MAR-APR 2022 Plano Magazine

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2 AR-APR 202 NE.COM |M I Z A G A M O PLAN

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Congratulations to Our 2021 Winners In a busy real estate market like this one, finding someone who has a real estate license is easy. But finding an experienced, professional, in-touch agent you want to tell your friends and family about is an altogether different story. On the following pages are Plano’s best. Each earned placement on the annual Top Realtors list by achieving a notable sales volume. That means many of your neighbors put their trust in, and stake their success on, these agents and their reputation. And you can feel confident to do so as well. After all, we’ve grown up with Plano and are the No. 1 brand in both Plano and Collin County for many years running.

ebby.com

Amanda Christensen 214-763-0300 amandachristensen@ebby.com

Amanda Christensen

Lindsay Craig

Lindsay Craig 972-978-8473 lindsaycraig@ebby.com

Kim Cunningham Cunningham/Kelley Team 214-695-6864 kimcunningham@ebby.com

Russell Dimmick Pam and Russell

Kim Cunningham

Russell Dimmick

214-734-7599 russelldimmick@ebby.com

Debbie Fellwock 214-212-5213 debbiefellwock@ebby.com

Stacey Feltman Stacey Feltman Group 214-356-8368 staceyfeltman@ebby.com

Debbie Fellwock

Stacey Feltman

Marty Flynn 214-789-5571 martyflynn@ebby.com

Paulette Greene Paulette Greene Group 214-957-3372 paulettegreene@ebby.com

Marty Flynn

Paulette Greene P L AN O M AGAZ IN E TOP R E ALTOR S 2021

Bethany Hart 972-746-8031 bethanyhart@ebby.com

Bethany Hart

Caryn Kelley

Pam Lewis

Sarah Liu

Tara Myers

Sharon Naukam

Cindy O’Gorman

Mary Reeves

Caryn Kelley Cunningham/Kelley Team 214-418-1352 carynkelley@ebby.com

Pam Lewis Pam and Russell 214-675-1477 pamlewis@ebby.com

Sarah Liu 972-743-4635 sarahliu@ebby.com

Tara Myers The Central Perch Group 214-923-0274 taramyers@ebby.com

Sharon Naukam 214-552-5048 sharon@ebby.com

Cindy O’Gorman The O’Gorman Group 972-380-7389 cindyogorman@ebby.com

Mary Reeves 214-693-4950 maryreeves@ebby.com

E B B Y HAL L I DAY

Howard R. Roth 214-235-5034 howard@ebby.com

Howard R. Roth

Kristen Trest

Kristen Trest 214-392-0268 kristentrest@ebby.com

Linda Wasserman 972-989-0361 lindawasserman@ebby.com

Kimberly Woodard Linda Wasserman

Kimberly Woodard

214-632-2092 kimberlywoodard@ebby.com

Judi Wright The Judi Wright Team 214-597-2985 judiwright@ebby.com

Stacey Zimmerman 469-865-3656 staceyz@ebby.com

Judi Wright

Stacey Zimmerman

Not Pictured: Marilyn Pailet, Carol King Ringo, Faruk Sabbagh & Kelly Thompson

The Plano Market Leader OUTSELLING THE NEAREST COMPETITOR BY ALMOST 2 TO 1 Ebby Halliday

$418.2M $250.5M

Competitor 1 Competitor 2

$155.1M

Source: NTREIS MLS, 1/1/21 to 12/31/21, City of Plano.

P L AN O M AGAZ IN E TOP R E ALTOR S 2021

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22 PHENOMNAL PHO 26 PLANO DEVELOPMENT 28

TOP REALTOR

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PLANOMAGAZINE.COM | editor@planomagazine.com | sales@planomagazine.com | 214.560.4212 PUBLISHER Jehadu Abshiro | FOUNDERS Luke and Jennifer Shertzer | WRITER Joshua Baethge DESIGNERS Jynnette Neal | Jessica Turner SALES Michele Paulda | Frank McClendon | Linda Kenney

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Children’s HealthSM has changed the healthcare landscape in Plano by hiring three top, board-certified pediatric urologists to its already nationally recognized team. With more than 60 years of combined experience, our new teammates bring compassion and understanding so you can have confidence in your child’s pediatric urology care.

