City of Ate from p13 Texas has allocated $180 million of assis- tance for the hospitality and tourism indus- try in the state, although they haven’t figured out how to allocate it yet. “Will it be enough? Absolutely not. But it’s something,” Streufert says. ▼ FOOD NEWS HEROIC EFFORT E GREAT AMERICAN HERO LIVES ON; NEW OWNERS PLAN TO EXPAND. BY DOYLE RADER verybody needs a hero. When Domi- nick Oliverie decided to retire at the end of December after working tire- lessly for 47 years, he thought it would be the end of his beloved sandwich shop, The Great American Hero. Oliverie officially closed The Great American Hero’s doors Thursday, Dec. 30, but they will open again. A pair of investors are saving the iconic brand from permanent closure and will keep The Great American Hero going in 2022 and beyond. Jacob Cox and Danny Wilson are the men responsible for the revival. They will reopen the colorful shop on Lemmon Avenue on Jan. 10. Oliverie said he couldn’t have picked a better duo to pick up where he is leaving off. “They’re really nice people,” Oliverie says. “They’re into the business. They’re young like I was. I started when I was 27, but they remind me of me. They’re out there looking for a way to make a difference in the world.” Cox and Wilson aren’t newcomers to the food and hospitality world. They have run several concepts in Deep Ellum, including Rocket Fizz Soda Pop Candy Shop, The Pharmacy, Select Start Arcade & Bar and Pop Culture DTX, among others. Cox says that the idea to buy The Great American Hero brand came to him when he and Caroline Perini, who owns Easy Slider, had lunch there soon after Oliverie an- nounced the closing. He returned to get a sandwich every day for 30 days, slowly building a relationship with Oliverie. “Through the process and over the last few months, we came to an agreement to pur- chase the brand, inventory and everything — a trademark,” Cox says. “We closed on that, and now we are in current possession of that. The hope and goal is to grow the brand be- Lauren Drewes Daniels yond what he built over the last 47 years.” Not much will change when Cox and Wilson reopen Hero. All the sandwich op- tions that delighted diners for decades will remain, but they are updating the point-of- sale system to get a better grasp of sales. Oli- verie used a basic cash register and wrote his own checks up until his last day. “There may be a few tweaks here and there, but for the most part we don’t plan to change the menu at all,” Cox says. “That’s one of the things that’s been such an appeal to people — the vegetarian options, the hummus and all of those types of things that are kind of unique to that, opposed to a tra- ditional sandwich shop.” While The Great American Hero’s menu will stay the same, its location won’t. Cox and Wilson negotiated a three-month deal with the property owner, Leland Burk, to stay on Lemmon. After that, they’ll be month-to-month. They say that for a sand- wich shop, the price is just too high to re- main long-term. “I think he would like to get a bank, but I don’t know,” Oliverie says of Burk’s plans for the property. “Banks pay more money than anybody else per square foot.” Cox and Wilson are already looking to open other locations. They’re working on deals north off U.S. 75 and on Harry Hines Boulevard near UT Southwestern and Park- land Hospital. Their goal is to have three or The NKC hot chicken sandwich at Chicken N Pickle in Grand Prairie four locations open in the next 12 to 18 months and eventually have a 100% veteran- owned franchise business. As Oliverie’s 47-year run comes to a close, a new chapter begins for The Great Ameri- can Hero. Cox and Wilson marvel at every- thing that Oliverie accomplished in that time and look forward to making their own mark, rescuing one of Dallas’ most recogniz- able brands. “We’re grateful for the time and love that Dominick’s put into this thing and the op- portunity that he’s given us to grow a brand beyond what he’s created,” Cox says. “We’re just grateful that he gave us a shot at this thing, and we look forward to the future.” ▼ OPENINGS GAME FOR DINNER T CHICKEN N PICKLE OPENS IN GRAND PRAIRIE. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS ennis courts across North Texas are being retrofitted into pickleball courts, which really just requires a thick roll of durable tape. Pickleball is a cross between tennis and ping pong; it’s a leisure sport, which certainly has its pros, like that you can (should) sip a beer while playing. Instead of stringed rackets, players use paddles and a ball that is similar to a Wiffle Ball. The court has a “kitchen” and, party tip, always choose the side with the wind — even the slightest breeze — at your back. Chicken N Pickle is a 77,000-square-foot restaurant and entertainment complex out of Kansas City that recently opened in Grand Prairie near the burgeoning Epic Central off of the George Bush Turnpike, between inter- states 30 and 20. There are 11 pickleball courts, five in a climate-controlled building, four covered and two exposed to all the ele- ments. Courts can be booked during the week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $20 an hour. From 5 p.m. to close on the weekdays and all week- end courts cost $40 an hour; $10 per person if you’re doing doubles. This large complex is built around an out- door courtyard that has a few other games like cornhole and a gigantic Battleship game. There are few ping pong and foosball tables and outdoor shuffleboard courts too. There are at least two fully stocked bars to quench your thirst. And because all that activity re- quires sustenance, there’s a full-size kitchen and restaurant in one corner. Diners and sportsmen alike walk up to the counter to order, then are given a number. Servers bring food out to the ta- bles or out to any of the many courts and picnic tables. The entrées include some heavier barbe- cue options and whole, half or quarter chicken. The sandwich menu is filled with hearty chicken and barbecue options. A salad section makes it easy to stick to your new year resolutions with a few “powerbowls” includ- ing one topped with salmon. There are a few shareable dishes that look interesting; a cho- rizo fondue for two is served with corn chips and flour chicharrones. We tried the NKC (North Kansas City) hot chicken sandwich topped with a crunchy coleslaw and thick pickles all doused in a hot sauce. The chicken was ten- der and juicy. Even if you’re not interested in pickle- ball, the food alone is worthy of a trip. Want a place to hang out outside and let the kids run around? This is a good spot for all that. Or if you’re ready to take your pickleball game to the next level, get your paddles out and let’s go. Chicken N Pickle. 2965 S. Highway 161 (Grand Prairie). Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 12 a.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. WE ARE OPEN FOR DINE IN, TO-GO & DELIVERY! $1 OFF PER POUND MONDAY & TUESDAY CRAWFISH 14 14 7224 Independence Parkway • Plano 972.618.4542 • litasdallas.com MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2014 JANUARY 13-19, 2022 DALLAS OBSERVER DALLAS OBSERVER | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | MOVIES | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | SCHUTZE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS dallasobserver.com dallasobserver.com
