2016 February Oak Cliff

Rick Stacy and his daughter, Dorian, have built a name for their furniture business by making customers feel at home. When they experienced that same style of service from LegacyTexas, they knew the right financial partner had been found. Because a business is more than its services, it’s the attitude of the people behind it that makes it a success.

WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY?

RICK STACY Founder, Stacy Furniture DORIAN STACY SIMS President

that’s

Radiation oncologist Dr. Michael Folkert and other members of our genitourinary cancer team are treating select prostate cancer patients with a technique that delivers a more potent dose of radiation in fewer treatments. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, SABR for short, 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 or visit utswmedicine.org/radonc

This is where prostate cancer can be eradicated in just five treatments.

LIFE MEASURED IN DUMPLINGS AND SUPER BOWLS

Making our dwindling time count

I’ve always wondered about the wisdom of scheduling Valentine’s Day less than two months after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

We’ve just completed one orgy of gatherings and good will, and then another similarly critical event is thrust upon us.

If we participated at all in the loving and gift-giving at the end of the year, and if we did it with the prescribed amount of gusto, what gift is left for those who mean the most to us on Valentine’s Day?

By the time most of us reach our mid-30s, he concludes, we’ve burned through 95 percent of our in-person parent time

I was thinking about this while doing my job, a good part of which involves endlessly scanning the Internet, other magazines and newspapers looking for ideas about how to make ours better. I prefer to think of it as multi-tasking, but I suppose you could consider it dereliction of duty since most of this personal “thinking” seems to occur during work hours.

Regardless, I stumbled across the enewsletter “Charlotte Agenda” published by a small crew in North Carolina and dedicated to covering the city of Charlotte (it’s similar to a free one we publish for our neighborhood that you can subscribe to at advocatemag.com/social).

I read the Charlotte Agenda from time to time not because it’s attractive or flashy, like so much of what catches our attention on the

Internet these days, but because the writing is unique: one of the three writers seems full of himself, one seems to revel in being a wordsmith and the third flashes the rare ability to think and write at the same time.

This day she’s talking about the Internet site “Wait But Why,” and she’s pondering a specific article there about “The Tail End” in which writer Tim Urban quantifies by diagrams exactly how far along most of us are in our journey through life.

He starts by calculating the projected number of pizzas and dumplings he has left to eat. And there’s discussion about the number of Super Bowls he’ll likely still live to see (he assumes 60) and the number of presidents he may yet survive (nine).

But then he tilts more seriously: By the time most of us reach our mid-30s, he concludes, we’ve burned through 95 percent of our in-person parent time, meaning well before the presumed middle of our lives, we have relatively little time left to spend with our parents, if we’re lucky enough that they’re still alive.

Same with siblings: We go from spending every day with them for the first 18 or so years of our life to seeing them occasionally or rarely or not at all.

And so he concludes that if these things matter to us, we should make it a point to live near and spend time with the people we love most. And if we truly are in the last 10 percent of time we’ll spend with these people who mean the most to us, we should treat that time as the precious commodity it is, rather than worry too much about spending money on roses, chocolates and expensive meals on a fairly artificial holiday.

So maybe the person who scheduled Valentine’s Day was thinking clearly after all, making a date regularly associated with love for others to follow so closely after a season that seems to have moved far from its intended meaning.

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DIGITAL DIGEST

WHAT YOU’RE MISSING

Construction to begin on Kidd Springs Park aquatics center Oak Cliff celebrity to grand marshal Mardi Gras parade

Lula B’s antiques moving to Oak Cliff

DISD plan would send some Rosemont students to Hogg, Reagan

Teen recants story about Lake Cliff Park rape

THE DIALOGUE

Texas’ open carry law goes into effect

“In fact, Texas will have the largest number of urban areas with open carry. In other states like Colorado the residents of Denver were able to opt out of open carry by popular vote. In other open carry states like New York, New York City was specifically exempted in state statute. Texas has the most extreme open carry law in the nation. Open carry is not a second amendment right and I proudly voted against it. I don’t want strange men walking down my street brandishing guns while my daughters are riding bikes or playing outside. I know you don’t either.” — Rep.

Rafael Anchia

“If the police pull up on a active shooter scenario how are they going to know who is whom?” — Jason Ramos

“Neutral and factual reporting. So rare these days. I support the open carrying of firearms by law abiding members of this community.”

— David El Belicoso Rodriguez

“What could possibly go wrong?” — Steve

WANT MORE?

Hunter

(Photos by Danny Fulgencio)

It’s all in the spine

An old-school trade in the digital world

Bookbinding is about as common nowadays as typewriter repair.

There are a few who still do it, but none working in such stylish digs as Oak Cliff’s own, The Book Doctor.

The Book Doctor’s original owner, Julie Schleier, started it 20 years ago in the kitchen of her Oak Cliff home. She later moved it to a space in Uptown and then the Bishop Arts District. Schleier’s employee, Candice McKay, bought the business six years ago, and last year, she moved it to a light-filled corner space in the 1920s retail building on West Davis at Edgefield.

“I have always really liked this building, as a lot of people have, and I live two blocks away,” McKay says.

The Book Doctor’s clientele is diverse. It crafts binding for new works: family histories, dissertations and corporate annual reports, for example.

But book restoration makes up the bulk of the work. Old family Bibles are among the most common restoration jobs. And there are many other projects — children’s storybooks, recipe books and yearbooks, for example — the values of which typically are far more sentimental than monetary.

