2017 May Oak Cliff

Page 1

CLASS OF 2017 BREAKING AWAY

OAK CLIFF MAY 2017 I ADVOCATEMAG.COM

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CONTENTS COVER STORY 14 RISING STARS Three Oak Cliff graduates who are destined for greatness. LAUNCH 8 PROTEST FEST The Oak Cliff artist making a serious statement in a humorous way. IN EVERY ISSUE 5 Opening Remarks 7 Events 12 Food 24 News and Notes 26 Worship 30 Back Story ADVERTISING 13 Dining Spotlight 26 Worship Listings 27 Education 28 Classifieds ON THE COVER: PHOTO BY DANNY FULGENCIO 14 12 VOL. 11 NO. 5 | OC MAY 2017 TOP: PHOTO BY DANNY FULGENCIO; RIGHT: PHOTO BY KATHY TRAN oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 3
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OPENING REMARKS

Cultivating character

Can a child whose birthright is poverty and a troubled family history blossom?

Not long ago, I found myself face down on the scruffy front yard of a nonprofit near downtown, doing two things I generally avoid: planting and volunteering.

There are people who love getting their hands dirty; I am not one of those. Couple that with my general laziness when it comes to helping others, and it was not starting out to be a fun Saturday.

So while pondering my imminent fate and breaking in my new gloves, a young boy walked up and asked if he could help.

I looked around: Why would any kid volunteer to help a stranger plant stuff?

But he was interested in helping beautify his new home, an Exodus Ministries apartment complex for previously incarcerated women with dependent children.

Yes, you read that right. The 11 mother-and-children family units here have messed up their lives enough that they’re below the bottom of the economic food chain. The mothers all have been locked up — some of them five, six, seven times

and have dependent children, no husbands, no jobs and a small sack of belongings when they show up straight from jail/prison at Exodus, said to be the only nonprofit of its kind in Texas.

The 11-year-old boy asking to help dig in the dirt is one of those kids. Most of us spend more on lunch in a week than his mother will see in a month, and that’s if she’s lucky enough to find a job.

I would like to tell you that this young man and I shared an incredible bonding experience, that we each changed our lives for the better that day.

Instead, I showed him how to dig holes for plant balls and how to cover them up, which he did for 10 minutes or so before jumping up and running off — no good-

bye, no hug, no life-changing revelation.

But the kid gave me something to think about. He has nothing except what volunteers have given him, and his mother has 12 months (the length of the Exodus program) to figure out how to make their way in a world where she’s generally not welcome, most often as a felon whose dreams no longer include college, a new car or even a basic “happy ending.”

We can say it’s her fault she’s in this predicament, but we’ve all made some big mistakes in life. Some of us pay for those mistakes forever; some of us get lucky and just move on.

Who knows why we rarely walk in others’ shoes?

If the mother graduates from the Exodus program, she has a chance: Thanks to volunteers and donors, she leaves with an apartment full of furniture, on-site education about finances and being a parent, and a close-knit family of fellow travelers.

The general recidivism rate for people in this situation is about 75 percent, Exodus says; this program reduces that to about 4 percent.

I continued digging holes, frequently glancing down the line of still-unplanted groundcover, knowing that in an hour or two, my volunteer experience would be over. When the kid returned, would his life be better because of what I had done that day?

Like the hard-luck high school seniors we’re profiling in this month’s magazine, this kid needs someone to look up to for more than 10 minutes, someone to help him and his family find their way. And there are hundreds of nonprofits here brimming with similar stories.

The high school seniors found the guidance they need. The person this boy needs is out there, too. Will he find you or me in time to make a difference?

Learn more about Exodus Ministries at exodusministries.org.

Rick Wamre is president of Advocate Media. Let him know how we are doing by emailing rwamre@advocatemag.com.

David Griffin & Company Realtors is a member of both Mayfair International Realty and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, so whether you’re looking to move across the street or across the globe, we can help. Learn more at davidgriffin.com or call 214.526.5626.

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contributors: Angela Hunt, Lauren Law, George Mason, Kristen Massad, Brent McDougal

photo editor: Danny Fulgencio

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contributing photographers: Rasy Ran, Kathy Tran

Advocate, © 2017, is published monthly by East Dallas – Lakewood People Inc. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. Opinions set forth in the Advocate are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s viewpoint. More than 200,000 people read Advocate publications each month. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one copy per reader. Advocate was founded in 1991 by Jeff Siegel, Tom Zielinski and Rick Wamre.

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L A UNC H Out & About

MAY 6

Cinco de Mayo

One of the city’s oldest celebrations wouldn’t be complete without a parade, festival and car show along Jefferson Boulevard. While you’re there, watch competitors contend for best margarita and best taco titles. Jefferson Boulevard, oakcliffarts.org, free

THROUGH MAY 21

‘BRUISES’

“Bruises” is an immersive dance experience that depicts mixed martial artists fighting to reach their goals. Jeff Colangelo and Katy Tye direct the production, which was funded by a $10,000 grant from the City of Dallas’ Office of Cultural Affairs.

Oak Cliff Cultural Center, 223 W. Jefferson Blvd., 214.670.3777, dallasculture.org, free with RSVP

MAY 6

CREATIVE CLASS

Express your creativity and hone your artistic skills during the library’s adult painting group from 2-3 p.m. Supplies are provided. North Oak Cliff Library, 302 W. Tenth St., 214.670.7555, dallaslibrary2.org, free

MAY 10

CARDIAC KARAOKE

Karaoke, food and drinks are on tap at Barbara’s Pavilion to celebrate Nurse Appreciation Night. Belt out your favorite songs for the caregivers from 5-10 p.m. Barbara’s Pavilion, 325 Centre St., 214.941.2145, facebook.com/barbaras.pavillion, free

MAY 11

SEX ED

Hear what sex columnist and gay rights activist Dan Savage has to say about intimacy at 7 p.m. Dallas-based literary nonprofit WordSpace hosts the event.