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The leaders in pediatric urology are now located off Walnut Hill Lane.

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HIGH-QUALITY PEDIATRIC UROLOGY CARE NEAR YOU.

CHILDREN’S HEALTH IS THE LEADER IN PEDIATRIC UROLOGY CARE sm

Thanks to partnering with experts Drs. Israel Nosnik, David Ewalt and William Strand

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hildren’s Health SM has changed the health care landscape in Plano by hiring top-rated, board-certified, expert pediatric urologists to its already nationally recognized team.

Drs. Israel Nosnik, David Ewalt and William Strand have more than 60 years combined experience in this highly specialized branch of medicine.

Pediatric urologists are a small community, with only about 400 nationwide. The top three in the metroplex practice at Children’s Health.

These medical professionals treat severe issues

1

such as cancers, renal failures, hydroceles and hydronephrosis intervention, Dr. Nosnik says. They’re also experts at dealing with more routine challenges: day and night wetting concerns, urinary tract issues, and the behavioral sides of matters, in addition to physiology issues.

The doctors commonly address low-stress, in-office circumcisions and circumcision revisions, inguinal hernias and undescended testicles, Dr. Nosnik says. The doctors offer comprehensive prenatal consultation in cases of congenital urologic issues.

We communicate on a level that is

Dr. David Ewalt

understandable, digestible and

Dr. Israel Nosnik

not intimidating.

— Dr. Nosnik Dr. William Strand “Kids are not little adults,” he says. “Parent and patient needs are different in pediatric cases.”

Dr. Nosnik, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, is a graduate of Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. He completed residency training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City, and fellowship training at Northwestern University/Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

Dr. Ewalt’s medical degree is from UT Southwestern.

His residency was at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, and his pediatric urology research and clinical fellowships were completed at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dr. Strand graduated from Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Minnesota. His urology residency was completed at the National Naval Medical Center in Maryland, and his pediatric urology fellowship was earned with Children’s Memorial Hospital — part of Northwestern University’s Medical System — in Chicago.

“The success of our practice is in being attentive and focused. We share our personal contact information with patients’ families so we can be reached any time,” Dr. Nosnik says.

“Pediatric urology is a sensitive topic, since obviously we deal with highly ‘private’ areas. For us, communication is key. We communicate on a level that is understandable, digestible and not intimidating.”

Dr. Ewalt and Dr. Strand, who have partnered since the early 2000s, recruited Dr. Nosnik to join their team in 2014. The group’s impeccable clinical care, family approachability and meticulous attention to

detail is the medical game-changer that Children’s Health brings to Plano.

The doctors say they joined Children’s Health because it has provided a benchmark in Dallas-area pediatric care for years. Children’s Health has built a solid relationship network allowing accessibility to highly specialized pediatric anesthesiologists and other referral resources not available in any other medical network.

As the only center in the North Texas area that is a tertiary center — one where other hospitals send patients — Children’s Health’s goal is already accomplished: to be “the” leader in pediatric urology care, thanks to partnering with Dr. Nosnik, Dr. Ewalt and Dr. Strand.

“Our geographic corridor is one of the fastestgrowing population areas in the country, and Children’s Health is filling the gap of world class care right here in our back yard,” Dr. Nosnik says.

“Families should be able to access that locally, and get the health care they need. At Children’s Health, we provide that.”

Dr. Nosnik says he and his fellow practitioners have the most rewarding job in the world, knowing they do something every day to help patients.

“In his office, Dr. Ewalt keeps crocheted items, thank-you cards and letters from patients in a binder. He calls them ‘Ewalt’s Kids.’ And Dr. Strand has a shadow box with former patients’ track medals they’ve earned and other mementos sent in gratitude for lives changed.”

Look for compassion, understanding and confidence in your child’s pediatric urology care provider. Call 214-750-0808 and visit the Children’s Health website at childrens.com/urology.

