We want to love Deep Ellum, we really do. But when it continues throwing up roadblocks — both literal and figurative — between us and our burgers and beer, it gets harder and harder to persuade our friend group to go there. Now, imagine if you owned a restaurant in the area.
Recently, we drove up and down Main, Elm and Commerce streets, the neighborhood’s main thoroughfares. Commerce was, predictably, still covered in rubble. A graffiti-covered portable toilet was planted in the middle of the street, and the “Open for Business” signs looked a bit worse for wear. That said, Main and Elm Streets were pretty busy at about 2 p.m. on a weekday. We spotted folks walking and sitting on patios along the block, as well as about half a dozen conspicuously placed police cruisers. Street parking was free and easy to find throughout the area.
On the surface, when the sun is high and bright, all seems well. But street construction and the inherent problems of being a nightlife beacon barely scratch the surface in terms of the challenges restaurants face. Of course, recent times have been tough on all food service businesses. We’ve written about tariffs, the lease cliff and higher prices for labor and goods. But when you add Deep Ellum-specific hurdles and (literal) road blocks to the mix, you’re looking at a punishing obstacle course…