The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis St., 214.838.3554, wordspacedallas.com, $35-$400

MAY 18

FILM PREVIEW

If you’re counting down the days until the return of the Oak Cliff Film Festival in June, attend this salon series where co-founder Barak Epstein provides a sneak preview of the programs from 7:30-9 p.m. The four-day fest has been a neighborhood tradition since 2011.

Oak Cliff Society of Fine Arts, 401 N. Rosemont Ave., 214.946.1670, turnerhouse.org, $15-$20

MAY 19-20

‘THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN’

The comedic story about a group of English prisoners of war who plot their escape as the American Revolution comes to a close. Shenanigans and buffoonery start at 7:30 p.m. Bishop Arts Theatre Center, 215 S. Tyler St., 214.948.0716, bishopartstheatre.org, $10-$15

PHOTO BY DANNY FULGENCIO
oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 7

DÁLE! DÁLE! DÁLE!

Public art pieces swat at gentrification

Giovanni Valderas has a statement to make about gentrification, and he’s saying it in the most festive way he could find.

The 38-year-old Oak Cliff native is the assistant director of Kirk Hopper Fine Arts in Deep Ellum and has served as vice chair of Dallas’ Cultural Affairs Commission.

But some of his own work can be seen in the streets of Oak Cliff and West Dallas.

Valderas uses traditional piñata techniques to create signs, which you might’ve seen pop up on vacant lots and near new developments. These signs manage to blend in and catch the eye at the same time, and they convey Spanish slang. One asks, “Quien manda?” or “Who rules?” Another says “No hay pedo,” which means “No problem,” but also can be translated as “There’s no fart.”

The City of Houston commissioned one, a 40-foot by 60-foot banner for a downtown building, which reads “Ay te miro.”

Valderas says he uses humor and piñata designs because he doesn’t want to come across as hostile. But he thinks the message is imperative.

There are almost 35,000 registered voters in City Council District 1, north Oak Cliff. But only about 2,000 of them typically vote in local elections.

“It’s time to wake up and be engaged and involved with the world,” he says. “Who does run this town? Is it us, or is it them?”

L A UNCH
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PHOTOS BY DANNY FULGENCIO
oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 9
Giovanni Valderas

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Recent changes and developments in Oak Cliff inspired the artistic protest.

As a kid, Valderas used to hang out with a cousin who lived in the Colorado Place Apartments on Fort Worth Avenue at Colorado Boulevard. When they were torn down, he wondered where all of those families would go. Then the land sat empty for years.

That eviction and subsequent dormancy felt so unjust to him. Developers do whatever they want without regard to how it affects quality of life for the people who already live here, he says.

“The Latino community brings so much to Dallas as far as a sense of place,

and it’s kind of being disrespected,” Valderas says.

Valderas thinks affordable housing is the No. 1 political issue facing Dallas. West Dallas is a microcosm of that, and unless serious action is taken, it’s not going to get better, he says.

Valderas first realized he wanted to become an artist as a teenager at the Ice House Cultural Center, which later evolved into the Oak Cliff Cultural Center. There, he worked on murals and met pal David Lizano, the founder of Cara Mía Theatre Co. Valderas later worked at the cultural center part-time, where he and Lizano helped put on a show of

L A UNC H
Valderas uses relatable Spanish slang and humor in his pieces. “No hay pedo,” means “No problem” but also can be translated “There’s no fart.”
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IS

historical photographs depicting Oak Cliff architecture.

He went on to receive a master of fine arts degree from the University of North Texas in 2012, but he says he still identifies as a product of cultural centers.

When Mayor Mike Rawlings appointed Valderas to the Cultural Affairs Commission, he was eager to dig in. He

Arts Center, for example. But there’s less support for individual artists and cultural centers. Consider that Dallas has 14 City Council districts but just four cultural centers. The new $5,000 individual artist contracts are better than nothing. But the City of Houston, for example, recently announced $370,000 in grants for 37 individual artists.

knocks on doors,” to encourage community involvement with the studio, Valderas says.

served on the panel that created $5,000 service contracts for individual artists, and he says he’s grateful for the inside look at City Hall.

But what he saw was disheartening, Valderas says.

The city is willing to spend millions of dollars on the big and glamorous. It agreed last year to pay $15 million over 10 years to bail out the AT&T Performing

Valderas points to his friend Rachel Rushing’s Sunset Art Studios in Elmwood as an example of the type of grassroots work the Dallas art scene needs. The studio received grants totaling almost $14,000 from the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas and the Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs so that Rushing and partner Emily Riggert can offer free studio space to local artists. In turn, the artists are expected give something back to the community, such as offering open studio days or somehow incorporating neighborhood residents into their projects.

“[Rushing] walks the block and

He intends to continue his piñata project, called “Forged Utopia,” having applied for a $2,000 grant from the Nasher Sculpture Center. If he wins it, he plans to design and produce political yard signs that look like his handmade piñata signs. A website with links to information on voting and other ways to become politically active would accompany the effort.

Valderas is one of several neighborhood artists who recently joined the Texas Organizing Project, an Oak Cliff-based nonprofit whose mission is to combat economic inequality in Texas.

The artists plan to work on bringing more community involvement to the arts and to advocate for cultural policies in the City of Dallas that benefit underserved neighborhoods and individual artists.