It also has clients who are book collectors, particularly those who are just beginning to pursue a collection. If they bring McKay a book that has some wear, she can restore it enough at least to maintain if not increase its value.

“People in this area collect really interesting things in thoughtful ways,” she says. “It’s nice to get a peek into that. I’m not a collector; I don’t have that in my personality. So it’s nice to see other people’s collections.”

The Book Doctor recently produced “presentation boxes” for rare Audubon prints, for example.

McKay learned bookbinding for fun one winter in New Haven, Conn., where she worked for several years at Yale University Press.

She began working for The Book Doctor when she and her husband moved to Dallas 10 years ago. The craft of bookbinding is inspiring, but it can be hard to estimate how long a restoration will take.

Disjoining a book can be like creating a puzzle; putting it back together takes craft and artistry. The Book Doctor has two professional artists on staff who can paint a book spine to match the original cover design, among other magical strokes. They use letterpress to emboss words onto new leather covers and spines. They use highquality supplies, including Scotland-based J. Hewitt & Sons’ calf leather, Harmatan goatskin from England and acid-free Japanese paper.

“One reason there aren’t more book binders or restoration studios out in the open is the overhead is so high between the cost of running a business and the materials,” McKay says.

Schleier had an accounting background, so she managed the business very well. And since there are so few bookbinders, The Book Doctor stays very busy.

Since the workshop has been in its new, much more visible space, McKay estimates they get about 20 walk-ins a month.

“I think someone recommended us at a party,” she says. “We’ve been getting a ton of work from the neighborhood, and everyone’s been really nice.”

—Rachel Stone

THE BOOK DOCTOR’S TIPS FOR MAINTAINING OLD BOOKS:

• Keep them dusted and well-supported on a shelf.

• Big books should be laid flat and never up on their spines.

• Keep them out of the sun and away from heating vents.

• Leather books should be treated with a leather conditioner that doesn’t contain neatsfoot oil.

• Never use petroleum-based products on leather books. As McKay puts it: “If you have to go to the bathroom or the garage to get it, it probably doesn’t belong in your book.”

For decades now, Dave PerryMiller Real Estate agents have not only represented buyers and sellers seeking to deepen their family’s Oak Cliff roots, but have put down roots here as well.

If you’d like to leave your own legacy in Oak Cliff, call us today to learn more about our properties of distinction.

Out & About

Send events to editor@advocatemag.com

February 2016

Feb. 7

Mardi Gras parade

Legendary bluesman and Oak Cliff son Jimmie Vaughan is grand marshal of the big Oak Cliff Mardi Gras parade, which starts at 2 p.m. The parade got its start in 2008 with a few floats and a few hundred people in Bishop Arts. And now it’s one of the biggest celebrations of the year. The parade travels from Davis at Windomere to the Bishop Arts District and features fantastic floats, marching bands and tons of beads and candy. Neighbors should walk or ride bikes when possible because this little shindig now draws thousands of people from all over the Dallas area.

FEB. 2

‘The Tuskegee Airmen’

The first Tuesday social justice film celebrates African American History Month with the story of the first black U.S. fighter groups in World War II, “The Tuskegee Airmen,” starring Laurence Fishbourne. The film starts at 7 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff, 3839 W. Kiest, 214.337.2429, firsttuesdayfilms.org, free

FEB. 6

Masquerade ball

This night of dancing and partying at the Kessler Theater calls for tuxes, evening gowns and glamorous Mardi Gras masks. Admission includes heavy hors d’oeuvres. Club Wood and Ice House perform. VIP tickets include a table for two upstairs ($150) or a table for four near the dance floor ($300).

The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis, 214.272.8346, thekessler.org, $60-$300

FEB. 6

Dash for the Beads

The sixth annual Good Space Dash for the Beads 5k race and 1-mile fun run starts at 9:30 a.m. at Kidd Springs Park and follows a route through Kessler Park. Last year’s event drew 2,500 participants and raised more than $22,000 for neighborhood schools.

Kidd Springs Park, 711 W. Canty, dashforthebeads.org, $20-$45

FEB. 14

A love story about art

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with “Herb and Dorothy,” the 2008 documentary about unassuming art buyers Herb and Dorothy Vogel, a U.S. Postal Service worker and librarian, respectively. The couple amassed one of the most important post1960s art collections in existence.

The Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson, 214.948.1546

(Photo by Elliott Muñoz)

FEB. 25-MARCH 6

One-act play festival

Only about 22 percent of all plays produced in the United States are written by women, according to a 2015 Dramatist Guild/Lilly Awards survey. When Theresa Coleman Wash of TeCo Theatrical Productions saw that, she decided to produce “Down for the Count,” a one-act play festival featuring six plays by female writers.

Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler, 214.948.0716, tecotheater.org, $18-$25

FEB. 27

Flaco Jimenez

Max Baca and Los Texmaniacs return to the Kessler this month, and they’re bringing along a Texas treasure, Flaco Jimenez.

The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis, thekessler.org, $28-$42

Feb. 17

Pump and dump

Get a sitter and laugh so you won’t cry at “The Pump and Dump: A Parentally Incorrect Comedy Show and Night Out, For Once.” It’s a night of comedy and music from Denver-based comedian/ musician Shayna Ferm and her sidekick, MC Doula (a.k.a. Tracey Tee).

The Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis, thekessler.org, $20-$30

3635 Cripple Creek Dr. Dallas, TX 75224

SOLD!