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I

f walls could talk, the Aldridge House would speak volumes. Longtime Plano neighbors know this 104-year-old gem is the oldest example of Prairie Style architecture in the community today, and its story continues.

After a nearly three-year process, the site is finally due to receive designation as a Registered Texas State Landmark from the Texas Historical Commission, which has authenticated the home’s age, significance and architectural requirements to qualify.

Marianne Wells, chairwoman of the Collin County Historical Commission’s marker committee, spearheaded research efforts to compile and submit to the state necessary components of Aldridge’s significance.

Located at 1615 Avenue H in Plano’s Haggard Park Heritage District, the home is owned by Clint Haggard, a descendant of early owners Elizabeth and C.C. Aldridge.

While the exact marker wording will be chosen by the Texas Historical Commission, verbiage is being derived from Wells’ meticulously documented research.

Clint Haggard, a recipient of the Collin County Historical Commission’s 2020 Leadership in Preservation Award, is known as guardian of the Aldridge House’s preservation. The Aldridge House initially received local Historic Designation in 1982, which is the first step toward being considered for state-recorded recognition.

The home features architectural details such as Rookwood-style tiles surrounding the fireplace. Its wide, solid wood staircase is distinctive, and the kitchen is original size, but modernized for functionality, all while keeping its original appearance. A quaint curved drive leads to a porte cochere located on the side of the home, and a spacious porch spanning the front features a wooden porch rail.

Wells’ meticulous documentation supports a theory that the house could have been built with materials from a home previously located on the site — known as the Weaver house — with materials from that previous structure: cut nails, hand-cut wall timbers and some Victorian doors and windows.

Her research describes the structure as “a good example of hipped roof, symmetrical, with front entry” subtype that is sometimes called “Prairie Box” or “American Foursquare.”

While C.C. Aldridge was a farmer, he and his wife were noted contributors to North Texas and Plano’s development in many areas, including cotton, cotton seed, banking, public education, churches, local politics and civic engagements, and today many city spots are named after them.

The date for installation of the historical marker is still being determined, but April is being targeted, says neighbor Candace Fountoulakis, a contributing researcher. The public will be invited to attend the installation ceremony. Watch PlanoMagazine.com for details about the upcoming event. P

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GOOD PHO IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE of something that is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a calming elixir, an undervalued silver bullet to wicked hangovers or a soup for cloudy days. Diana Tang and her team at Pho is for Lovers have been ensuring customers get what they need for over a decade.

Starting with her first location, which opened on Greenville Avenue at Lovers Lane in 2011, Tang has taken a multi-generational approach to keeping the broth flowing.

“There’s no secret.” Tang says, “It really is just hard work and consistency.”

There are currently two Pho is for Lovers locations, the one off Greenville and another on Renner Road, but two other locations have closed.

“We expanded pretty quickly,” Tang says. “It was very popular, so we opened up an Addison and an Allen location. We learned about being stretched too thin.”

The chaos involved in keeping four restaurants running smoothly, while maintaining a level of quality, became too much.

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“There’s something new every day,” Tang says.

“Equipment breaks. No deliveries because of something out of our control. It’s always putting out a fire. So, we narrowed it down to two stores, that way we can focus on our strength. The more we could control, the better.”

The menu at Pho is for Lovers contains four main categories: pho, banh mi and vermicelli-noodle and rice plates, plus sides.

With a simple selection, Tang and the kitchen crew can focus on buying elements of each dish as fresh as possible.

“With our stores so small, all of our deliveries come in daily,” Tang says.

From simmering the broth for over 12 hours, to slicing the fresh slaw that goes on top of each banh mi, the environment keeping the kitchen running smoothly makes just as big an impact on the final product as the menu itself. Finding and keeping employees is no easy task.

The restaurant’s employees include her two sisters and their husbands.

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Tang has noticed that her customers’ loyalty has never wavered.

Tang says that her youngest sister has recently taken more control over the Lovers location, and there may be new items to come along with the change.