“Artists can really change things,” Valderas says. “Our work is visual, and we can put a different spin on things.”

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“The Latino community brings so much to Dallas as far as a sense of place, and it’s kind of being disrespected.”

DELICIOUS

Cuba libre

Where to find authentic comida Cubana

12 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

DID YOU KNOW: Little Havana has a wraparound second-story dining patio.

Roberto Llama sneaked onto a boat to escape Cuba in 2009.

After becoming a waiter in New York City, he met his wife, Yaimelys Feria, also a Cuban national.

The couple saved their pennies for years working in restaurants until embarking on their ultimate American dream this year.

Roberto and Yaimelys, both 34 and the parents of four children, opened Little Havana restaurant on Willomet at West Davis in January.

“This is her dream,” Roberto says of his wife. “Most of the recipes here come from her kitchen.”

The restaurant serves breakfast plates with cafecitos as well as a full menu of sandwiches. Entrees such as ropa vieja and whole snapper are served with black beans and rice, and the portions are big enough for two people.

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“Everything here is authentic,” Roberto says. “It’s the way you have it in Cuba.”

The two-story building previously housed a couple of failed concepts. But it spoke to Llama and Feria because in Cuba it

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is traditional for families to open their homes as restaurants, which are known as paladares.

The restaurant also has a full bar and cocktail menu, plus they sell cigars.

Roberto says he and his wife are proud to be from Cuba, but they couldn’t care less about returning to their homeland.

“We took the opportunity, and look at us right now. We have a restaurant,” he says. “This never would’ve happened in Cuba.”

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Opposite page: Ropa vieja, the national dish of Cuba. Above: Whole snapper is served just like it is in Cuba, Llama says. (Photos by Kathy Tran)
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PHOE T N H I E XES

STUDENTS WHO ROSE ABOVE THE OBSTACLES TO BECOME STARS IN THE CLASS OF 2017

NO ONE SAID HIGH SCHOOL WAS EASY.

From the social challenges to the expectations, every student in the class of 2017 has struggled for their achievements. But some students faced adversity well beyond their young years, hardships that would be tough for even seasoned adults to navigate. They had to learn to fit into a world that didn’t always accept or understand them. These are the students who could have fallen through the cracks, thrown in the towel or simply walked away from a life that seemed to take more than it gave. Instead, when the world pushed them, they fought back, refusing to succumb to the strife. Their grace in the dark times made them into unlikely role models who demonstrate what it means to never give up.

A BROADWAY STAR

Eduardo Castrejon took in his kid sister when she was 12.

He was 27 at the time, and in hindsight, he didn’t know quite what he was getting himself into. His sister, Lizette Sandoval, is a good kid. If anything, she keeps her brother out of trouble. But Castrejon, a bartender, says he had no idea how much it would cost to raise a child.

Lizette, now 18, is graduating from Molina High School as an honor student. And she plans to attend Marymount Manhattan College, a private liberal arts school in New York City.

Musical theater is her passion. She pictures herself performing on Broadway and “winning my first Tony.”

Lizette’s brother could see from the time his sister was a toddler that she possesses an artist’s mind. He remembers bringing home “Phantom of the

Opera,” and in emotional moments of the songs, baby Lizette’s eyes would well up with tears.

“From then on, I knew she would be a drama queen,” he says.

Eduardo, the oldest of four siblings, is an artist, too. He is a dancer with the Dallas Black Dance Theatre and has been studying music since middle school.

They mostly raised themselves. Their mom’s education stopped after third grade in Mexico because she had to work.

“My mom didn’t understand the importance of having an involved parent because she never had an involved parent,” Eduardo says.

Eduardo steered Lizette toward the Sidney Lanier Exploratory Arts Academy, which she entered in third grade. She then attended the music academy at Greiner Middle School, where she learned to sing and play guitarrón in the mariachi band.

es y e , m t b n m s t 16 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

Lizette auditioned in dance at Booker T. Washington High School, but she wasn’t accepted.

So she instead chose Molina for its wide range of arts offerings, and her brother bought a house nearby, moving them from an apartment in Uptown. At Molina, Lizette’s done it all: Mariachi, drill team, show choir, theater and more. She played Ariel in the spring play, “The Little Mermaid.”

Eduardo works at an upscale Dallas restaurant, and Lizette has never had to have a job. She recently started working at a Ross store in northern Dallas, and it takes her an hour on two DART buses and a train to get there.

“If that ever got in the way of this, I would quit,” she says. “School is the most important thing.”

Eduardo calls his sister, “incredibly

A DRUM-LINE DOYEN

Paul Mata Jr. thought band was for nerds.

“Turns out, I’m a pretty big nerd,” he says.

The 18-year-old taught himself to play guitar in middle school, but he never considered band until a recruiter from Sunset High School called the summer after eighth grade and asked him to join.

He took up the snare drum and per-

fected it by playing in the mirror from 4-10 p.m., six hours a day, every day.

Paul is headed to one of the best band schools around — Prairie View A&M University — in the fall. He’s only the second Sunset student to make the PVU drum line.

Learning those perfect, sharp drum strokes of his could take Mata a long way. But getting here hasn’t been easy.

Mata started smoking marijuana during his sophomore year. There were other drugs too — Xanax, LSD, painkillers. He started getting into fights and failing his classes.

He kept his nose clean long enough to march during football season and then things fell apart.

He got caught with weed and told his

organized,” and he tells her, “to strive to be an independent female, an independent Latina, because sometimes our society teaches otherwise.”

She chose to play the massive guitarrón because it’s typically played by men. She sees herself as a leader, and she wanted to make a statement about female mariachis.