Mid-Century Design

3/2/2 2,414 sqft

Above Ground Pool Corner Lot 133’ x 125’

3927 Lost Creek Dr. Dallas, TX 75224

SOLD!

3/2/2 1828sqft Lot 70’ x 123’

Delicious

EL TAXQUEÑO TAQUERÍA

207 W. Suffolk at Zang 469.458.3901

AMBIANCE: TAQUERÍA

PRICE RANGE: $3-$8

HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY, 7 A.M.-8 P.M.; SUNDAY, CLOSED

DID YOU KNOW?

EL TAXQUEÑO HAS A VOLLEYBALL NET OUT BACK.

Monroy came to the United States at 15 where he found work as a dishwasher. In the course of a career spanning nearly 40 years, he worked his way up to cook and pastry chef in fine dining restaurants including the Tower Club and Bob’s Steak and Chop House at the Omni Dallas Hotel. His longtime dream came true last year when he and his family opened a restaurant in a former gas station on Zang. All of the recipes at Taxqueño are Monroy’s. He blends his own spices and makes four kinds of salsa — a red and a green that go with chips as well as red and green salsas that go with tacos. Monroy’s wife of more than 30 years, Maria, makes corn tortillas, gorditas and sopes by hand. And her recipe for ribs — costillas en verdes — is on the menu as well. Three Monroy daughters — 30-year-old Virginia, 22-year-old Alicia and 19-year-old Amanda — all work in the restaurant when not at work or school. Grandson Ricky, 16, also works there after school. The name Taxqueño pays homage to Amado and Maria’s hometown, Taxco, in Guerrero, Mexico. They open at 7 a.m. serving breakfast tacos, and keep cooking through lunch and dinner. Amado and Maria often are there until 10 p.m. or later, cleaning and prepping for the next day. “I don’t know how they do it,” daughter Virginia says. “Their work ethic is amazing.” But Maria says she doesn’t mind the hours. “It’s fun because all the family is here,” she says. —Rachel Stone

Amado

From top: Lengua, chicken, bistek and pastor tacos. (Photo by Kathy Tran)

TACO TIME: FOUR MORE TERRIFIC TAQUERÍAS

Taco Rico No. 2

Texas Monthly recently named Taco Rico No. 2’s taco al vapor de deshebrada (that’s a steamed taco with shredded beef) one of the 120 tacos you must eat before you die. And one never knows when she could be hit by a bus, so hurry on over.

2850 W. Clarendon Drive

214.623.0885

El Tizoncito

This Mexico City-style taquería also made the Texas Monthly list for its chuleta con queso or pork chop taco with Monterey cheese, but everything on the menu is delicious, and we dream about the choriqueso.

3404 W. Illinois Ave. 214-330-0839 eltizoncitous.com

Tacoqueta

Great tacos, delicious salsa and excellent service are the hallmarks of this cute taco joint on Clarendon at Hampton. Try the volcan, a corn tortilla topped with melted cheese, meat, onions, cilantro and salsa.

2324 W. Clarendon Drive

214.943.9991 tacoqueta.com

Fito’s Tacos de Trompo

The specialty at this locally owned chain is trompo de puerco, marinated pork cooked on a spit and served in tacos.

3113 W. Davis and three other Oak Cliff locations

214.429.7458

VALENTINE’S PRIX FIXE MENU

SIX COURSE DINNER FOR TWO INCLUDES A BOTTLE OF WINE AND A CUSTOM FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

Curry and Coconut Milk Kabocha Squash Soup

1/2 Doz. Kumamoto Oysters on the Half-Shell / Yuzu Granita

Brandy Duck Breast in Steamed Buns

Tuna / Salmon / Yellowtail Nigiri Sushi / Xalapa Roll

Two Sake-Steamed Lobster Tails / Soy Butter and Grilled Angus Tenderloin / Roasted Petite Vegetables

Passionfruit Crème Brûlée

Restaurant & Bakery

Southern style comfort food and New York style deli favorites ready for you every day. Open 7 days.

One90 Smoked Meats

Offering bbq combo plates, sandwiches, tacos, sides, desserts & a wide variety of locally smoked meats, including Brisket, Bison, Turkey, Chicken, Pork, Salmon, Duck, Lamb & Tenderloins.

Hours: Mon. Closed , Tues.-Sat. 11am-8pm Sun. 11am-5pm

N.Y. DELICATESSEN RESTAURANT & BAKERY

While you were sleeping, they were hard at work

When the night grows dark and the moon glows bright, most of us cuddle between the sheets. But for some, the day begins when everyone else is asleep. They say it never feels quite normal staying up all night, but their jobs require them to keep vampire hours.

Baristas Daniel Martinez and Nate McCabe assess the quality of espresso and drip coffee before Davis Street Espresso opens.

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NIGHT SHIF T

THIS PAGE: Barista Daniel Martinez arrives to work at Davis Street Espresso before 5:30 a.m. Having a strange work schedule is worth it for the love of coffee and serving customers, he says.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Martinez possesses a developed palate for coffee, and he’s constantly tasting espresso pulls for quality control.

Story by Rachel Stone

Photos by Danny Fulgencio

THE BARISTA

IF DANIEL MARTINEZ gets out of bed even a minute late, it throws his whole day off.

The 20-year-old college students rises exactly at 4:30 a.m., gets ready for work and drives from Duncanville to Oak Cliff, where he is a barista at Davis Street Espresso. He arrives before 5:30 a.m.