“We’re hoping to do some more things with specials,” Tang says. “Yellow cur ries, beef stews. Lots of authentic dishes that don’t get a lot of attention.”

Whatever the future has in store for Pho is for Lovers, Tang knows that the aspects that made them successful in the first place will always be there.

“Good vibes.” Tang laughs. “It’s inviting. It’s a fun brand. It’s love and positivity. Pho is for lovers.”

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DEVELOPMENT

WORK SET TO BEGIN ON HERITAGE CREEKSIDE WESTERN HALF story Joshua Baethge

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osewood Property Company will soon break ground on a four-stor y, 326unit multifamily project in the Heritage Creekside development in southern Plano.

Around the same time, work will also begin on 32 townhomes in the same vicinity.

These two projects will be the first on Heritage Creekside’s west side.

The entire 156-acre development, which is only half-built, spans an area south of Plano Parkway and north of the President George Bush Turnpike between Custer Road and Alma Drive.

Planning for the massive project began in 2014.

Developers worked with Plano leaders to enact the city’s first “urban mixed-use” zoning designation. It was intended to create a more pedestrian-friendly

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environment that promotes social interaction and efficient use of land and resources.

Since groundbreaking on the first phase in 2016, Rosewood has overseen the construction of 636 apartment homes as well as 200 townhomes and 59 single-family tracts. They have also built more than 23,578 square feet of retail and restaurant space, including popular neighborhood spots like Rodeo Goat and Flying Fish.

“Our retail partners made it through the pandemic and are performing well,” Rosewood Vice President Tim Harris says. “Our tenant base is strong, and the businesses are thriving despite the challenges.”

The booming real estate market has allowed Rosewood to execute its master plan more aggressively, Harris says. However, that plan is also evolving.

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

The development company worked with cit y officials to adjust some zoning on the undeveloped west side. The amount of planned office space was reduced to accommodate more housing. Har r is says this was done in response to cur rent market conditions and to create a more desi rable retail center.

Rosewood is now looking to find the best fit to fill the proposed 75,0 0 0 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Commercial blocks are being marketed for development. What businesses come and when they will arrive is still to be determined.

Current plans now call for 664 multifamily units throughout the development. Work on the second multifamily project is expected to begin next year.

The scaled-back office plans include 1.5 million square feet of mid-rise office space. There are also expected to be two hotels with up to 20 0 rooms each as well as an additional 36 townhomes.

According to Harris, the biggest challenges developers now face now are variable construction costs and supply chain kinks. To address this, he says Rosewood is implementing more flexibility in agreements and working closely with consultants, contractors and partners, to better solve issues together. The target build-out date for the entire Heritage Creekside developments is 2027.P

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We’re lucky to live in one of the best cities in the U.S. (in our humble opinion), and that has a lot to do with the Realtors® who champion our city and value our property. To recognize them, here are Plano Magazine’s 2021 Top Realtors in Plano.

Plano Magazine’s annual Top Realtor special section recognizes the Top 5% of all active neighborhood Realtors, determined by reported sales volume.*