“Everything you do is to make you a better person,” she says. “Everything I’m doing, sometimes it hurts, but it will make me stronger and help me get to where I want to be.”

Although she plans to visit this summer, before school starts, Lizette has never been to New York. She earned the $1,000 Stevie Ray Vaughan scholarship from Greiner. And Marymount is giving her an additional $6,000. She’s eligible for financial aid, and she’s applying for more scholarships every day.

But Marymount is not cheap. It costs almost $53,000 a year, including tuition, fees, books and room and board.

She is determined to make it work, though. There are few doubts that she will.

“She’s the hardest working kid I’ve never met,” Eduardo says.

“EVERYTHING I’M DOING, SOMETIMES IT HURTS, BUT IT WILL MAKE ME STRONGER AND HELP ME GET TO WHERE I WANT TO BE.”
oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 17

mom, “I’m not going to stop.”

For his whole life, young Paul has always been honest, his mother, Gloria Treviño, says.

He started sneaking out of the house. He once walked 4 or 5 miles to buy drugs.

“I was a careless person,” he says.

Then one day while sitting in class, he was feeling hopeless. He decided to kill himself, and he choked himself out right there.

He was rushed to the emergency room by ambulance.

“I felt alone,” he says. “But I really wasn’t alone.”

Paul’s grandmother happened to be volunteering at Sunset that day, and band director Remetria Smith drove her to the hospital.

Through all of Paul’s trouble, Smith has been there for him.

She checks his grades. She pops into his classes unannounced. She calls his parents.

“It’s not just Paul,” Treviño says. “She does that for every student. The connection that she makes with each student is amazing.”

Following the suicide attempt, Paul was diagnosed with clinical depression. He stopped doing drugs. He got caught up in school through the Reconnect program, and he refocused on his passion.

On May 27, he’ll be one of two Sunset percussionists competing at the UIL state competition. The other is his best friend since kindergarten, Gabriel Lopez.

Paul Mata Jr. is charismatic. He loves to teach music, often learning pieces months in advance so that he can help his classmates.

His mother says he’d never be here if not for that one teacher.

“Ms. Smith guided him like a parent,” she says. “She’s always gone above and beyond. I’m so grateful.”

A CONCERT PIANIST

Kenoly Kadia can play anything. Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Mozart, Lizst.

But there’s one he can’t stand.

“I hate Bach. I mean, I like Bach, but I hate playing it,” he says. “He’s one of those composers that his songs sound easy in the ear, but he’s really hard to play.”

Kenoly, an 18-year-old senior at Carter High School, was still weighing scholarship offers from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Memphis when we met him in March. A gifted student, he also was accepted to Rice University. And he was a varsity soccer player.

He is one of the most sought-after high school pianists in the nation, according to the Fine Arts Chamber Players, where Kenoly has received free private lessons, from instructor John Tatum, since eighth grade.

It’s a wonder that Kenoly even made it to adulthood.

As a child in Camaroon, he suffered kwashiorkor, the deadly form of malnutrition that causes children to have distended bellies, among other symptoms.

“It was really bad,” Kenoly says. “They told me I’m not supposed to be here now. I used to throw up, and I couldn’t eat for several days.”

The disease, if treated too late, can cause permanent mental disabilities.

But Kenoly’s parents, Julius and Jaqueline, both teachers, fled their homeland when their youngest son was 6. They moved to the Italian region of Veneto, where he first learned piano.

“Music itself gave me hope,” he says.

Kenoly’s two older brothers graduated from Carter as well. The middle brother is now studying at UT, and Kenoly is leaning toward that school too.

Today, their parents work at a nursing home at least six days a week.

“They work incredibly hard,” Kenoly says.

But they came here for a better life, and they’ve found it.

“I FELT ALONE, BUT I REALLY WASN’T ALONE.”
18 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

Kenoly had to learn Bach for his college auditions, the ones that resulted in $16,000 and $80,000 scholarship offers. Everyone tells him he’s an extremely gifted musician. But he says it’s because of teachers like Mr. Tatum.

“Every piano lesson that I have with him, I learn something every time,” he says. “He doesn’t make the piano lesson boring. That’s why people say I’m good. It’s because of him. He makes it more interesting.”

Although he says he wants to be an oncologist, Kenoly does plan to major in piano performance.

UNFAIR TAXES? PROTESTING PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS EASY AS: 1) 2) 3) PERT Y TAX A S : Visit DallasCountyTaxRelief.com Fill out paperwork & pay flat fee I negotiate tax rates on your behalf PROTESTS ARE DUE BY MAY 31, 2017 CLICK OR CALL NOW: DALLASCOUNTYTAXRELIEF.COM Primary Office: Dallas, TX oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 19
“THEY TOLD ME I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE NOW.”
an Oak Cliff retailer accidentally entered the fight against food waste
SAVE THE GROCERIES How
RACHEL STONE
by DANNY FULGENCIO 20 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017
Photos

Gary Gluckman didn’t set out to aid the epidemic of food waste in America when he opened Grocery Clearance Center in 1993.

“I didn’t have any epiphany about it, but it’s definitely an added bonus,” he says.

“It wasn’t the intent, but I feel good about it now.”

Grocery Clearance Center, on Cockrell Hill at Kiest, is a licensed grocery salvage store. They buy and resell food that is out-of-date or nearing the expiration date.

Americans waste some 72 billion pounds of perfectly good food every year, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. As much as 20 percent of waste in Dallas’ McCommas Bluff Landfill comes from wasted food. That’s while more than 850,000 people in North Texas, including 350,000 children, experience food insecurity every day. Plus all of that wasted food creates wasted energy when it’s transported from farms and factories at a cost of billions of dollars a year, all to be thrown in the landfills.