“I try to be early just because I don’t like to rush,” he says. By 5:40, he starts the coffee, and at 5:50, the second barista arrives.

Once everything else is ready, they taste the first espresso shots of the day for quality control.

When customers begin rolling in around 6 a.m., Martinez knows their faces, their names and their drinks, especially for the early morning regulars. Jenny is a cappuccino. Desiree, espresso.

As he gets to know Starbucks customers who prefer very sugary drinks, he tries to wean them off of vanilla syrup and appreciate how coffee tastes. He suggests using two lumps of sugar instead of three. He recom-

mends a chai latte for a customer who isn’t that into coffee.

“There is trust involved,” he says. “I like talking about coffee and educating people about coffee.”

Martinez and his coworker, Nate McCabe, say they never eat breakfast before work.

“There’s no time,” McCabe says.

They taste coffee, an appetite suppressant, throughout their shifts. Sometimes they snack. But usually, they haven’t had a meal at the time they clock out.

Twice a week, Martinez works 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. or sometimes as late as 3:30. Usually there is a nap and then evening activities. He’s a leader in the young adult group at his church, Vida Dallas.

“If I’m not home by 9 p.m., it’s going to be a rough day,” he says.

McCabe, who recently graduated with a master’s degree from the University of Dallas, has a roommate who works an evening retail job and also likes to party.

“There have been a few times when I’m leaving from work, and he’s still up,” he says. “And vice versa, where I’m coming home from work, and he’s just starting his day.”

Martinez and McCabe both say having a regular sleep schedule is impossible. Having a good alarm clock is a must — phones aren’t reliable enough. They take naps, and they learn to live with a little sleep deprivation.

They do it because they love coffee, and they love the people, Martinez says.

“I love that I can give someone a cup, and they’re like ‘Wow, this is so good,’” he says. “People look forward to coffee. It’s an important part of their day.”

McCabe says he prefers the mornings in wintertime. It’s dark when he arrives and gradually the sun begins to come up over West Davis.

“We get to see the sun rise,” he says. “It’s nice to see the light change throughout the morning, and it’s like the whole room changes.”

“We get to see the sun rise. It’s nice to see the light change throughout the morning, and it’s like the whole room changes.”

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SHIFT

“I decorated here instead of my house. This is a huge part of my life.”

THE BARTENDER

EVEN ON HIS DAYS OFF, Steven Geer usually finds a barstool at Barbara’s Pavilion.

Geer landed his first bartending gig 25 years ago, and he’s worked at Barbara’s twice. Previous owners fired him in 2005 for walking out during a shift, but he was rehired three years later and never left.

Like many who have worked at Barbara’s or owned a piece of it, he describes Oak Cliff’s oldest bar as his living room. Geer, who also is a singer, points to Christmas stockings and tinsel garlands.

“I decorated here instead of my house,” he says. “This is a huge part of my life.”

Dan Friessen, a Barbara’s co-owner for

the past eight years, manages Barbara’s and is always there. He says he does take days off, but Barbara’s is his home. This dive bar, famous for its karaoke and chill vibe, is where his friends and chosen family are. It’s his whole life.

A typical day for Friessen starts around noon. He’s always at Barbara’s by 3 p.m. at latest to open up at 4. On a slow night, you’ll find him on his laptop at one end of the bar. When friends arrive, he teases them, makes them laugh and makes them drinks.

In Friessen’s eight years at Barbara’s, there’s been only one fight, after a gay guy bought a drink for the wrong straight guy.

Occasionally things become rowdy, even shouty. There are times when the over imbibed are cut off and, if they are jerks about it, ejected. But that is all very rare, Friessen says.

Most of the time, it’s all karaoke and coolness.

Friessen typically finds a pack of latenighters on the Pav’s back porch around last call. At 2 a.m., it’s time to kick everyone out. Not an easy job considering these are his friends and this is his back yard.

“The other night I dreamed it was 2 a.m., and I couldn’t get anyone to leave,” he says. “I usually have my security do it.”

Left: Barbara’s bartender Steven Geer. Above: The Karaoke at Barbara’s is legendary.

Bottom: Geer pours a drink during his shift at Barbara’s. He often hangs out there even on his days off.

S HIF T

THE NURSE

GAYLENE WILHELM steps swiftly in bright pink Nike Air Max sneakers through the shiny halls of the Neurocritical Care Unit at Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

It is early, before 7 p.m., and her day has just begun.

She’s the charge nurse for the 34-bed unit, which almost always is full.

At 53, she’s been a nurse for 26 years, and she’s worked in this unit for 12 of those.

This unit, housed in the hospital’s new Charles A. Sammons Trauma and Critical Care Tower, treats patients who have had strokes, aneurysms and spinal surgeries.

There are tragedies. Unbearably young stroke patients. Those who don’t wake up from comas, who likely won’t get better.

But there are astoundingly joyful moments too. There are patients who receive the clot-busting drug known as TPA in time to restore their brain to normalcy within

hours following a stroke. There are some who struggle for months and years but eventually win their brains and bodies back.

Wilhelm’s strength is in helping families with their concerns.

“You see them at their worst,” she says.

Walking family members of patients through procedures and explaining every step of the way eases their minds a little, she says. Even neurology patients who are awake sometimes are not all there. Brain healing can take a long time.

“It’s so hard for them to see that things will get better,” she says. “Of course, only the dear Lord above knows whether that’s going to happen.”

