Landmark East Dallas Restaurant Building Headed for a Redo

A slice of Dallas restaurant history is up for grabs after sitting empty for years.The brick and stone building on busy Gaston Avenue east of downtown Dallas doesn't look like a landmark.But in the 1960s it's where famed Dallas restaurateur Norman Brinker got his start.Now a real estate firm plans to restore the former Brinks coffee shop and rent it out to a new tenant.The 5,000-square-foot building was constructed by Brinker - who died in 2009 - in 1964 after he moved to Dallas from California to launch his restaurant career.His company - Brinker International - went on to operate nationwide restaurant chains including Steak and Ale and Chili's Grill & Bar.But it all started in the little coffee shop on at Gaston and Carroll avenues.Brinks opened with an equestrian theme, with menu items called "Starting Gate," "Junior Jockey" and "Winners Circle."The metal sign on the front of the building was a jockey and horse.Back in the day a steak sandwich cost you 85 cents. And, yes, Brinks served chili - for 50 cents a bowl.DuWest Realty is hunting a tenant for the building, which will be restored.DuWest's Scott Rodgers said the building owner has put on a new roof, redone the parking lot and made other improvements to get ready for a tenant.The building is owned by Prevarian Cos., the same firm that's converting the nearby landmark Davy Crockett School into apartments."We are focused on cool and upcoming restaurants to take the space," he said. With the location between Lakewood and Baylor Scott & White's East Dallas medical center, more than 22,000 cars a day pass by out front."The area is gentrifying with new townhouse and apartments," Rodgers said.Dallas architect GFF did the redesign.Dallas preservationists have put the little eatery on their list of most threatened Dallas landmarks.Designed by Paul & Paul architects, the building was done in what's called the mid century "googie" style that was found on restaurants and retail buildings.Over the years the building has housed a Chinese restaurant and a coin laundry.DuWest Realty hopes to hook a new tenant soon.  Continue reading...