Burger News

Austin burger restaurant chain hops into Fort Worth's crowded field

If there's one thing Fort Worth does not lack, it is burgers.

Better burger chain Hopdoddy Burger Bar is expanding to a town that's already rich with burgers: Fort Worth. The Austin-based chain will open its first location in Fort Worth in fall 2017.

Hopdoddy is going into the Left Bank, a residential and retail development along West 7th Street, situated on the banks of the Trinity River between downtown and the Cultural Arts District.

The chain is known for its list of variety burgers, hand-cut Kennebec fries, and fancy milkshakes. Unlike similar chains such as Liberty Burger, Hopdoddy has a full bar with house-made liqueurs and fresh-squeezed juices. Founded in 2010, it has 16 locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas. Fort Worth will be the fourth DFW branch.

The other three run in a tony line along the Dallas North Tollway, with one in Uptown on McKinney Avenue, another in Preston Center, and a third at the Village on the Parkway by Addison.

They've been well received in Dallas, but when it comes to burgers, Dallas is no Fort Worth, which already has its share of favored burger joints including Kincaid's, Fred's, Dutch's, and Hopdoddy knock-off Rodeo Goat.

West Miller, president of Centergy Retail, says that the urbanism that West 7th Street is experiencing evokes similarities to South Congress Avenue in Austin. "We feel Hopdoddy couldn’t have selected a better location for its first Fort Worth store," he says.

At Left Bank, Hopdoddy Burger Bar will be neighbors with a Tom Thumb coming soon, as well as 1,500 residential units, office space, a hotel, and a park.

openings burgers

FroYo News

Fro-yo chain Orange Leaf makes Azle debut in time for the holidays

Photo courtesy of Orange Leaf

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A new frozen yogurt shop is bringing chilly delights to Azle: Called Orange Leaf, it’s a self-service fro-yo concept opening a new location at 828 Boyd Rd. #102, in a former chicken wing space.

According to a release, it will open on December 7.

Orange Leaf was founded in Oklahoma in 2008 and is known for its frozen yogurt, smoothies, shakes, superfood bowls, cake in a cup, and fro-yo cake.

They boast 12 flavors of yogurt, some distinctive such as toasted marshmallow, white chocolate strawberry, and birthday cake. As is often the case with self-serve shops, their machines are set up with two adjacent flavors so you can do a combo swirl. Toppings comprise more than 30 options, including fruit, cereals, nuts, boba, gummies, and cheesecake bites.

A cup of frozen yogurt goes for $8.

Bringing the chain to Azle are husband-and-wife Mike and Yvonne Higby. Mike is a retired Air Force veteran, and Yvonne was previously a paraprofessional for preschoolers in the Azle Independent School District.

According to a release, they chose to invest in Orange Leaf because they enjoyed the items as a treat with their two sons and wanted to connect with the community.

“I spent years in food service before joining the military, both of which allowed me the opportunity to connect with people, provide the best quality products and services and become a strong leader," says Mike in a statement. "The lessons learned along the way encouraged me to make a choice to take control of my life, which led me to entrepreneurship”

Orange Leaf is one of the brands under the portfolio of Brix Holdings, the Dallas-based restaurant franchise company. Sherif Mityas, CEO of Brix Holdings, shared excitement over the the couple leading the Azle opening.

“We’re confident that with their combined years of experience serving the nation and their community, they will provide an experience to their guests filled with care, passion and dedication,” says Mityas in a statement. “As we open our final Orange Leaf location for 2024, we are proud of our franchise partners and are eagerly looking ahead to the success of Orange Leaf Azle and many more locations to come in the new year.”

The opening of the new Azle store brings the chain to a total of 25 stores in Texas, including Austin, San Antonio, Spring, and Lake Worth. There are more than 60 locations across the nation.