All of the nurses in the neuro unit work 12-hour shifts, and Wilhelm works 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. three days a week. She lives about 140 miles from Dallas in Wichita Falls. Once a week, she puts her truck in drive for two and

a half hours, directly to the hospital. When her shift is over, she bunks with another nurse, Melinda Cox, who owns a home in Kessler Park. At the end of her third shift, she puts it in drive again all the way home.

Wilhelm, who is married with four dogs, says she doesn’t require much sleep. She doesn’t drink coffee, and she’s not a big eater. She has a meal before her shift and then she might have an apple or an orange overnight. She guesses she walks about 9 miles every shift in those Nike sneakers, and she says compression stockings are a must. Without them, her legs wear out before dawn.

She says neuro patient don’t always sleep well, and their internal clocks are usually off. So the night shift is never quiet.

“You’re always busy,” she says. “Any time something happens to the head, they’re always very needy patients.”

“It’s so hard for them to see that things will get better. Of course, only the dear Lord above knows whether that’s going to happen.”

Gaylene Wilhelm

THE ARENA RIGGER

MICHAEL DILGER wants to work 100 jobs before he dies.

He’s been a restaurant facilities manager, a truck driver, a landscaper, the gatekeeper at a state park and a short-order cook at Larry’s Family Restaurant in The Colony, to name a few.

His full-time hat for the past year-anda-half has been that of arena rigger. The 34-year-old Dilger is an independent contractor who works for companies that engineer the lights and sound for concerts and events at the American Airlines Center, Gexa Pavilion, Verizon Theater at Grand Prairie and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

For a typical job at the AAC, he arrives at 4 a.m. and works 130 feet off the ground, walking on a 4-inch-wide beam, balancing his body to pull heavy lights up from guys on the ground. Around noon, when they finish, he grabs a meal and maybe a nap before returning at 9 p.m. to run spotlights during the show and then tear everything down. If there’s another show at the AAC or elsewhere, he turns around immediately to work that. Working 9 p.m. to noon the following day is common. Sometimes riggers can nap during shifts, when things are slow. At the AAC, there is a platform above the scoreboard that serves as the riggers’ lounge, Dilger says.

They’re used to working back-to-back shifts in their desirable field of work.

“You can’t say ‘no’ because if you say ‘no’ just once, they bump you down on the call list,” Dilger says. “There’s always someone gunning for your job.”

Besides that, he says, “it’s feast or famine.” He has to book jobs when he can because there could be lulls that last for weeks.

Dilger always is prepared when working overnights. Aside from the tools he needs for work, he has in his truck Clementine oranges, a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and an ice chest with milk and a case of Shiner Bock beer.

Bars close at 2 a.m., and riggers work at least until 4 in the morning.

“That’s our happy hour,” he says.

Finding a meal at 4 a.m. also can be a challenge.

“I’ve fallen in love with Oak Cliff’s 24hour restaurants,” Cesar’s Taco’s and Metro Diner, he says.

The biggest perk of the job is seeing all the concerts. Dilger has seen Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Muse, Lady Gaga and Juan Gabriel, the 65-year-old Mexican mega star

known for entering stage on horseback. He once had dinner at the same table as Stevie Wonder.

Recently, he went on a six-city tour with Russian/German electronic musician Zedd. His next goal is to get picked up for a world tour.

Whether it’s that or something new, we know Dilger’s next job won’t involve sitting at a desk.

“I love things that give me an adrenaline rush,” he says. “If I don’t sweat at work, I don’t feel like I’ve had a good day.”

Michael Dilger

Play ball, look good

Generations of young athletes have suited up at Buddy’s

Story by Rachel Stone | Photos by Danny Fulgencio

When Gerry Clark and Myron Hudson bought Buddy’s Sporting Goods in 1994, the business already had nearly two decades on West Jefferson.

Buddy’s specializes in youth athletic uniforms, and Hudson had been a pee-wee football coach and customer of the store when its original owner, Roy Massey, died. Clark,

a graduate of Grambling State University, took a buyout from the oil and gas company where he had worked for 18 years. The partners quickly decided to buy the business and the 1920 building at 123 W. Jefferson.

“If the real estate hadn’t been a part of it, we wouldn’t have bought it,” Clark says.

In those pre-Internet days of the mid-

1990s, they had one big competitor, a sporting goods store in Desoto. A couple of years after buying Buddy’s on Jefferson, Clark and Hudson opened a second Buddy’s in Duncanville, cornering the market on custom team uniforms in Oak Cliff and the southern suburbs and defeating their main competitor.

Things have changed. Buddy’s now competes with every sporting goods retailer the world over, via the Internet.

The partners bought Buddy’s during the last of the glory days for small retailers.

Consider the 100 block of West Jefferson as it stood in 1994. On the corner at Beckley, there was another sporting goods store, Smitty’s, which specialized in gear for camping, fishing and hunting. Next to that, where La Hechizera tortas is now, was a barbecue place. Where El Rincon Tapatio restaurant is now was a TV repair shop. Next to that, where there is a dollar store now, was a hosiery shop. Yes, a 3,000-square-foot store exclusively selling pantyhose. That’s hard to fathom in the era when an Amazon drone could deliver hot-pink tights to your door within hours. Outdoor sports mega retailer Bass Pro Shops is a weekend destination. And TVs are made to last and then be replaced.

None of those old businesses seem viable now, but Buddy’s remains.

