or worm, something a little unsettling amid the enchantment. Like graffiti artists, she often works without a detailed plan. She starts with the spray-painted background and lets the painting take her away.

“I get lost in creating these tight details,” she says.

Rodriguez’s canvasses fetch around $400-$1,000. But she still takes commissions for painted LPs: portraits, mostly, of people and pets. They cost $75.

Since she doesn’t have any other income, Rodriguez really hustles to keep the lights on. She takes mural commissions, including for home interiors. And she collaborates with makers. San Francisco retailer Vida recently printed her work on silk blouses and scarves. Dallas-based Cykochik Custom Handbags also printed her designs on purses and totes.

“I like seeing my stuff in 3-D,” she says.

She recently began offering it on iPhone cases, coffee mugs, tote bags, throw pillows and T-shirts via society6.com.

Rodriguez, who has endometriosis along with her back problem, is curating a show next summer at the Baylor Medical Gallery called “Artists in Pain,” featuring the work of local artists who live in chronic pain.

Find Rodriguez’s paintings at tigerbeearts.com and gifts at society6.com/tigerbee.

“I get lost in creating these tight details.”

All hat, no cattle

Ray-Mel Cornelius

A stuffed jackalope hovers in one corner. Scanning the room, there are others: a felt-covered plastic jackalope and a small painting or two of the mythological half-rabbit/half-antelope.

Ray-Mel Cornelius’ home studio has a touch of kitsch. It has great light, too, in a windowed corner facing the Cedar Creek greenbelt in Elmwood.

The home he shares with wife, Becky, is a few miles from Downtown, but it’s close to nature.

“I grew up on a farm/ranch, but I never connected to that lifestyle,” he says.

He does relate to the myths of the American West and its dramatic portrayals, he says.

A Baby Boomer born and reared in Royse City, he eschewed horses and cattle in favor of TV and movies. Two brothers are 20-plus years older than him, so Ray-Mel and his mom were usually together at home, on top of a hill with the big Texas landscape all around.

“The first art I saw was comic strips and book illustrations. The color palette had a big effect on me,” he says.

There were no art classes in Royse City schools in the ’60s, but one “little old lady” in town gave him oil painting lessons.

“The first art I saw was comic strips and book illustrations. The color palette had a big effect on me.”

“People thought it was a hobby for housewives,” he says. “But I knew that somebody made those illustrations.”

He enrolled in the nearest college, what is now known as Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. Thanks to that East Texas institution and its outstanding art program, RayMel became a commercial artist, creating graphic illustrations for many publications, including The Dallas Morning News. He also teaches graphic design at Brookhaven College, and a few years ago, he quit freelancing to focus on his own artwork.

Mostly he paints acrylic on canvas in “scrumbling” brush-strokes that create textured landscapes and animal scenes. Occasionally, he makes pen-and-watercolor drawings. And he’s prolific. On days when he doesn’t teach, he’ll work for eight to 10 hours. He keeps the TV on for company, usually an old movie or whatever is on HBO or Showtime.

An 8-by-10 photo of George Reeves as TV’s “Superman” in one corner reminds him of his childhood. And above that, a letterpress by Oak Cliff-based artist Lily SmithKirkley reads, “All hat, no cattle.”

“I used to reject that, and I never wanted to be associated with it,” Ray-Mel says of rural Texas culture.

Now he is a painter of Texas and Western landscapes.

See more of Cornelius’ paintings at raymelcornelius.com.

his hobbies, and he knew he wanted to be an artist at age 5, when he won a camera in a coloring contest at Albertsons.

He paid his way through art school at the University of North Texas, where he took every art class possible, and then he was a fulltime factory worker for five or six years before taking up art again.

“I have to stay busy,” he says. “It’s not in my nature to sit around.”

Stinnett has two studios. One is the den at the front of the Hampton Hills home he shares with wife, Lanette, an elementary school principal. This room is painted pale blue and its walls are empty. There’s a tasteful velvet sofa and an artists’ desk and shelves.

Stinnett’s other studio is about a block away in the low second story of a hardware store. Entering this studio is like walking into “Fangoria.” There are Halloween masks, black metal flags, posters, old furniture and art supplies everywhere.

Preparing for a big show, he might wake around 5 a.m. to do watercolors in the den and then head to the loft around 8 or 9 to work on oil paintings until 6 p.m.

“My creativity comes down to perseverance,” he says. “It comes down to staying active constantly and continuing to make. If you do that daily, that is going to be rewarded on some level.”