Manufacturers do their part to contribute to this problem by stamping products with “sell by” dates. The USDA says “sell by” dates refer to peak flavor quality and not to when food is no longer safe to eat.

France last year made it illegal for grocers to throw away edible food. So major grocery retailers there have begun selling salvage groceries as a matter of course.

Opposite page: Gary Gluckman, who opened Grocery Clearance Center in 1993, emerges from the store’s walk-in cooler while a young customer pops into the frame.

Top: A selection of the groceries available.

At

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• Reading/Writing Workshop

• Interactive/Hands-on Math

• Spanish, PE, & Recess Daily

• STEM Lab, Art, Music, & Library Time

• After School Care & Enrichment Programs

• KiDVENTURE’S Camp Kessler Summer Program

Salvage groceries had been predicted several years ago to become a trend in America, too. So far, not much has come of that prediction.

But Grocery Clearance Center is ahead of the curve.

Gluckman emigrated from South Africa in the early ’90s, and he went to work for a salvage retailer in Houston. Having come for the American dream, he brought the idea to Oak Cliff, opening his original store on South Tyler. The store moved to Cockrell Hill Road in 2007.

Trucks pull up bringing groceries from major retail chains — they’re not allowed to say which ones — every day. Much of it is high-end or trendy stuff, such as kefir yogurt drinks, organic snacks

or gluten-free cake mixes that sell at a fraction of the retail price. But you never know what you might find there.

It’s like the T.J. Maxx of grocery stores.

Gluckman added a walk-in cooler a couple of years ago, and it’s stocked with produce, usually organic, plus cheeses, milks, butter, deli meats, eggs and whatever else has arrived. The store posts new stock to its social media channels several times a week.

There are people who take the bus or walk to the Grocery Clearance Center, and there is one customer who arrives in a Bentley, Gluckman says.

“We have caterers who shop here,” he says. “Doctors, lawyers, the cross-section of customers is amazing. The one thing

The USDA says “sell by” dates refer to peak flavor quality and not to when food is no longer safe to eat.
Now Enrolling Pre K through 6th Grade 2017-2018 School Year and KiDVENTURE’S Camp Kessler Creating a Community of Diverse Learners SOME OF THE BEST STORIES BELONG TO THOSE WE’VE LOST. SUBMIT YOUR LOVED ONE’S OBITUARY. 214-292-0962 22 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

they all have in common is they’re smart.”

Gluckman has been in business long enough that he now gets to meet the grandchildren of his early customers. There are some who come once or even twice a day, as inventory constantly changes. Loyal customers abound.

Sharon Gilbert does all of the hiring for the store, which has about 20 employees. She’s worked there 14 years.

“Nobody ever quits, which is wonderful,” she says.

Gluckman says he trains employees to do the job and think for themselves, to take ownership.

“We try to do the right thing all the time,” he says. “We don’t take customer loyalty lightly.”

MORE THAN A GAME $150 million raised 100,000 lives transformed RIC SHANAHAN 214.289.2340 ric@ricshanahan.com getric.biz 3216 KIEST FOREST DRIVE in Kiestwood $389,000 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 23 MAKE A LIVING AND LIKE IT. WORK FOR THE ADVOCATE. NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. HUMANRESOURCES@ADVOCATEMAG.COM

CITY

After a year-long lawsuit over the Kessler steps, property owners and the City of Dallas have reached a settlement that allows them to be rebuilt. Neighbors rediscovered the pedestrian passage between Edgefield and Canterbury Court a few years ago, and they planned to restore the steps, but adjacent property owners resisted. The property owners claimed the city had no right to reconstruct the steps and filed the lawsuit in December 2015.

The Rees-Jones Foundation, the W.W. Caruth Jr. Foundation at the Communities Foundation of Texas and the Dallas Foundation announced grants totaling $13.4 million to mitigate southern Dallas’ loose dog problem. The funds will go toward education and awareness efforts in addition to 46,000 spay and neuter surgeries.

DEVELOPMENT

Redevelopment could be in the works for the 4.5 acres on Zang Boulevard at Beckley Avenue that include El Corazon de Tejas restaurant. Alabama-based Orange Development LLC requested to replat the

tract of land bounded by Davis, Zang, Beckley and Seventh, a sign that redevelopment plans likely are in the works. The properties are zoned community retail and can be replaced with buildings as high as four stories. A demolition permit was filed for the restaurant building, but owner John Cuellar has said there are no immediate plans for redevelopment, and the restaurant is still open.

The $135-million deck park in Oak Cliff continues to develop, but the construction of the 5.5-acre park over Interstate-35 depends on whether the City of Dallas can fund the project. The Regional Transportation Council offered to contribute $45 million to the project, so the park would cost the city $95 million. That’s still a long shot, considering Dallas could face bankruptcy as a result of the collapsing police and fire pension fund.

The furniture rehab shop and interior design studio Patina Bleu reopened on Tyler at West Seventh after operating on an appointment-only basis since 2012. Interior designer and founder Greg Barker spent five years saving money to renovate the warehouse space.