Buddy’s does enjoy some generational loyalty. Parents and grandparents who bought uniforms, tape, helmets and socks there as kids now bring their own children’s team business to Buddy’s. But Clark says it also can be hard to keep up with the generational turnover. For every peewee football team that ages up to high school, a market that Buddy’s does not have a hold on, a new peewee team of 5-to-7 year olds is starting. Clark and Hudson have to seek those parents’ business before they lose it to the web.

“Today’s generation is so Internet focused,” Clark says. “They don’t even think about us.”

Gerry Clark stands at the custom T-shirt station at Buddy’s Sporting Goods. Clark has co-owned the 40-year-old business since 1994.

ON JEFFERSON BLVD.

The shop caters to team sports — basketball, baseball, volleyball and soccer — but football is the moneymaker. It costs about $140 to outfit a player with a helmet, pads, jersey, pants and socks. Nowadays, most kids also want a custom-printed hand towel like the pros, and parents often order matching game-day T-shirts, Clark says.

Custom T-shirts also account for a good chunk of business. They’re most commonly printed for family reunions and school and corporate events. In a throwback to T-shirt shops of the ’70s, Buddy’s can still make custom tees with letters pressed on at the counter while you wait. They also sell letterman jackets and do custom embroidery.

In Buddy’s heyday, there were as many as seven employees at the Jefferson store. More recently they’ve downsized to one employee besides Clark. Hudson helms the Duncanville store, which also has one employee.

The years go in seasons: Basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, football. There are peaks and valleys, Clark says. There are slow times when he wonders why he is doing this, he says. Then a second-generation customer will come in to suit up his kid for the first game.

“It makes you feel proud,” he says.

MORE PHOTOS ONLINE visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com

“If the real estate hadn’t been part of it, we wouldn’t have bought it.”

WeWantto HearfromYou! PUBLIC MEETING

Share your ideas for the design of Dallas’ proposed regional, community, & neighborhood family aquatic centers & associated public art projects

Meeting Locations & Times

Proposed Site: Kidd Spring Park

Feb. 4, 2016 · 6:30 p.m.

Kidd Spring Rec Center

711 W. Canty

Proposed Site: Tietze Park

Feb. 9, 2016 · 6:30 p.m.

Ridgewood-Belcher Rec Center

6818 Fisher Rd.

Proposed Site: Fretz Park

Feb. 11, 2016 · 6:30 p.m.

Fretz Rec Center

6950 Belt Line Rd.

Proposed Site: Samuell-Grand Park

Feb. 18, 2016 · 6:30 p.m.

Samuell-Grand Rec Center

6200 E. Grand Ave.

BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send

City of Dallas Aquatics Master Plan information available at www.dallasparks.org

Jamaican us smile

Caribbean food is coming to the neighborhood. The Island Spot, a Jamaican restaurant based in Carrollton, recently leased a space in the Jefferson Tower, at the corner of Jefferson and Madison. Owner Richard Thomas opened The Island Spot in June 2010 and has since received good reviews for braised oxtails and jerk chicken. The menu also includes curry goat, meat pies, coconut shrimp and whole red snapper, plus brunch (fish and grits and chicken and waffles) and a rum bar. Thomas is from Jamaica, and he brought his mother, Joyce Price, to Dallas in 2012 to improve the menu with her own recipes. No word yet on when The Island Spot will open. The corner space is still under construction.

Antique mall, vintage grocery

Lula B’s Antique Mall is moving to Oak Cliff. The owners are closing their Deep Ellum location and moving it to Fort Worth Avenue between Hampton and Interstate 30. Lula B’s originally opened on Lower Greenville in 1992, one of several antiques shops there at the time, and its owners moved to Deep Ellum in 2010. The new Lula B’s will take over an old grocery store, which the U.S. Postal Service once owned. Beneath the aluminum façade that the USPS installed, is a 1960s modern-style Safeway store. Lula B’s Oak Cliff is expected to open as soon as this month.

Happy taco snacks

Victoria’s Tex-Mex on Willomet at Davis closed more than a year ago, and a new restaurant is taking its place. Antojitos Tacontento, owned by husband-and-wife partners Maria and Humberto Martinez, opened in January. The Martinezes are moving their existing restaurant in Garland to this location. “Antojitos” translates roughly to “snacks” or “cravings,” and “tacontento” is a play on words, a mashup of “taco” and “content,” so “happy taco.” The menu includes the expected Tex-Mex fare, plus some dishes that are a little unusual. Those include pambazo, which is a sandwich made of bread coated in guajillo pepper sauce and stuffed with chorizo, potatoes, lettuce, cheese and salsa verde. The antojitos menu also includes huaraches, sopes and tortas.

Juicelandia

Another Austin-based restaurant chain is opening an outpost at Sylvan Thirty. JuiceLand started in 2011 and quickly grew to 13 stores in Austin and one in Brooklyn. The shop offers organic juices and superfood smoothies, juice cleanses and raw and vegan food. It is expected to open at Sylvan Thirty this coming spring. Taco Deli, also from Austin, opened at Sylvan Thirty last year, and Austin-based Houndstooth Coffee is coming soon.

Chiro gyro

Chiropractor Brandon Huddleston has moved his practice, Growth Life Studio, to 411 N. Tyler.

Urban Hippie Chiropractic has hired a new chiropractor, Jarrett Browning. Browning is a former gymnast and gymnastics coach from Oklahoma.

Photo courtesy of JuiceLand

Photo courtesy of the Island Spot

Nurturing

Pre-K thru

214-328-9131 x103 stjohnsschool.org

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.