See and shop his work at claystinnett.wix.com/home.

By Oak Cliff Writer Kim Batchelor

holiday gift

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep.org

Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

ST. ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

4019 S. Hampton Rd. Dallas 75224/ 214.331.5139 / www.saintspride.com

At St. Elizabeth of Hungary, our fundamental task is the education of the whole child combining learning with faith, Catholic doctrines and moral teachings. We introduce all PK3-8th Grade students to the integrated ways of STEM. This approach to education is designed to revolutionize the teaching of subject areas such as mathematics and science by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum. Over the past 10 years, 95% of St. Elizabeth 8th graders were accepted to their first choice high school. Join us for an informational school tour and see for yourself how easy it is to become a Saint! Call 214.331.5139 for information.

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service. St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.

Nonprofits

Methodist Health System Foundation named Jack Lowe Jr. its 2015 Robert S. Folsom Leadership Award recipient. The award recognizes individuals whose demonstrated commitment and excellence in community leadership emulate the achievements of former Dallas Mayor Robert S. Folsom.

Schools

Oak Cliff-based Dallas Can Academy recently opened a new campus in southeast Oak Cliff. The Grant East campus is named after Dallas Can Academy’s founder and will serve as many as 400 students. The campus includes classrooms for high schoolers as well as daycare and after-school care center for children ages 6-weeks to 13 years.

Mockingbird Lane Bridal Boutique donated 150 bridesmaid dresses to Sunset High School students for the school’s homecoming dance this fall. Teachers and counselors chose 100 students to attend a “shopping experience” the weekend before the event to pick out their free dress.

Churches

The Oak Cliff Christian Church celebrated its 125th anniversary with a concert and supper in October. The church also dedicated a signature cross to mark the occasion. Joe Whitney and Craig and Riley Davis of Davis Metal Stamping Inc. and Obed Navarro of NSG Contractors donated the 14-foot cross, which was installed in front of the church on Zang. The church started in 1890 with original members meeting in the second-floor of an old building. They later had buildings on Ninth at Beckley and Tenth at Crawford before moving to Kiest near Polk in the 1960s. The church now resides on Zang near Brooklyn.

HAVE AN ITEM TO BE FEATURED?

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag.com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.

Pictured left to right: event co-chair Ben Houston, who is retired from TDIndustries; co-chair Harold MacDowell, CEO of TDIndustries; Jack Lowe, Jr.; April Box, Methodist Health System Foundation president and CEO; and Bob Ferguson, TDIndustries board of directors.

BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to livelocal@advocatemag.com

More tacos

Tacodeli is open at Sylvan Thirty. This is the first Dallas outpost for the restaurant, which has five locations in Austin. Tacodeli is open for breakfast and lunch daily, offering some 40 kinds of tacos, including vegetarian and vegan options, and it’s BYOB. The restaurant is sourcing tortillas from the West Dallas mom-and-pop shop La Norteña Tortillas and it describes its ingredients as “responsibly sourced.”

More cider

Bishop Cider Co. is expanding production with an offsite brewery, where construction is nearly complete. The company just inked a deal with distributor Ben E. Keith. Joel Malone opened the cidery on Bishop at Seventh last year. It was the first hard-cider brewery in North Texas, and its products, including Crackberry and Nectar, were immediate hits. Now Bishop Cider Co. can be ordered on draught at restaurants and bars all over the Dallas area, and Malone says bottled cider is coming soon. The company’s newest brew, High and Dry, is Bishop’s version of an English dry cider.

Local hair

A hair salon is expected to open at Sylvan Thirty by the end of the year. Business partners Garrett Lemmons and Daren Brimberry of Muse the Salon on North Henderson plan to open a new salon, Craft & Co. The salon will offer cut, color, styling, makeup, skin treatments and more. Oak Cliff resident Lisa Robertson will manage the salon.

Gasoline and donuts

A 5,858-square-foot QuikTrip store is planned for the Southeast corner of Illinois and Cockrell Hill. The corner currently holds a Cesar’s Tacos and a tire shop. QuikTrip’s plans for the store include creating a connection for the planned Chalk Hill Trail.

The Petropolitan in Oak Cliff & Downtown offers a full complement of services like boarding, play-care, dog & cat grooming, dog walking, in-home services & pet products. For

All About The Animal!

Photo courtesy of Bishop Cider Co.