2021

TOP 25 Cindy O’Gorman

Dona Timm

Pamela Lewis

Ebby Halliday Realtors

Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco

Ebby Halliday Realtors

Sharon Ketko

Mary Reeves

Ann O’Blenes

Sharon Ketko Realty

Ebby Halliday Realtors

RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs

Feras Rachid

Christie Cannon

Michelle Carr

Opendoor Brokerage, LLC

Keller Williams Frisco Stars

Berkshire HathawayHS PenFed TX

Sophia Polk

John Prell

Larry Delzell

Sophia Polk Realty

Creekview Realty

Britton Homes

Lynn Urban

Terri McCoy

Rosa Collins

Lynn Urban

Keller Williams Realty

@properties | Christie’s International

Jan Richey

Lisa Birdsong

Stacey Feltman

Keller Williams Frisco Stars

Compass Real Estate

Ebby Halliday Realtors

Leonard Thomas

Michelle Campbell

Lance Taylor

RE/MAX Premier

Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco

Keller Williams Realty

Patti Winchester

Kimberly Woodard

Ram Konara

Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International

Ebby Halliday Realtors

ReKonnection, LLC

Russell Rhodes Berkshire HathawayHS PenFed

Nita Advani

Shubhra Bhattacharya

Tracy Cavazos

Denton Aguam

Corey Booth

Eric Chen

Andy Anand

Mark Bradford

Amanda Christensen

Vicki Appleby

Donna Bradshaw

Noelle Coats

Ibrahim Azez

Stephen Brooks

Mary Anne Collins

Linda Baker

Joanne Bryan

Karen Cooper

Hassan Butt

Lindsay Craig

Tong Cai

Kim Cunningham

Carole Campbell

Brian S. Curry

Jennifer Carlman Leising

Jennifer Daniel

JP & Associates Realtors Keller Williams Realty Douglas Elliman Real Estate Coldwell Banker Apex, REALTORS C21 Fine Homes Judge Fite Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International

Ben Baker Jr.

Keller Williams Realty DPR

Shannon Beitchman Compass Real Estate

Marni Berman

Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco

Nina Bhanot

Compass Real Estate

RE/MAX DFW Associates

Corey Booth Real Estate Group Coldwell Banker Realty Plano RE/MAX DFW Associates Royal Realty, Inc.

Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco HSN Realty LLC DFW Home

Colleen Frost Real Estate Serv Compass Real Estate

Compass Real Estate Aesthetic Realty, LLC Ebby Halliday Realtors Redfin Corporation eXp Realty LLC

Berkshire HathawayHS PenFed TX Ebby Halliday Realtors Ebby Halliday Realtors

RE/MAX DFW Associates Keller Williams Realty

**The Top Realtor list was compiled from data retrieved from the North Texas Real Estate Information System (NTREIS) reported volume for 2021 residential sales in

Plano as of Jan. 02, 2022. Find out more about the list at planomagazine.com/plano-magazines-top-realtors-additional-information.

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P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

Kim Davis

Bethany Hart

Mallory Menchaca

Roxanne DeBerry

Pam Heinrich

Steve Metarelis

David Devout

Charles Hendrix

Andrea Miller

Russell Dimmick

Carrie Himel

Wendell Miller

Carmen DiPenti

Eve Holder

Suzanne Mitchell

Michael Dobbs

Alison Houpt

Shannon Moneymaker Bartek

Paul Dong

Kathy Jabri

Andrew Montoya

Jackie Dorbritz

Simone Jeanes

Vickie Mox

Robert Droke

Aaron Jistel

Diane Mueller

Jack DuVall

Javaid Karim

Christy Mullins

Roberta Eichenberger

Caryn Kelley

Tara Myers

Rachel Elminia

Mark Kieu

Sharon Naukam

L.J. Erickson

Carol King Ringo

Matt Norton

P.J. Evans

Ryan Kirkpatrick

Troy Olson

Jay Fang

Andre S. Kocher

Marilyn Pailet

Debbie Fellwock

Kim Kurak

John Papadopoulos

Matthew Fisher

Mansur Lalji

Kyle Paris

Marty Flynn

Tommy Lankri

Donna Parker

Tod Franklin

Jane Lee

Vic Reddy Pasham

Casi Fricks

Gina Lester

Tonya Peek

Bailey Funke

Sarah Liu

John Prather

Wendy Galloway

Kaitlin Lovern

Rustin Randall

Trupti Gandhi

Todd Luong

Melissa Renfro

Malci Gariani

Christopher MacArthur

Elizabeth Ritch

Jeanne Gary

Jessica Maddern

Brad Ritz

Brent Germany

Ananth Mallavarapu

Mariya Roberts

Roy Ghassemi

Heidi Marsh

Lauren Rockwell

Audrey Gillett

Michelle Martin

Howard Roth

Holly Grandcolas

Amy Maynard

Kyle Rovinsky

Angela Green

Mike Mazyck

Tanya Rutledge

Paulette Greene

Monica McCormick

Faruk Sabbagh

Faisal Halum

Nick McCoy

Kelly Samuels-Wise

Daniel Harker

Jack McLemore

Marilyn Schaffer

Keller Williams Realty Keller Williams Realty Redfin Corporation Ebby Halliday Realtors Compass Real Estate.