BISHOP DUNNE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Contact: Charleen Doan at 214.339.6561 ext. 4020 or admission@bdcs.org

A co-educational, college preparatory school serving students in grades 6-12. We provide a strong faith and valuebased education with high academic standards, encouraging all students to achieve their full potential. Our curriculum emphasizes individualized attention, and is constantly at the forefront of technology integration through the use of laptops, ebooks, and our Online Education Program. Additionally, we provide a full range of extracurricular activities ranging from athletics, to the arts, to clubs and service organizations.

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.

ISCOPAL 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.

69%

of our 200,000+ readers with average income of $146,750 want more info about private schools.

The Lakehill Advantage. Lakehill

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

CANDIDATE CHRIST

If Jesus ran for president

I want to note first that Jesus would never run for President of the United States. It wasn’t his thing. He didn’t come as a great political savior, and often he seemed ambivalent to the pressing debates of the day. He rose above national concerns to care for people of every race and background.

But wouldn’t the bumper stickers be great?

Jesus: Can Your Candidate Walk On The Water?

Jesus: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands.

Jesus: The Original Comeback Kid.

As so many presidential candidates have expressed faith in him, I have wondered what his place on the debate stage would be and how he would field questions in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses.

I believe that he would keep reminding people about the needs of the marginalized. He would speak up for the poor and for policies that help people to have basic necessities. He would talk about the need for personal responsibility and the responsibility to help others, including the way that a society helps those on whom hard times have fallen. He would especially call on people of faith to care for the poor and invite everyone to take part in looking after their fellow citizens, faith or no faith, because that’s what neighbors do.

He would reiterate some of the things he said when he walked the earth. That we can not only get along, but even learn to love our enemies. That telling the truth is simpler than what we make it out to be. That we worry too much as a society, and that we work too much.

On occasion we would see tears from Jesus as he listened, some shed in sadness from the way that people can be so ugly to

one another, some shed in laughter by just how ridiculous the whole political process can be.

I believe that Jesus would talk more about the meaningful things of everyday life that all people have in common — weddings, births, loss, disappointment, a good meal, work — rather than perpetuate the notion that life revolves around politics and

But wouldn’t the bumper stickers be great?

Jesus: Can Your Candidate Walk On The Water?

Jesus: He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands.

Jesus: The Original Comeback Kid.

policy-making.

Most of the time he would likely stay silent rather than defend his views, or share a simple story when he was accused or questioned.

He would be gentle, not brash, bringing more light and less heat. But sometimes he would be angry as he discussed things like incarceration rates and inequalities in the justice system and the self-centeredness that blinds us to the needs of children, the elderly and those with mental illness.

He would call us to be the best people we could be, because that’s what he sees in us. He would inspire us to be servants. He would invite us to rise above the current political atmosphere to another level of thinking about what it means to be fully human and fully alive.

That’s what I think it would be like if Jesus ran for president.

And I don’t think he would make it past Iowa.

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.

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

CREATIVE ARTS CENTER More than 500 adult art classes/ workshops from metal to mosaic! www.creativeartscenter.org

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

SERVICES FOR YOU

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

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

LEGAL SERVICES

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.

Historic high school

Dallas Independent School District trustee Eric Cowan and neighbor

Michael Dilger installed the plaque marking Susnet High School a historic landmark. The city granted Sunset historic designation in 2014. Photo courtesy of Go Oak Cliff

BUY/SELL/TRADE

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

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

We raise our kids here, too!

972-274-2157

www.CrestAirAndHeat.com

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

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

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

HANNAWOODWORKS.COM

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

#1

EST. 1991

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates

cowboyfenceandiron.com

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

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

Tips for preventing outside water damage

1. Remove vegitation from behind the downpipes

2. Use a hand mirror to check for cracks or splits that are not easily noticed

3. Install an underground drain (French drain)

4. Create a berm or pond to redirect waterflow

HOME INSPECTION

LocalWorks.advocatemag.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

MARCH DEADLINE FEBRUARY 3

TO ADVERTISE CALL 214.560.4203

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

• 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 needs. 214-504-6788 dallasgroundskeeper.com

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

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

IRISH RAIN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS TXL#2738 Repair, Stonework & Drains 214-827-7446

LIGHT IT UP DALLAS

Your lighting specialists. 972-591-8383 Parties, Weddings, Patios, Landscape.

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

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. Oak Cliff resident for over 15 years. uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

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

FEBRUARY SPECIAL $200 OFF 4 man crew/4 hours

Just Trees

Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444

JD’s Tree Service

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

Locally harvested wood!

RESPONSIBLE TREE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 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 469-346-1814- 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

STEALING FROM THE DEAD

Bob McDonald Company, Inc.

214-341-1155

bobmcdonaldco.net

An employee of Calvario Funeral Home is accused of stealing a dead woman’s credit card and using it for purchases. The Dallas Police Department arrested 33-year-old Juan Vasquez in December and charged him with credit card abuse. Maria Nieto-Martinez, 24, died in a car accident Oct. 25. Vasquez received her body at the funeral home, and he is accused of stealing a credit card off her corpse. Nieto-Martinez’s sister received a message on the dead woman’s email account Oct. 29 showing charges to her credit card, according to the police. Family members then noticed that Nieto-Martinez’s credit card was missing from her personal property. The police obtained photo evidence from businesses where the card had been fraudulently used. If convicted, Vasquez could face six months to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

| CRIME NUMBERS |

As of Jan. 1, those licensed may openly carry a holstered weapon on their belt or shoulder almost anywhere concealed guns are currently permitted, save for churches, schools and some places where alcohol is served. Here’s who’s carrying in our neighborhood.