BAPTIST

CLIFF TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH / 125 Sunset Ave. / 214.942.8601

Serving Oak Cliff since 1899 / CliffTemple.org / English and Spanish

9:30 am Sunday School / 10:45 am & 5:00 pm Sunday Worship

GRACE TEMPLE BAPTIST MULTI-CULTURAL CHURCH

Sunday Worship: English Service 9:30 am / Spanish Service 11:00 am

831 W. Tenth St. / 214.948.7587 / gracetempledallas.org

CATHOLIC

UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS MINISTRY CONFERENCE / udallas.edu/udmc

Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, 2016 / Sponsored by Catholic Diocese of Dallas

Sessions on Faith, Scripture, & Ministry / Exhibitors / Music / Mass

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

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

Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel

10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

OAK CLIFF CHRISTIAN CHURCH / Celebrating 125 Years

Fellowship 9:30 am / Sunday School 9:45 am / Worship 11:00 am

660 S. Zang / occch.org / 214.376.4375

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

KESSLER COMMUNITY CHURCH / 2100 Leander Dr. at Hampton Rd.

“Your Hometown Church Near the Heart of the City.”

10:30 am Contemporary Service / kesslercommunitychurch.com

PRESBYTERIAN

OAK CLIFF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 6000 S. Hampton Road

Sunday Worship at 9:30 am & 11:05 am 214-339-2211 / www.ocpres.com

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAVENS

On Dec. 24, 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders became the first humans to leave orbit and see the earth as a whole planet. They launched on Dec. 21 and traveled three days before circling the moon 10 times. NASA coordinated a live broadcast from the shuttle on Christmas Eve, and the men were instructed: “Say something appropriate.”

What would their message be? Millions would be listening, from many faith backgrounds, so saying something appropriate was challenging. The astronauts asked friends and media professionals for guidance, but no one knew what to say. Finally, someone offered the solution: why not read from the Book of Genesis? This was a good choice since Jews, Muslims and Christians all consider the Book of Genesis to be holy.

So the broadcast began with the crew showing the first images of earth from space. Then Anders revealed that the crew had a special message for all the people of the planet.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” They read the first 10 verses of Genesis and closed with the words, “Good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas and God bless all of you — all of you on the good earth.” Half a billion people tuned in, the largest TV audience ever at that time.

Even before recorded history, men and women have listened for a voice from the heavens. They cry out to hear some word, some evidence that God exists and that God cares. Even the most cynical or skeptical, when the moment of crisis comes, find themselves crying out “Help!” to the sky, in spite of their belief that no one is listening.

A favorite scripture during the Christmas season comes from the prophet Isaiah: “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence!”

(Isaiah 64:1-2)

Isaiah envisioned a wrathful, fear-inspiring God to shake the earth, but instead a little child was born in a quiet stable. Except among a few shepherds, angels and wise men, there was little fanfare. Jesus indeed would shake the earth, but through a message of good news to the poor, by welcoming the outcast and finally by dying on a cross. He was rarely considered appropriate.

Even so, the gospel writer John (in 1:1) states that he was God’s word from the heavens: “In the beginning was the Word of God, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus was God’s word spoken barely above a whisper, but one that still echoes across generations and millennia.

This holiday season, as we strain to hear a heavenly voice, or perhaps just a kind word from one another, may all of us on the good earth be blessed.

‘God bless all of you ... on the good earth.’

Even before recorded history, men and women have listened for a voice from the heavens.

Brent McDougal is pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church. The Worship section is a regular feature underwritten by Advocate Publishing and by the neighborhood business people and churches listed on these pages. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

Guitars for super stars

Members of La Rondalla , a Big Thought after school program, show off new guitars, donated to the free music school by the Texas Music Project. The donation, valued at $15,000, included 15 guitars, amps, stands and cases.

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

MATH Shouldn’t Get In The Way Of Anyone’s Dreams. I Tutor Algebra To Calculus. Test Anxiety & ADHD Are My Specialties. Jonathan. 626-643-6700 holisiticmathtutoring.com

PIANO LESSONS All ages & levels. Over 20 years experience. Oak Cliff area. Call Tim at 214-989-7093

EMPLOYMENT

AVIATION GRADS Work with JetBlue, Boeing, Delta and Others. Start Here With Hands On Training For FAA Certification. Financial Aid If Qualified. Aviation Institute Of Maintenance. 866-453-6204

SEEKING OFFICE MANAGER for Lakewood Residential Real Estate Co. Peachtree/Quickbooks Knowledge, People Skills

Preferred. Flexable 15-20 hrs wk. Depending on Experience Salary $15-$18 hr. w/ 90 day probation. Email resume: hegwoodjamie@gmail.com