Post Oak Realty, LLC Sunet Group

Compass Real Estate Compass Real Estate Redfin Corporation Great American GMAC Real Estate United Real Estate

Duggan Realty Advisors L.L.C. Keller Williams Realty DPR U Property Management Ebby Halliday Realtors RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs Ebby Halliday Realtors DFWCityhomes

Redfin Corporation Providence Group Realty Berkshire HathawayHS PenFed Keller Williams Realty Pinnacle Realty Advisors Keller Williams Realty Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs RE/MAX Premier

Redfin Corporation

Keller Williams Central Ebby Halliday Realtors Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Keller Williams Realty DPR

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IN BLOOM WHAT TO EXPECT FOR SPRING IN PLANO story Joshua Baethge

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P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

A

s spring approaches, many people begin to ask when the best time is to start a garden.

According to Sherrian Jones, the operations and marketing manager for Texas Pure Products, the answer is always, “now.” The key is understanding what to grow when.

She recommends going to the Collin County master gardener website ccmgatx.org. There you will find infor mation from the Texas A&M AgriLife extension about the types of trees, shrubs, fruits and vegetables that will grow best at any given time.

Of course, successful planting begins with good soil. Few people in Plano know more about that than Jones. When residents bag up their lawn clippings or pile up tree limbs for pick-up, they are sending them to her facility.

Texas Pure is a partnership between the cities of Plano, Richardson, Allen, Frisco and McKinney. Yard clippings and tree limbs from all five cities are brought to its facility at the intersection of Custer Road and Ridgeview Drive. The tree trimmings are tur ned into mulch and sold onsite. The yard clippings are shipped off to a second Texas Pure location in Melissa.

Once there, organics donated from local stores and markets are mixed in. About a year later, the mixture has transfor med into a healthy mulch and is shipped back to the Custer Road.

There it is sold in a variety of combinations to both commercial and residential customers.

“It’s the best mulch you can buy,” Jones says. “It’s been approved for use by organic growers and far mers that are part of the USD’s organics program.”

According to her, one of the biggest mistakes local gardeners and landscapers

make is thinking that they need to remove the natural hard Texas clay and replace it with all new soil. That clay is actually really good soil with lots of potassium and phosphorus and other minerals and nutrients excellent for planting. It just needs to be broken up a little bit.

Tur ns out, all you need to do that is a little compost. Sometimes companies even market it as “clay buster.”

“It aerates and provides a plethora of nutrients, microbes and bacteria—all of the things plants need to grow that just aren’t always in potting mixes or artificial soils,” Jones says. “Nature has been doing it for millions of years to it’s a per fect plan.”

Before picking out what to plant, gardeners should also consider purchasing from a local nursery. Oftentimes, big national chains sell plants on a national or broad regional basis. That means that they may not be ideally suited for the local climate and its extreme temperature swings. Jones says you can probably still grow those non-native vaterites, but they may need a little more special attention.

For those looking to sharpen their gardening skills, the city of Plano offers classes and webinars to assist people looking to improve their green thumb. The city’s website also has infor mation on certifying your garden as a wildlife habitat and what it takes to establish sustainable gardening and landscaping practices.

Jones and Texas Pure are available as well to advise and instruct people on how to have success with gardening.

“It’s so good for you,” she says. “Not only to have food to eat but also just to have that place to enjoy.” P

P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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Prime Time Player with Local Roots story Joshua Baethge

photos courtesy of Aristotle Athari

“S

aturday Night Live” featured player Aristotle Athari remembers exactly where he was when he found out he got the gig. It was September 2021, and he was in a liquor store buying wine for his upcoming wedding when his phone rang. The caller ID said “Lorne Michaels,” “SNL’s” creator and longtime producer.

Athari wanted to take a screenshot to be sure he wasn’t hallucinating. However, fearing he might accidentally hang up on Michaels, he answered. Next thing he knew, he had his dream job.