484

concealed handgun permits were issued in Oak Cliff in 2014 1 permit application was denied 2 were revoked 1 was suspended

ICE, MILK, EGGS & BREAD

Oak Cliff is the birthplace of 7-Eleven

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

The story of 7-Eleven begins with an 8-year-old boy grooming the horses and mules that pulled ice-delivery wagons through Oak Cliff.

Young Joe C. Thompson Jr., known as “Jodie,” mucked stalls and otherwise cared for the animals that served Consumer Ice Co., which owned several ice plants and retail ice docks in Oak Cliff, including the ice house on Page at Polk. That building, constructed around 1915, once housed the predecessor of the Oak Cliff Cultural Center and is currently for sale.

Thompson’s family moved from Waxahachie to a house on Edgefield at Tenth when he was a baby in 1901. This Oak Cliff kid would go on to helm a multi-billion-dollar company and create one of the most recognizable American brands.

The Thompson family lived next door to Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Jones, who owned Consumers Ice, according to the 1977 book “Oh Thank Heaven! The Story of the Southland Corporation,” by Allen Liles. The Joneses had no children, and J.O. Jones took young Jodie under his wing.

Thompson moved up from stable boy to loading ice onto wagons and other hard work during his summers as a student at Oak Cliff High School (now Adamson). After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a business degree, he was hired at Consumers Ice and suggested selling icecold watermelon from the Oak Cliff ice docks in the summer of 1924. The frozen fruit was all the rage in Oak Cliff that summer.

In 1927, Claude S. Dawley’s Southland Ice bought out Consumer Ice, with Thompson negotiating Consumer’s side of the deal. Thompson became director of the newly formed corporation, The Southland Ice Co., whose headquarters was at Beckley and Clarendon.

Ice was a necessity for preserving food in the days before refrigeration. Iceboxes held big blocks of ice that would keep groceries cool for a few days at a time. Back then, grocery stores closed by 6 p.m. Ice docks operated 16 hours a day, seven days a week and were virtually the only businesses open on Sundays.

One cunning ice-dock operator capitalized on that starting in 1927.

John Jefferson Green operated a Southland Ice Co.-owned ice dock on Edgefield at Twelfth. Customers often asked him to sell a few groceries — milk, eggs and bread. According to Liles’ book, it kept Green busy during winter, when demand for ice decreased. He brought the idea to Thompson, and he began selling milk, eggs, bread, cigarettes and canned goods.

The Southland Ice Co., which had continued buying up icehouses all over Texas, ran with the grocery idea. The grocery business became Thompson’s main focus. Grocery shelves were added to ice docks, and as a marketing ploy, Southland ordered totem poles from

Alaska, which were installed outside the newly named “Tote’m” stores in San Antonio and Oak Cliff.

By 1936, Tote’m stores were the No. 1 retailer of dairy products in the Dallas area, so Southland grew vertically and started Oak Farm Dairies with headquarters at 1114 N. Lancaster. Developer Cienda Partners demolished the Oak Farm Dairy plant this past year to make way for high-end apartments.

Tote’m continued to grow throughout the ’30s and ’40s, and Southland acquired a few more icehouses. All of them were converted to open-front, drive-through stores, offering curbside service to customers. They carried ice, drinks, groceries and sundry items, and they were open seven days a week from morning until late at night, according to Liles’ book. But they lacked a unified name brand.

In 1945, Southland hired the TracyLocke Co. to come up with advertising and marketing campaigns. They named it 7-Eleven. All of Southland’s stores were converted to the 7-Eleven brand in January 1946.

A Southland employee stands in front of the ice dock on Edgefield at Twelfth, which would become the first 7-Eleven store. Photo courtesy of “Oh Thank Heaven! The Story of the Southland Corporation,” by Allen Liles

By 1950, there were 80 stores. Southland began building new stores and remodeling old ones throughout the ’50s. New stores were much larger, had wider aisles and bigger parking lots.

The company sank a ton of money into real estate and advertising on radio and TV. In the ’50s, Southland also began expanding into other states, starting with Florida.

Since then, 7-Eleven has gone on to world domination with more than 57,000 stores on four continents.

It was the first company to sell coffee in paper cups to go and the first to offer selfserve soda fountains. In 1959, Dean Sperry and Omar Knedlik of Dallas-based manufacturing company E. Mitchell Co. invented the Icee machine, which served frozen carbonated drinks. 7-Eleven bought three Icee machines in 1965, and they were such a hit that a few years later, nearly every store had one. The Stanford Agency named it the “Slurpee” for the sound it makes coming out of the straw, and 7-Eleven bought radio ads to promote that now iconic treat.

Two Japanese companies became the majority owners of the Southland Corp., now known as 7-Eleven Inc., in the early

1990s. The site of John Jefferson Green’s ice dock on Edgefield was a 7-Eleven store until about 25 years ago and now houses the LULAC National Education Service Centers. Jodie Thompson died in 1961, handing over the reins to son John (who died in 2003) but the Thompson family still owns about 5 percent of the Southland Corp.

And Oak Cliff still owns the title “birthplace of 7-Eleven.”—Rachel Stone

Above: The early Tote’m stores had totem poles ordered from Alaska. Below: Oak Farms Dairies’ first ad. Photo courtesy of “Oh Thank Heaven! The story of the Southland Corporation,” by Allen Liles