SERVICES FOR YOU

CARGO BICYCLES Custom Built, Hand Crafted. For You/ Business In Oak Cliff. 214-205-4205. oakcliffcargobicycles.com

DISH TV Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 months) Save! Regular Price $34.99. Ask About Free Same Day Installation. Call Now. 877-477-9659

Small things happen here

Neighborhood residents Ryan and Stephanie Behring made an “s,” “m” and “a” for their Halloween costume as tourists, inspired by the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau’s “BIG” campaign. They used the prop to highlight one of their favorite small businesses, Oak Cliff Mexican Food To Go at 1015 Vermont. Pictured are owner Lupe Hernandez and his son, Peter. The restaurant has been in their family for 50 years.

SERVICES FOR YOU

GLORIA’S FLOWERS The Finest Flowers for Any Occasion 214-339-9273 gloriasflowersdallas.com 3101 Davis St.

LEGAL

A FREE CONSULTATION Wills/Probate/Guardianships. MaryGlennAttorney.com 214-802-6768

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

JAMES H. DOLAN, MA, L.P.C. Therapist, Executive Coach 214-629-6315. Individuals, couples & teens. LGBT Mobile. SEO Friendly. Maintainable.

NEED A NEW WEBSITE? AdvocateWebDesign.com 214.292.2053

PET SERVICES

GREEN PET DELIVERS FREE TO OAK CLIFF All natural dog/ cat food, treats/supplies. 214-942-6042, greenpetdallas.com

SMART DOG DALLAS Daycare, Boarding, Training, Chauffeur. 214-884-7529

In-Home Professional Care Customized to maintain your pet’s routine In-Home Pet Visits & Daily Walks “Best of Dallas” D Magazine Serving the Dallas area since 1994 Bonded & Insured www.societypetsitter.com 214-821-3900

BUY/SELL/TRADE

DONATE YOUR CAR FOR BREAST CANCER Help United Breast Foundation education, prevention, support programs. Fast free pickup. 24 Hour response. Tax deduction. 855-403-0213

SHARE FRONT ROW

Texas Rangers, Stars & Mavs seats. Tickets are available in sets of 10 games (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available). Participants randomly draw numbers prior to season to determine a draft order fair to everyone. Call 214-560-4212 or rwamre@advocatemag.com LocalWorks.advocatemag.com

AC & HEAT

EXTERIOR CLEANING

G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925

FENCING & DECKS

#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

Family Owned & Operated

Serving the Dallas area for over 30 years

4 QUALITY FENCING Call Mike 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.

FENCING & WOODWORK oldgatefence.com charliehookerswoodwork.com 214-766-6422

GARAGE SERVICES

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES

Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

EAST DALLAS WINDOW CLEANING Power Wash. Free Est. Dependable. Derek. 214-360-0120

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HOLIDAY DECORATING

HOME INSPECTION

972-274-2157

www.CrestAirAndHeat.com

We raise our kids here, too! TACLB29169E

CABINETRY & FURNITURE

JD’S TREE SERVICE Mantels, Headboards, Kitchen Islands, Dining tables. Made from Local Trees. www.jdtreeservice.com 214-946-7138

CLEANING SERVICES

AFFORDABLE, PROFESSIONAL CLEANING

A Clean You Can Trust

Staff trained by Nationally Certified Cleaning Tech. Chemical-free, Green, or Traditional Cleaning. WindsorMaidServices.com 214-381-MAID (6243)

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp.

Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

CONCRETE/ MASONRY/PAVING

ALL EPOXY COATINGS, CONCRETE

Countertops, Stamping, Staining & Designs, Floor Demo and Overlays

Landscape Designs Call 214-916-8368

BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319

BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174

CONCRETE REPAIRS/REPOURS

Demo existing. Stamping and Staining

Driveways/Patio/Walkways

Pattern/Color available Free Estimates 972-672-5359 (32 yrs.)

