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Behind The Bar 2B • Art Valet 4B • Local Eats 3B Saturday, September 19, 2015 • Page 1B
Artisana Bread moves into neighborhood on Pinemont Wakefield Drive bar closes doors, property sold to developer for townhomes By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com
It wasn’t just the beer that was flowing Monday night at the Dutchman, located at 834 Wakefield, before the bar closed its doors after more than 60 years in business – it was the memories. “Each time I tried to start a story with my friends, I’d get all misty-eyed and have to walk away,� said Denise Quick on Facebook. “The people, the memories, the sad times of those we lost, the birthdays and celebrations, the years of just going in for a cold one and some alone time. All will be missed. Last night was amazing with the love of friends. One last memory I personally will cherish.� No one will cherish the good times as much as Kenny Kearns, aka Kenny Ray, who bought the bar in 1989 with his dad JD. “We bought it when I was 29 and I’m 55 now,� he said. “That’s almost half my life. We had a lot of good cookoffs and some really good camaraderie over the years. There were fourth and fifth generation customers who still came in here.� Kearns said that the cost of doing business, and taxes, has become more unpredictable and when Red’s sold across the street for $600,000 in May 2014, a sale started looking more and more likely. “Dad’s been wanting to sell it but I fought it,� said Kearns. Realtor Stacy Mathews helped Kearns with the sale, as he did for Jackie Roberts with Red’s Bar. “People are getting mad at me for selling all their bars,� he jokes. Mathews notes that the area is “prime property� and although he declined to name the selling price, he said that they were “pushing the envelope on price.� The property, which is 21,658 square feet, was appraised last year
Photo by Betsy Denson Kenny Kearns standing in front of The Dutchman. Kearns has owned the bar with his dad since 1989.
for $444,062. The sale was a non-MLS listing. Mathews said he brought Kearns two buyers and let he and his dad choose. The new owner, Wall Properties is going to build, you guessed it, townhomes. Kearns had hoped to do a lease back and stay open for a couple more months but that didn’t happen, so the Dutchman’s last night was a spur of the moment affair with word spreading on social media. Monday afternoon, Kearns visited with regulars and hoped he wouldn’t run out of beer too early. Ms. Jane, a four year employee at the bar and a long-time patron before that, enjoyed a Coke and chatted with Kearns, along with patrons Sammy Benefiel, Sylvia Martinez and Chuck Lockhart. They wondered aloud where all the signs and bar memorabilia would go and talked about the old-timers, including one who was always a fixture in the corner with his cigar. Kearns told them he’d get
By Betsy Denson betsy@theleadernews.com Bread lovers, rejoice - Artisana Bread is open for business in the Pinemont Pavilion, 965 Pinemont Road. Last year, Shady Acres resident Rosemarie Abbouchi told The Leader that she looked for more than a year to find a spot for her commercial bakery. She quit her job as an accountant more than three years ago to bake full time and had been rentPhoto by Betsy Denson ing commercial kitchens to Artisana Bread owner, Rosemarie Abbouchi, helps a hungry cusmake her product. Now she tomer with the new menu. has a space of her own and is really enjoying meeting peo- sourdoughs, Danishes and ule with her general contracple from the neighborhood as scones. Abbouchi also told tor and shift things around a The Leader that she has a big bit, but the wholesale work well as sharing her breads. kept her cash flow in check Noting the distressed floor, scones following. Although Abbouchi has until she could get the retail Abbouchi said she wanted Artisana “to look like it’s been in been in the Pinemont Pavil- up and running. For now, the hours are the neighborhood.� She also ion for a while fulfilling orders wants to capture the feeling for her wholesale business 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday of her stand at the Urban – she supplied bread to B&B through Saturday. Abbouchi Harvest’s Eastside Market Butchers on Washington for said her focus is on the retail with conversation and fellow- the last month during Hous- and she’ll increase the hours ship, or as her husband says ton Restaurant Weeks – the as they work out any kinks. retail portion is new. She had “I want diners to have a –“like a cocktail party.� So far, so good. “It’s just targeted to open in February positive experience,� she what I envisioned, a wonder- but permitting delays and said. There are currently five ful ambiance,� said Abbou- time spent waiting on CenterPoint to do their part slowed employees, not including chi. With a soft opening last it down for more than two Abbouchi and her husband, week and some advance no- months. Abbouchi had to reschedSee Artisana P. 3B tice on social media, a steady stream of people have been coming in to check out Artisana and sample the wares. BeLgian While every day’s offerBiStro ings are slightly different, Daily Lunch 11:00 - 2:00 there will be Italian-style croissants that she fills 1718 Houston Ave SpecialS Dinner 5:30- 10:30 Sun. Brunch @ Crockett St. with organic jam or fig butMon-Thurs 11:00- 3:00 713.222.6996 ter, along with baguettes, www.cafebrusselshouston.com
Try our
Contributed photo In the final moments of ‘Last Call’, The Dutchman sign was taken down at 834 Wakefield Dr.
with JD and give customers first dibs on some items. One fan who didn’t get by last night was real estate agent Pat Walker who owned Jim’s Corner – now the Catty Corner – with her sister Nancy Rust for five years in the 1990s, which was ironic because Walker didn’t care much for beer. “Kenny Ray is an icon and the kindest heart I know,� said Walker, who told of Kearns making the trip each night down from the Dutchman at 11 p.m. to Jim’s to help the See Dutchman P. 2B
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El Tiempo Cantina announces newest location They dub themselves as “the ultimate party bar for grownups.� Concrete Cowboy has the Houston location listed on their main website as coming in 2016. More details online at www.concretecowboybar. com.
By Christina Martinez christina@theleadernews.com
Newest bar to Washington corridor Another turn over on the east side of Washington Avenue – Chopping Block Gourmet Burgers, next to Kung Fu Saloon. A new bar development, Concrete Cowboy, is undergoing renovations for the 5317 Washington Ave. space. The bar group is a Texas chain with locations in Austin and Dallas. A quick peak at their Austin drink menu shows libations for cocktails and shots, champagne, wine and beer.
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Washington Avenue’s Fire Station 11 closes The former fire station, turned Mediterranean-pizza eatery, Fire Station 11 has shuttered. The closing was sudden and owners gave no sign of a near departure when talking with them in the last two weeks. After a phone call to the provided number from their PR, the landlord confirmed the closing of Fire Station 11 and said a new restaurant would be taking over the space. The
landlord could not disclose the new tenants, but he did say the process was already under way for the 4520 Washington Ave. location.
Woodrow’s Heights gets new face, new name If you’ve ever intended to dine at Woodrow’s Heights, you may have ended up at Little Woodrow’s on Shepherd because the two names are so similar and right across the street from each other. Woodrow’s Heights has undergone renovations since June, including a new name. The new name for Woodrow’s Heights will now be The Durham House and they will reopen on Oct. 6. Building renovations won’t be the only thing new, with the addition of new food and drink menus in the works. Follow them on Facebook (still listed as Woodrow’s Heights) for status updates.
713.360.6204 | Haroldsheights.com
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Facebook photo The former Fire Station 11 at 4520 Washington Ave. has closed doors.
350 W. 19th St.,Houston, TX 77008
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Owner and executive chef, Domenic Laurenzo, announced in a press release this week that he will be opening the eighth location of his family’s El Tiempo Cantina restaurants, before Christmas 2015. The newest El Tiempo Cantina will be at 12440 Northwest Frwy. 77092, the former home of Rafael Galindo’s last CafÊ Red Onion. For more information on the newest development visit www.ElTiempoCantina.com.
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