Sandwich News

Stoner sandwich shop Cheba Hut to open location near UT Arlington

Full spread of sandwiches from Cheba Hut.

Cheba Hut Facebook

A fun stoner-themed sandwich shop is blazing into downtown Arlington: Cheba Hut, the Colorado-based sub shop chain, is opening at 504 E. Abram St., in a former Jimmy John's, across the street from Division Brewing.

Cheba Hut boasts a marijuana theme with winking stoner names for menu items, although there is no marijuana in the products. The quality of their sub sandwiches earns high marks.

The chain was founded in 1998 and now has more than 50 locations across the country, including four around DFW: Fort Worth, Deep Ellum, Denton, and Preston Trail Plaza. Arlington will be the fifth, and is set to open in the fall.

The menu has about 30 signature sandwiches, including Jamaican Red (buffalo chicken, jalapeño, and hot sauce) and Acapulco Gold (chicken with BBQ sauce and Swiss cheese), plus salads and a selection of "munchies" such as Rice Krispy treats, loaded nachos, pretzel nuggets, and soups.

Customers can specify bread from a choice of white, wheat, or garlic herb; and can also order their sandwich in different sizes: from a 4-inch nug to an 8-inch pinner to a 12-inch blunt. Prices start at $7 for a small nug and top out at $15 for a large.

In a rare stroke, Cheba boasts a full-service bar with beer and cocktails, such as the signature Dirty Hippie combining cucumber, lemonade, and Deep Eddy Vodka, or the Hash Can with rum, tequila, gin, vodka, Blue Curacao, sour mix, and Red Bull. This amenity is unusual for a sandwich shop.

Most Cheba Hut locations are in hip neighborhoods or near colleges. Arlington, for example, will be right around the corner from the University of Texas at Arlington. The owner is Eddie White, a multi-franchise owner who also owns the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop right next door at 510 E. Abram St. (He also owns a Fuzzy's in Fort Worth and previously owned Harry's at the Harbor in McKinney, now closed.)

This will be his first Cheba Hut franchise, which he considers a significant upgrade from the Jimmy John's that was there before, and he's looking at opening another Cheba Hut in Mansfield.

"I would say it's almost a cultural experience that makes you want to come back," White says. "It's not going to be your standard, white box sandwich shop. Usually with a sandwich shop, it's people coming in and getting a sandwich to go, but with Cheba Hut, you're walking into an environment that's fun, and you want to hang around for a little bit. Plus the sandwiches are off-the-charts good."

Closure News

Tropic Lady restaurant-bar on Fort Worth's Race Street says aloha

Tropic Lady

The dip trio at Tropic Lady.

A chill restaurant and bar in Fort Worth's River East district has closed: Tropic Lady, which opened in the former Fuzzy's Taco space at 2719 Race St. in 2023, has closed.

The restaurant, which closed in mid-December, was a sibling to Bearded Lady, the popular gastropub in Near Southside; their last Facebook post was on December 10. Their phone number is not working, and their website is no longer active. Owner Shannon Osbakken was unavailable for comment, but a Bearded Lady employee confirmed the closure.

Tropic Lady was a tropical-themed gastropub opened by a trio of friends: Bearded Lady owner Shannon Osbakken, her business partner Sarah Allen, and general manager Amanda Yunger. It offered a similar menu as Bearded lady but with more tropical-inspired fare, including shrimp tacos, bacon-wrapped grilled pineapple bites, and guacamole dotted with mango.

For a gastropub, they did interesting food with dishes like watermelon salad with feta and cucumber; or their Dip Trio, with mango guacamole, tomatillo salsa, and queso blanco served with house-made tortilla chips. Definitely not run-of-the-mill. They also had great lunch specials like a smashburger with curly fries for $10.

Food did not seem to be the problem.

Decor featured artwork and murals created by local artists. A beautifully landscaped patio wrapped around the building’s facade. So the setting did not seem to be a factor.

It's tempting to point the finger at its location on Race Street, which has witnessed a round of closings in the past two years including buzzy birria taqueria Caliscience, which closed in February 2024; as well as The Post at River East, a restaurant and live music venue that shut down the same month.

In 2023, three other restaurants on Race Street closed: Tributary Cafe, the Bon Appetit-lauded La Onda, and vegan burger spot Zonk Burger. But separate reasons can also be found for each of those closures, whether that be inexperience or lease issues.

For years, the city and neighborhood advocates have been trying to turn Race Street into a trendy hotspot. As part of the city’s Urban Villages program, the city of Fort Worth invested $5.6 million in revitalizing the area, making improvements to traffic flow, sidewalks, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.

When Osbakken opened the bar, she said she loved the area, stating "it reminds me of Magnolia when were first were on it 10 years ago in our old location. It's a great community and the neighbors have been friendly and reaching out."

And there are still restaurants along the street, including a popular Mexican restaurant called Tesoro, the Dough’d Up doughnut shop, and Kingyo Sushi & Ramen House, as well as a coffee shop, Race Street Coffee.

The Bearded Lady continues to flourish. Osbakken originally opened the popular gastropub on Magnolia Avenue in 2013. Six years later, she moved it to the South Main, where it’s still going strong.

closings