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

ANNA’S ELECTRIC Your Oak Cliff Electrician Since 1978. tecl25513. 214-943-4890

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com

50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333

TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

HANNAWOODWORKS.COM

Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers. 214-435-9574

EST. 1991 #1

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates

cowboyfenceandiron.com

Tip:

HANDYMAN SERVICES

A R&G HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

Prepare Pipes for Winter

Wrapping exposed pipes in foam rubber sleeves can help prevent freezing and bursting of pipes. LocalWorks.advocatemag.com

HOUSE PAINTING

MANNY’S HOME PAINTING & REMODEL Int./Ext. Sheetrock. Manny 214-334-2160

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS LLC

Complete Kitchen And Bath Remodels. Tile, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Slate. Insured. 214-563-5035

www.blake-construction.com

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. 972-276-9943.stoneage.dennis@verizon.net

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

Complete Full Service Repairs, Remodeling, Restoration. Name It — We do it. Tommy. Insured. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

LocalWorks.advocatemag.com

FLOORING & CARPETING

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645

THE TEXAN FLOORING SERVICES Wood, Laminate. Remodel Showers, Bathrooms. thetexanflooringservices.com 214-680-0901

Willeford

HANDYMAN SERVICES

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

HONEST, SKILLED SERVICE With a Smile. General Repairs/ Maintenance. 214-215-2582

Your Home Repair Specialists

Drywall Doors

Senior Safety

Carpentry

Small & Odd Jobs And More! 972-308-6035

HandymanMatters.com/dallas

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 12 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925

DALLAS GROUNDSKEEPER Comprehensive services designed to meet your

214-504-6788 dallasgroundskeeper.com

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061

LSI LAWN SPRINKLERS “Making Water Work”

Irrigation system Service & Repair. Specializing In Older Copper Systems. LI #13715. 214-283-4673

U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Your Personal Yard Service by Uwe Reisch uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

YOUR TREES could look like a WORK OF ART, I Guarantee It.

DECEMBER SPECIAL

$200 OFF 4 man crew/4 hours

ust Trees

Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444

JD’s Tree Service

RESPONSIBLE TREE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Locally harvested wood!

REMODELING

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Build On Your Own Lot. Insured. www.blake-construction.com 214-563-5035

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645

O’BRIEN GROUP INC. Remodeling Dallas For Over 17 Years www.ObrienGroupInc.com 214-341-1448

RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247

ROOFING & GUTTERS

BERT ROOFING INC.

Firewood/Cooking Wood Full service trimming & planting of native trees. 214.946.7138

MOVING

AM MOVING COMPANY Specialty Moving & Delivery.469-278-2304 ammovingcompany.com

PEST CONTROL

A BETTER EARTH PEST CONTROL

Keeping the environment, kids, pets in mind. Organic products avail. 972-564-2495

MCDANIEL PEST CONTROL

Prices Start at $85 + Tax For General Treatment.

Average Home-Interior/Exterior & Attached Garage. Quotes For Other Services.

214-328-2847. Lakewood Resident

PLUMBING

AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943

ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521

# M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. plumberiffic69@gmail.com

Sewers • Drains • Bonded 24 Hours/7 Days

*Joe Faz 214-794-7566 - Se Habla Español*

ARRIAGA PLUMBING: General Plumbing

Since the 80’s. Insured. Lic# M- 20754 214-321-0589, 214-738-7116, CC’s accepted.

M&S PLUMBING Quality Work & Prompt Service. Jerry. 214-235-2172. lic.#M-11523

NTX PLUMBING SPEC. LLLP 214-226-0913

Lic. M-40581 Res/Com. Repairs & Leak Location

214-328-7371

MetroFlowPlumbing.com

Lic.# M16620

Family owned and operated for over 40 years • Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates www.bertroofing.com

A MISSING PERSON, A HIDDEN BODY AND REAL ESTATE FRAUD

Where is Ronald Shumway?

The strange case of the missing Oak Cliff man, a body buried in his backyard and possibly fraudulent real estate documents began to unravel in October.

The Dallas Police Department in late October announced Shumway had been missing since April 23.

But Shumway’s house at 725 N. Winnetka sold in June, when his signature appeared on real estate documents. Also, either Shumway or someone posing as him posted missives to his Facebook page in late April and early May.

Sean Chien, a residential investor, bought the house from Shumway in June. He said in a phone interview that Shumway was present at the closing. Shown a picture of the missing man, however, Chien texted, “that’s not him.” An unidentified source inside the Dallas Police Department told NBCDFW that Shumway’s signature was forged on the documents. Patricia Bramhall of Chicago Title, who notarized Shumway’s signature on real estate documents in June, has not returned calls seeking comment.

Ownership of the house rapidly changed hands several times over the course of the summer, usually in cash sales. Records also show that someone paid off an existing lien of $56,900 the day before the sale closed on the house in June.