NEWS & NOTES
NORTHLAKE fence and deck 214-349-9132 northlakefence.com Locally owned and Family operated CELEBRATING 37 YEARS OF SERVICE Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-481-7894 AIRLINE CAREERS Get FAA approved maintenance training at campuses coast to coast. Job placement assistance. Financial Aid for qualifying students. Military friendly. • Tax Preparation • IRS Audit Representation • IRS Notice Resolution • 28 years in the White Rock Lake Neighborhood 6301 Gaston Avenue, Suite 800 214-821-0829 Jack F. Lewis Jr., CPA cpa
Missing out on itemizing? Try doubling down on property taxes in Jan & Dec, then skip a year.
jlewis@jlewiscpa.com
El Corazon de Tejas
24 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017
PHOTO BY DANNY FULGENCIO
Vote for your favorite local Services in Oak Cliff. BEST F 2017 2017 BEST OF oakcliff.advocatemag.com/bestof2017

By BRENT MCDOUGAL

Earthly actions and interactions can awaken heaven in us

On a beautiful spring Saturday morning, my wife, Jen, and I took our dog for a run. The final stop was a large, fenced field on the church campus adjacent to our community garden. The sun was shining, the trees were blooming, and the dog was in heaven, chasing the ball again and again. Students from Adamson High School were laughing together as they weeded and watered a bed of newly seeded soil.

Something stirred in me — a kind of this-is-how-it-was-meant-to-be feeling.

Hopefully all of us get a taste of that sometimes — that experience of heaven on earth, moments that give us hope for the future. Beyond politics, bickering and suffering, we can imagine a way to live and work together to make something beautiful.

Acts 1:9 reports that forty days after the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. “… As they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight and they were gazing into heaven as he went …”

Can you picture those disciples staring into that blank, blue sky?

The most unusual thing happened after Jesus’ resurrection. He wouldn’t stay all the time, but just appeared here and there, easily crossing back and forth between heaven and earth. Frederick Buechner said that Easter means, “we can never nail him down, not even if the nails we use are real and the thing we nail him to is a cross.”

With the Ascension (celebrated this year on May 25), Jesus seemed gone for good. The word for “cloud” means “a great luminosity.” In a brilliant light, he left. And the disciples must have wondered, “Is he really gone?”

Here’s what’s odd: a cloud always symbolized God’s presence in the Bible. As

26 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

God led the people toward the Promised Land, he led them with a cloud by day and a fire by night. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple, the priests couldn’t bear to minister in the cloud-filled room. The glory of the creator of the galaxies was present.

And now?

The manner of Jesus’ ascension means that heaven and earth are very, very close.

Once Jesus was asked, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” He replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the

BAPTIST

CLIFF TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH / 125 Sunset Ave. / 214.942.8601

Serving Oak Cliff since 1898 / CliffTemple.org / English and Spanish 9 am Contemporary Worship / 10 am Sunday School / 11 am Traditional

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

EPISCOPAL

ST. AUGUSTINE’S /1302 W. Kiest Blvd / staugustinesoakcliff.org

A diverse, liturgical church with deep roots in Oak Cliff and in the ancient faith / Holy Eucharist with Hymns Sunday 10:15 am

METHODIST

GRACE UMC / Diverse, Inclusive, Missional Sunday School for all ages, 9:30 am / Worship, 10:50 am 4105 Junius St. / 214.824.2533 / graceumcdallas.org

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF OAK CLIFF / oakcliffuu.org Sun. Worship 10am / Wed. Meditation 7pm / 3839 W. Kiest Blvd. Inclusive – Justice Seeking – Spirited – Eclectic – Liberal – Fun!

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

PROMISE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST / www.promiseucc.org

Kingdom of God is already among you.”

(Luke 17:20-21)

Often we find ourselves waiting for something to happen. If God would just break in, or show us a sign, or do something miraculous, then we will see the kingdom come.

What if the kingdom of heaven is here, among us, within us? What if it was not for one day far off, but for now? What if it’s within grasp, that by our actions and love we can see the kingdom come?

We don’t have to wait, gazing at the sky. Heaven is here and now.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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. WORSHIP
Beyond politics, bickering and suffering, we can imagine a way to live and work together to make something beautiful.
WORSHIP
Worship: 10:30 am Sundays / 214-623-8400 / 2527 W. Colorado Blvd. An Open and Affirming Church where everyone is welcome!

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.

HOLY

TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

3815 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas 214-526-5113, htcsdallas.org For more than 100 years, Holy Trinity Catholic School, has been committed to the religious, intellectual, emotional, social and physical growth of each student. This commitment is carried out in a nurturing atmosphere with an emphasis on social awareness, service to others, and religious faith in the Catholic tradition. The Immaculate Heart Program at Holy Trinity School was initiated to fully realize our school’s mission of developing the whole child by meeting the needs of one of the most underserved and underperforming groups in catholic schools, children with dyslexia.

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.

69%

of our readers say they want to know more about private schools.

Lakehill Summer Camps Kindergarten through High School June 5 - August 11 Online Summer Camps Guide: www.lakehillprep.org Academic Readiness * Acting & Film Making * Arts Community Service * Cooking * Crafting & Building * LEGO Outdoor Adventure * Science & Discovery Sports * Technology * and more! Morning, afternoon, and full-day teacher-led camps are available, as well as free before- and after-care. lakehillprep.org/summer-camps A STEM
University P re-Kinde r through G rade 8 401 9 S Hampton , Dallas , T X 7 5 22 4 214.331.5139 w ww.saintspride.co m to advertise call 214.560.4203
campus, in conjunction with Notre Dame
education GUIDE
to advertise call 214.560.4203
HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL EST 1914 www.htcsdallas.org 214.526.5113 3815 Oak Lawn Ave. Keeping Families Together Serving All! NOW Enrolling Pre-K3 thru 8th Grade Ask about our new program serving students with dyslexia Gem of Uptown oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 27

WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?