“I yelled out ‘oh my God,’ but I did it in a way that made it sound like I’d left my baby at the mall or something,” he says.

He married his longtime girlfriend, Maura Grace, a few days later to cap off a week unlike any other. The next month, he joined the 47th season of “Saturday Night Live.”

RAMBUNCTIOUS TEXAS ROOTS Athari’s parents emigrated from Iran to Yonkers, New York, before he was born. After his mom became pregnant with him, an uncle working as a pilot in Texas convinced the couple to move for the lower cost of living.

“I bounced around schools a lot because I was a bit of a troublemaker as a kid,” Athari says.

His early school years included stops at Sigler and Huffman elementary schools. After he was expelled from Renner Middle School, he went to Haggard while also spending plenty of time in the district’s alternative program for students with behavioral issues.

For high school, he transferred to Dallas ISD’s W.T. White High so he would be eligible for that district’s arts magnet program. After graduation, he was off to California to pursue his dream.

NO STRAIGHT PATH TO SUCCESS “I came to Los Angeles like a lot of people who know what they want to do but don’t know how to get there,” he says. “I knew that I wanted to be a comedian, but I didn’t know exactly how that would unfold.”

He began doing stand-up while still a teen. For about six weeks it seemed like he was killing every set. People even started talking about this new kid phenomenon. Then came a bunch of deflating performances where he repeatedly bombed onstage.

“It scared the crap out of me so bad,” he says. “I didn’t really get back into stand-up again until I was in college.”

Athari cites Robin Williams as one of his biggest influences, along with Eddie Murphy.

“I was probably too young to have discovered Eddie Murphy,” he says.

While his love for comedy was never in doubt, his early career was a series of failed starts. His family often asked what life he was trying to live or whose path he was trying to follow. His answers never reassured them.

Athari realized that he had no choice other than success as a comedian. While he once pondered becoming a doctor with a funny bedside manner or a lawyer who made comedy-infused closing arguments, those career paths were no longer options.

“Life is very short. You just kind of have to do the thing that you want to do,” he says.

For several years, he did behind-the-scenes work while also performing in video shorts. One of his first big breaks came in 2018, when the ensemble comedy quartet Goatface, featuring Athari (then known as Aristotle Athiras) along with Hasan Minhaj, Asif Ali and Fahim Anwar, got a special on Comedy Central.

The following year, he snagged another high-profile role as the recurring character Gabe on HBO’s “Silicon Valley”.

His character was known for walking around with a wearable chair.

“I had to wear it for a few days before we started just so I could learn how to sit in it,” he says.

Also in 2019, Athari first performed in the prestigious Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. It is considered akin to the Sundance Film Festival of comedy.

He did four characters in his showcase, including “Angelo” and the comedian robot “Laughingtosh 3000,” which got the attention of “SNL” executives.

Both characters have since appeared on the show.

Athari was asked first to audition for “SNL” at the Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. A second audition in New York was followed by more telephone interviews. Finally, he received that call in the middle of a liquor store. He remembers racing out to tell his agent, who is also a close friend.

“He was playing soccer at Pan Pacific Park. So I told him at the soccer field, and he hugged me with his sweaty freakin’ body,” Athari says.

One of the first things Athari noticed upon starting at SNL is how small everything seems compared to TV. He says it’s been hard to step back and realize P L A N O M A G A Z I N E . C O M

what’s happening because he’s been so focused on what he is doing.

Each week begins with meeting the host and working on new sketches. It’s a creative but challenging environment with everyone performing a bunch of different tasks leading up to the big performance.

Athari says getting “Angelo” on the air and seeing the crowd’s reaction was a highlight. Meeting Stephen Spielberg was a thrill as well.

“That’s a huge part for me. I’ve always been afraid of meeting your heroes and finding out they’re not so great,” he says. “I’ve been lucky that everyone on the show has just been the nicest.”P

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR, SUZY JONES story Joshua Baethge photos Kathy Tran

D

espite facing countless challenges over the past t wo pandemic-tainted years, the Ar tsCentre of Plano remains steadfast in its mission to bring ar t to the masses.

