Stockyards News

New Stockyards complex corrals boots, biscuits, and bananas for Mule Alley

Mule Alley rendering, Fort Worth Stockyards

Get your hats and boots ready.

Rendering courtesy of Stockyards Heritage Development Co.

Making good on its promise to evolve the legacy of the Fort Worth Stockyards, Stockyards Heritage Development Co. has signed on a round of new tenants coming to the Mule Alley complex in winter 2019. They will include a famous bootmaker, a biscuit restaurant, a banana stand, and more.

According to a release, here's what's coming:

Lucchese Bootmaker, a luxe Western maker and retailer, will open two stores in the area — a 2,000-square-foot retail showcase on Exchange Avenue, and a first-ever custom boot shop in the lobby of the Hotel Drover. "The Mule Alley store will be one of only seven existing locations for the Western icon, a company that is extremely careful about choosing appropriate locations to showcase their wares," the developers say in the release. The Hotel Drover, slated to open in the fall of 2020, will house the country’s first Lucchese Collection store, an 800-square-foot luxury flagship offering custom-fit apparel and made-to-order boots with no pre-stocked inventory on hand. Guests will experience bespoke fashion and boot making uniquely crafted just for them and be able to purchase accessories that can only be found in this store," they say.

The Biscuit Bar, a fast-casual concept with a menu centered around biscuits that was founded by husband-and-wife Jake and Janie Burkett, will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. They'll offer biscuits, tots, and beer on tap, all with Southern charm. Customers at The Biscuit Bar at Mule Alley, 122 E. Exchange Ave., will be served scrumptious scratch-made biscuits with variety of unexpected toppings along with biscuit sandwiches, a playful selection of tater tots, and special craft cocktails on tap. They promise to be rustic and to "keep it dusty."

Buckaroo Banana, a tricked-out horse trailer, will serve up frozen banana treats on a stick. They'll be dipped in warm chocolate with a wide choice of toppings. "Your little buckaroos and cutie cowgirls are sure to love this one," promises the release.

Deputy Doggie, another horse trailer concept, will hand out innovative Texas-style hot dogs created by Jenna Kinard, executive chef at Hotel Drover.

Sidesaddle Saloon, a shotgun-style, craft cocktail bar is coming from partners Sarah Castillo, Christian Lehrmann, and Glen Keely, the team behind Taco Heads and Tinie’s Mexican Rotisserie. "Sidesaddle pays homage to the spirit of the American cowgirl, and guests can expect curated cocktails and Texas-style tapas in a rustic-modern, brick-walled, neo-saloon setting," they say.

Little White Lies, a distinctive artisan shop with a feminine, rustic flair will open inside the Hotel Drover. "The boutique will feature a special collection of edited apparel, jewelry, bags, travel accessories, and gifts in pale shades and beautiful hues that reflect its intriguing name and ethereal, interior ambience," the release says.

MB Mercantile & Supply is an original retail concept from Stockyards Heritage. "Inspired by the earliest general stores, MB Mercantile will offer a carefully selected mix of charming, must-have goods that will satisfy both Stockyards’ visitors and Fort Worth locals," the developers say. "A uniquely dramatic interior filled with rustic fixtures, vintage finds, and a balance of nostalgic wares meeting modern goods will set the stage." Think gifts, home accents, apothecary, stationery, confections, artisan, and handmade goods.

Mule Alley will begin to host opening celebrations in November, with special grand opening events scheduled during the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in mid-January 2020. "In tandem with the 130th anniversary of the Stockyards, the opening events will celebrate the monumental rebirth of the area as well as its unforgettable history," the developers say.

Check the website for more information about openings and preview events.

openings downtown

Movie Review

Long-anticipated Wicked movie adaptation does not disappoint

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera in Wicked.

The musical Wicked is indisputably the biggest Broadway smash of the 21st century, having grossed more $1.6 billion in New York alone and achieving the rare feat of running for over 20 years. All of which is to say that the long-awaited movie adaptation of The Wizard of Oz prequel will most likely be a massive success whether it lives up to what longtime fans envisioned or not.

Part one — yes, this 2 hour and 40 minute film is merely the first act of the musical; part two arrives a year from now — introduces Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the green-skinned witch who goes on to become Dorothy’s nemesis, and G(a)linda (Ariana Grande-Butera), the pink-garbed “good” witch, as they meet at Shiz University in Oz. Glinda is the ultra-popular one with sycophantic hangers-on, while Elphaba is shunned by almost everyone, sometimes including her disabled sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who’s desperate to make her own space away from Elphaba.

Her mistreatment by others leads Elphaba to get angry, which manifests itself in uncontrollable magic. Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) notices this and takes a personal interest in her, giving her one-on-one instruction in hopes of harnessing her power. In the meantime, Elphaba and Glinda attempt to go from forced roommates to actual friends, although Glinda’s entitled personality is more of an obstacle than anything else they encounter.

Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by original book writer Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the film does a great job of distinguishing itself from the stage version while still remaining true to what made it so beloved. As Chu showed in his last film, In the Heights, he has an innate feel for how to tap into the essence of the source material while expanding it into something befitting the scope of a blockbuster movie.

In this case, he finds a way to give even greater emphasis to the bigotry that Elphaba faces simply because of her green skin; the fact that she is being played by a Black woman drives home the point even more. The story remains light and fluffy for the most part, but the ostracization/otherness that Elphaba feels is delivered in a powerful way, as is her empathy for talking animals like Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), who are facing their own persecution.

Of course, the highlight of the film is Stephen Schwartz’s music, and while not all of the songs are equal in impact, they still make for a cohesive whole. The number of songs and order they appear in the first act is identical to the stage musical, with the standouts remaining “The Wizard and I,” “Popular,” and “Defying Gravity.” While there is some superfluous action and cutaways added to certain numbers, it’s not enough to distract from what makes the songs effective.

Oddly, the progression of the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda works better on stage when the timeline is accelerated, but Erivo and Grande-Butera make up for this slight lack with their fantastic performances. The emotion each brings to their characters fits them almost perfectly, and there’s simply no denying the strength of each of their voices. Bode, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and more make for a solid supporting cast.

The well-known ending of the first act of Wicked is a huge high point that is so good that it almost makes up for the fact that audiences won’t see the second film for a long time. But if part one is any indication, part two should turn out to be another great musical theater adaptation in a decade that has already seen its fair share.

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Wicked opens in theaters on November 22.

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