CLEANING SERVICES

A WORLD CLASS CLEANING SERVICE

You deserve High Standards and Quality Cleaning. You’ve tried the rest... Now try the Best! WindsorMaidServices.com 214-381-MAID (6243)

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133

Family Owned & Operated

Serving the Dallas area for over 30 years

We raise our kids here, too!

972-274-2157

www.CrestAirAndHeat.com

TACLB29169E

APPLIANCE REPAIR

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

Five Rings Financial has part-time opportunities! JR@FiveRingsFinancial.com 214-702-0033 x502

BUY/SELL/TRADE

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/Models. 2000-2016. Any Condition. Running Or Not. Top $$$ Paid. Free Towing. We’re Nationwide. Call Now 1-888-985-1806

COMCAST HI-SPEED INTERNET $29.99/mo (for 12 mos.) No term agreement. Fast downloads. Plus ask about TV (140 Channels) Internet bundle for $79.99/mo (for 12 mos.) 1-844-714-4451

RANGERS, STARS & MAVS

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

CABINETRY & FURNITURE

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

CLASSES/TUTORING/LESSONS

COLOR ME EMPOWERED

Art Classes & Workshops for Pre K-12. colormeempowered.org. 214-729-2499

CREATIVE ARTS CENTER

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

FATHER, SON, GRANDSON

Window Cleaning. Free Est. Derek. 682-716-9892

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING

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, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable.

Chris 214-770-5001

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. 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

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

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

FENCING & WOODWORK oldgatefence.com

214-766-6422

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

FLOORING & CARPETING

FENN CONSTRUCTION Manufactored hardwoods. Stone and Tile. Back-splash Specials. 214-343-4645

Willeford

hardwood

GARAGE SERVICES

IDEAL GARAGE DOORS • 972-757-5016 Install & Repair. 10% off to military/1st responders.

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

PRO WINDOW CLEANING prompt, dependable. Matt 214-766-2183

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

HANDYMAN SERVICES

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

HANDY MANNY PAINTING/HOME REPAIR Int./Ext. Manny 214-334-2160

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

HOME REPAIR HANDYMAN Small/Big Jobs + Construction. 30 Yrs. Exp. 214-875-1127

HOMETOWN construction.

HONEST, SKILLED General Repairs/

Your Home Repair Specialists

HOUSE PAINTING

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. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS

Granite, Quartz, Marble For Kitchen/Bath-Free Est.. stoneage.brandee@gmail.com 940-465-6980

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

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

WE REFINISH!

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

www.allsurfacerefinishing.com

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

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

BURRIS TREE SERVICE | 469-939-3344

Expert tree service. | Prune. Stump grind. Plant.

DALLAS GROUNDSKEEPER Organic Lawn Maintenance designed to meet your needs. 214-504-6788 dallasgroundskeeper.com

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

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

972-308-6035

LSI LAWN SPRINKLERS “Making Water Work” Irrigation system Service & Repair. Specializing In Older Copper Systems. LI #13715. 214-283-4673

MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Insd.

CC’s Accepted. 214-924-7058 214-770-2435

U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Oak Cliff resident for over 15 years. uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

AC & HEAT
floors Superior Quality: Installation • Refinishing Repair • Cleaning & Waxing Old World Hand Scrape 214-824-1166
Drywall Doors Senior Safety Carpentry Small & Odd Jobs And More!
Bonded & Insured. Locally owned & operated. HOME INSPECTION Certified • Licensed • Insured Existing Homes • New Construction • Termite • Infrared Pool & Spa Sewer Line Scope • Lead Paint • Mold • Radon Septic • Commercial & Residential Backflow & Fire Sprinkler Award winning inspection company. Days a Week • 8:00am – 8:00pm 855-349-6757 • GreenWorksInspections.com PEST CONTROL HOME INSPECTIONS and A+ 214.560.4203 TO ADVERTISE JUNE DEADLINE MAY 10
HandymanMatters.com/dallas
Online at Classifieds.advocatemag.com 28 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

LEGAL SERVICES

A WILL? THERE IS A WAY! Estate/Probate matters.maryglennattorney.com 214-802-6768

MORTGAGE SERVICES

NEED A PURCHASE, REFIANCE Or Renovation Home Loan? Call Pat Nagler, PrimeLending Sr. Loan Officer (NMLS: 184376) 214-402-4019 for all your mortgage needs.

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

PEST CONTROL

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

PET SERVICES

THE PET DIVAS Pet Sitting, Daily Dog Walks, In Home/Overnight Stays.Basic Obedience Training. thepetdivas.com 817-793-2885. Insured

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*

POOLS

LEAFCHASERS POOL SERVICE Parts/Service. Chemicals/Repairs. Jonathan. 214-729-3311

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

NEED A NEW WEBSITE?

Mobile. SEO Friendly. Maintainable.

AdvocateWebDesign.com 214.292.2053

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

REMODELING

Bob McDonald Company, Inc. BUILDERS/REMODELERS

30+ Yrs. in Business • Major Additions Complete Renovations • Kitchens/Baths

214-341-1155

bobmcdonaldco.net

ROOFING & GUTTERS

BERT ROOFING INC.

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 214.321.9341

SERVICES FOR YOU

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

1.Clean or change the filter once a month, not just when it is hot already.

2.Keep the outdoor unit clean. Clean plant growth, debris from unit.

3.Check and maintain fan belts on the outdoor unit.