E xecutive Director Suz y Jones has seen a little of ever ything during her time there. When she began 17 years ago, the Centre was located in a building on 15th Street in the hear t of downtown Plano.

While the location was great, it was also much too

expensive for a nonprofit to own long -term.

That motivated a move to the historic Olney Davis House at the intersection of 18th Street and H Avenue. The home may have been a beautiful setting for ar t, but it left the Centre cut off from the happenings in the central business district.

Then city officials approached the Centre about moving to the historic Saigling House on the nor th side of Haggard Park. It proved to be a win -win for both sides. Plano officials wanted to restore the

house but prevent it from becoming a business that wouldn’t fit in the downtown park. The Ar tCentre got to move to a beautiful space right in the middle of town. After extensive remodeling, the Ar tCentre moved into its cur rent space in 2017.

“I love this area. I think it speaks to the histo r y of Plano and the quaintness of how it used to be, but we also have nice restaurants and apar tments to live in,” Jones says. “It has so much character.”

Of course, a lot changed in three years. In March 2020, the Ar tCentre did what most of the countr y had to do: go home until they better un derstood the battle they were up against. While administrative work could be done from home, Jones quickly recognized that really can’t have an ar t center from home.

“We realized that the most impor tant thing was to find a way to be relevant and stay relevant in the community,” she says.

Social media effor ts were ramped up. The Centre filmed the changing of exhibits. Jones or the ar tists on display regularly answered questions online.

“We did that so that people didn’t feel like we were just gone,” she says. “We didn’t want to disappear. Music, ar t and per formances were go ing to be even more impor tant after an absence.”

After a few months, the galler y re - opened on a limited basis. Still, revenue from events came to a halt due to gathering restrictions and the public’s general wariness of going out. Despite the challenges, the Centre managed to make ends meet with the help of PPP loans, donor sup por t,and suppor t from the city.

Now that those days seem to be in the rearview mir ror, the Ar tCentre is moving full speed ahead with a full schedule of exhibitions planned for 2022.

Cur rently, there are t wo exhibits on the display. In honor of Black Histor y Month, an exhibit from ar tist Abi Salami is cur rently being featured.

It’s a brilliant display of brightly colored works that are nearly impossible to overlook.

While the exhibit may coincide with Black Histor y Month, Jones is quick to point out that the Centre strives for diversity all the time. That’s not just limited to skin color but also ar tistic mediums, age, gender, religion and other factors.

Upcoming events for this year include the works of high school AP Ar t students this spring as well as the annual Plano Ar t Association group show at the end of the year.

This month, there are also works from the Toyota-sponsored dream car contest. Kids bet ween the ages of 4 and 15 are encouraged to create their dream cars on paper. The ultimate contest winner gets a trip to Tok yo.

The Centre typically features the works of ar tists with ties to Nor th Texas. Usually there is only one exhibit on display at a time, be it one ar tist or one central theme. E xhibitions are planned more than a year in advance. Sometimes Centre representatives find ar t that they want to feature. Other times, ar tists are asked to create new works.

The goal is to present an eclectic mix of ar t and styles that keeps the community engaged.

“If you see the same old things, that’s not fun,” Jones says. “We want it to be fun and interesting.”

In addition to exhibits, the Ar tCentre hosts events, including many weddings in its outdoor gazebo. The Centre also offers educational op por tunities, including a summer program for un derser ved kids.

Still, despite so much going on there, Jones regularly meets people who have only recently “discovered” the Ar tsCentre. She hopes that more people coming into the downtown area will mean more people discovering the unique ar t space.

“We’re really careful about what we show people because we want people to trust that what we show them is impor tant to look at and be considered,” she says. “It’s a space for people who love ar t and collect ar t, as well as those who are ar tists themselves, to be inspired.” P

2021

Coldwell Banker Frisco Quarter PLANO 3-22 Page 1 6301 Gaston Avenue Suite 820 • Dallas, Texas 75214 PH: 214.823.5885 FX: 214.823.8866

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