A home investor working on the house at 725 N. Winnetka in September uncovered a human body while digging up a concrete slab in the backyard. The body has not been identified yet, according to the Dallas Police Department. —Rachel Stone

| CRIME NUMBERS |

1500

block of East Woodin, near the Cedar Crest Golf Course, where a homeowner was killed during a home invasion

3:30 a.m.

on Nov. 5 the police were called to the home where 44-year-old Cecil Williams Jr. lay critically injured in the front yard. He later died

27-year-old

Obra Louis London, known as “Lil Man,” was wanted as a suspect in the crime. Police say the attacker was known to the victims, who also included Williams’ wife, who was beaten, and a small child who was home but uninjured at the time of the attack

SOURCE Dallas Police Department

SHOPPING ON THE BOULEVARD

Oak Cliff went from a shopping destination to a retail ghost town

COMMENT. Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/backstory to tell us what you think.

The Sears & Roebuck Co. on South Lamar in Dallas compared only to the retail giant’s headquarters in Chicago. By 1915, it comprised tens of thousands of square feet in a three-building retail/ warehouse complex, which served customers across the region.

Sears opened its second Dallas store at 303 W. Jefferson at Bishop in 1928, on the ground floor of what is now the Jefferson Tower. It was among the company’s first suburban stores, the start of a trend that would shape suburban America. Sears would be the largest re-

tailer, and one of the longest lasting, in the history of Jefferson Boulevard.

Business was so good at Sears on Jefferson that within the first year, it moved out of its original 9,000-squarefoot space — today the Family Dollar store — into a larger space on the opposite end of the building, Jefferson at Madison, adding clothing, shoes, fabric and sewing supplies. The store also had a drugstore, toiletries, furniture, sporting goods, sewing machines, bicycles, paint, hardware and hen-keeping supplies.

Sears operated at that location for almost 20 years before it built a three-story 65,000-square-foot building on Jefferson at Llewellyn, which opened in 1948.

The same year, J.C. Penney opened a store at 425 W. Jefferson, now a Famsa store. Also that year, homegrown Hunt’s Department Store moved from its location at 611 E. Jefferson, a former dry-goods store in Oak Cliff’s original downtown, to the old Sears space, on Jefferson at Madison.

These department stores helped other retailers — Rick’s Furniture, Zales

jewelry store, high-end men’s clothier Roland Ellis and many more shops — to thrive on the boulevard. The Jefferson Boulevard commercial district was a shopping destination, serving Oak Cliff and southern Dallas County for decades.

The end of that era came in the mid-1970s.

Red Bird Mall opened in 1975 with Sears and J.C. Penney as its anchors. The Sears store on Jefferson closed; Penney’s hung onto its Jefferson location for a few years, but then it closed too.

in glassed-in, climate-controlled quarters inside the children’s area.

Montgomery Ward opened its second Dallas store at Wynnewood Village in 1961. Titche-Goettinger, which opened its first store in 1902 in downtown’s Wilson Building, closed its Wynnewood Village store sometime in the 1960s. Plans for a new $5-million Titche’s building in the Village Fair shopping center at Interstate 35 and Loop 12 never materialized. A brand-new Penney’s, “one of the company’s largest and most modern in the nation,” also was planned for Village Fair in the late ’60s. But that shopping center, now Big T Bazaar, didn’t open until 1972, about seven years after it was first announced. Penney’s put one of three experimental discount stores there in the mid-1970s, but Village Fair never took off as a major retail center.

Rick’s Furniture moved into the massive Sears building, which is now the site of Fiesta grocery store.

Colbert-Volk department store closed its Jefferson location after a fire in 1976, but the Volk’s at Wynnewood Village had opened in 1951 and would last into the 1980s. The one-story, 20,000-square-foot Volk’s famously kept four woolly monkeys

Like most urban areas of America in the 1970s, Oak Cliff’s department stores moved out to suburban malls. For Oak Cliff, that meant to Westcliff Mall, which opened on Hampton at Ledbetter in the 1960s and poached Zales from Jefferson Boulevard. And it meant to Red Bird Mall, now known as Southwest Center Mall. That mall saw its heyday in the 1980s, but is still open with Macy’s, Burlington Coat Factory and, to this day, Sears.

—Rachel Stone

Like most urban areas of America in the 1970s, Oak Cliff’s department stores moved out to suburban malls.

Opposite page: A 1950s photo shows the Hunt’s Department store on Jefferson at Madison. Hunt’s took that space after Sears moved to its building on Jefferson at Llewellyn in 1948. (Photo courtesy of the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League)

Right: A vintage postcard shows the Sears & Roebuck Co. Complex on South Lamar.