4.Schedule a pre-season tune-up by a professional. They can inspect, unclog and upgrade your system. The only thing that’s left is to enjoy being cool and keeping that cash for summer fun.

classifieds.advocatemag.com

PLUMBING

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

THE PLUMBING MANN LLC All Plumbing! Since 1978. Family Owned. RMP/Master-14240 Insured. 214-FAST-FIX/ 214-327-8349

REMODELING

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 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

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES
TREES could look like a WORK OF ART, I Guarantee It. Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444 Just Trees MAY SPECIAL $200 OFF 4 man crew/4 hours IRISH RAIN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS REPAIR SERVICE RETAINING WALLS DRAIN HELP 28+ Yrs. Exp. Licensed by State of Texas #2738 214-827-7446 p Mastercard Visa Discover HEADS UP! Inspection Special -10% Off MENTION OUR AD IN ADVOCATE
harvested wood! JD’s Tree Service RESPONSIBLE TREE CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Firewood/Cooking Wood Full service trimming & planting of native trees.
YOUR
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oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 29

Pioneer power

Sarah Cockrell was one of Dallas’ most important early capitalists

William Jennings Bryan takes credit as the founder of Dallas.

Men such as Zachariah Ellis Coombes and William Henry Hord made history as the first white settlers of Oak Cliff.

Carl A. Mangold and Thomas L. Marsalis were the first to begin forming Oak Cliff into the residential neighborhood it is today.

But it was a woman, Sarah Horton Cockrell, who is considered Dallas’ first capitalist.

Following the American Civil War, Cockrell became an industry magnate, real-estate maven and transportation pioneer.

Cockrell was born in Virginia in 1819. The Cockrell family moved to a homestead near Mountain Creek Lake when

Sarah was 25. In an 1845 letter to her sister, she recounted seeing her neighbor, Alexander Cockrell, at a dance on Thanksgiving night. Cockrell was a veteran of the Mexican War and one year her junior.

“I must tell you he looked like a dream come true — tall very handsome, that black hair perfectly groomed and the piercing blue eyes literally drilling into me. I had to pinch myself to remind me that he was a scoundrel, given to taking the Lord’s name in vain, a wild man not fitting for pleasant society.”

She married the good-looking scoundrel anyway. Together they built a cedar-log cabin on a piece of land near what is now the Mountain Creek Generating Station. The home consisted of one large room with a loft and storage room. They

whitewashed the exterior, and it became known as the White House Ranch.

Alexander Cockrell traveled often to trade cattle, leaving Sarah to run the homestead. Like most Dallas pioneers, the Cockrell family held slaves.

In 1853, Alexander Cockrell sold his cattle ranch and bought Bryan’s stake in Dallas for $7,000. They first moved into Bryan’s cabin and then they lived in a five-room cottage on the north side of Commerce Street. He operated a brick business as well as sawmill, lumberyard, gristmill and freighting businesses.

Cockrell had purchased Bryan’s ferry across the Trinity, at the time the only way between what is now Oak Cliff and Dallas. In 1854, he built a covered wooden toll bridge, having acquired hundreds of acres of land surrounding the Trinity River.

BACKSTORY
30 oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017

He owned many commercial and residential buildings, and he began building the three-story St. Nicholas Hotel in 1857.

This was still the Wild West, and on April 3, 1858, Alexander Cockrell was killed in a gunfight with a city marshal, Andrew M. Moore. Moore, who later was cleared of any crime, said he was attempting to arrest Cockrell for violating a city ordinance. But there was suspicion because Moore had been in debt to Cockrell.

Sarah had kept the books and managed correspondence for all of her husband’s enterprises; Alexander Cockrell, in fact, was said to have been illiterate. After her husband died, she became the woman in charge of all of the Cockrell holdings.

In 1859, the brick St. Nicholas Hotel opened on Commerce Street under her management.

The following year, Sarah appealed to the State of Texas for the right to build an iron toll bridge across the Trinity. She even appeared before the Texas Legislature, a highly unusual move for a woman at the time. The state granted her approval to build an iron bridge across the Trinity. The American Civil War delayed that project, but the first iron bride across the trinity was constructed in 1872 under the direction of the Dallas Iron and Bridge Co.

Sarah, being a woman in the Victorian Era, did not sit on the board of directors. Her interests were represented instead

by her son and her son-in-law.

In the following years, she acquired a flourmill, entering what was then Dallas’ No. 1 industry.

She was a real-estate expert, having negotiated 53 land deals in 1889 alone, according to the Texas State Historical Society.

Besides all that, she raised five children — the oldest was 8 and the youngest 2 at the time of her husband’s death — and she held open houses, inviting the community into her home. She threw what is thought to have been the first formal ball in Dallas at the St. Nicholas Hotel, which burned down in the 1860 fire that destroyed much of the town.

Sarah Cockrell died in 1892, and she owned so much real estate that her will was 24 pages long.

She donated the land, at Ross and Harwood, for the First Methodist Church. And a stained-glass window there commemorates that contribution.

The Cockrell family left a long string of descendants, many of whom still live in Dallas. And their name remains prominent. Next time you’re driving on Cockrell Hill road, remember: It’s named for a pioneering woman.

In 2004, Vivian Castleberry published a book about Sarah Cockrell titled “Sarah — The Bridge Builder: Dowager of a Dallas Dynasty.” Castleberry received the Oak Cliff Lions Club’s Humanitarian Award in April.

Opposite page: A photo montage of Sarah Cockrell and one of the old Commerce Street bridges. Above: The Commerce Street toll bridge that Sarah Cockrell built in 1872. PHOTOS COURTESY OF “SARAH — THE BRIDGE BUILDER: DOWAGER OF A DALLAS DYNASTY” BY VIVIAN CASTLEBERRY AND THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY
oakcliff.advocatemag.com MAY 2017 31
“I had to pinch myself to remind me that he was a scoundrel, given to taking the Lord’s name in vain, a wild man not fitting for pleasant society.”
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