10 February 26 - March 4, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Why Dallas Restaurants Are Struggling The lease cliff is what happens when your lease is renewed, and your tiki cocktails are priced out. BY LISA PETTY In this series, we look at why local restaurants are struggling to stay afloat. Previously we re- ported how tariffs were affecting restaurants’ costs. This week, we look at a timeline that starts at COVID and ends with the dreaded five-year lease cliff. “W e thought we’d succeeded. We just didn’t last as long as we ex- pected,” says Marty Reyes, former co-owner of Swizzle. We spoke with Reyes and his wife and co-owner, Jen Ann Tonic, about the closure of their Tiki-themed bar and eatery. As with many of last year’s exits from the local res- taurant scene, we guessed there was more to the story than a one-word shrug like “park- ing.” Sure enough, it’s a whale of a tale. On the day of our chat, despite freezing temps, the pair were dressed in signature tropical attire. Jen’s cherry-red hair was adorned with an oversized flower; Reyes wore a Polynesian-print shirt. Let no one say they aren’t committed to their concept, which they launched some 10 years back. Full Speed Ahead “W e started out as a pop-up in 2016, to build a brand, find our community, and see if Tiki could survive in Dallas,” says Jen. In the years leading up to opening their brick-and- mortar business, the pair’s gigs at various lo- cations around town indulged aficionados and introduced new audiences to their be- loved, South Pacific-inspired, cocktail- soaked fandom known as tiki. The pop-up plan worked, and in the fall of 2020, Jen and Marty opened Swizzle at 1802 Greenville Avenue. Despite the ill-timed launch, they report a strong start. “We were so lucky in 2020 — people knew who we were al- ready,” says Jen. “They came in in their masks, they sat separately, they did all the things.” In addition to benefiting from an estab- lished following here in North Texas, Swiz- zle also counted fans throughout the travel-savvy global tiki community. “I can’t tell you how many times we heard, ‘We came to Dallas just for you,’” says Reyes. It’s absolutely true that a visit to Swizzle was like a vacation. Decked in bamboo, wicker, and rattan, visitors to Lower Green- ville could sip an umbrella drink and easily imagine themselves at a beachside dive any- where but here. But as with any vacation, it eventually had to end. Choppy Waters T he first hints that Swizzle had left the honeymoon behind came when COVID-era liquor shortages contin- ued into the post-pandemic period. Even as customers dared the outside world for a taste of tiki, many distilleries stopped ship- ping the hard stuff due to glass and raw ma- terials shortages. Still others had shifted to producing hand sanitizer and such. “Rum was basically just impossible to get,” says Jen of the liquid gold upon which most tropical cocktails are built. But the new owners weren’t phased. They navigated like pros, tweaking their drink menu and rolling with the tides. But just as one squall passed, another was brewing. Next, the couple contended with rising la- bor costs and a shortage of skilled service in- dustry workers. “Either we couldn’t get people, or they wouldn’t show up,” Marty says. “It was very competitive at the time. People were paying insane amounts of money because no one could find or keep staff.” Add in rising food costs — a pinch felt by all consumers starting in 2021 — and Swiz- zle was getting battered on all fronts. Often, husband and wife worked both front and back of the house by themselves, toggling from cleaning and cooking to hosting, pour- ing drinks, and completing the myriad ad- min tasks every small business must tackle. The Perfect Storm T his timeline tracks. Sources aplenty confirm the ’21 national liquor short- age (NPR), ’22 restaurant labor crunch (Dallas Observer), and ongoing food price inflation (USDA). Each hit was like baling another bucket even as the water continued to seep in. And yet, Swizzle stayed afloat. “We pivoted a lot. How much? Maybe too much,” says Jen of the couple’s management choices as years three, then four, passed by. The pair report “constantly” changing the menu (confusing), inventing creative tie-ins with brands like Jeppson’s Malort and Rhum Clement (great), and even consider- ing a concept tweak to a more “college- friendly Miami” vibe (scrapped). Meanwhile, customer counts were also declining. Tiki-lovers who had happily trekked in from the suburbs before were now complaining about — you guessed it — Lower Greenville parking. Still, other cus- tomers had simply moved on, as more bars and restaurants opened on the block throughout 2023 and 2024. When Swizzle’s lease was due for re- newal, the final hit from this perfect storm of circumstances proved too rough to ride out. “We came up on our five-year, and things had changed,” says Jen. “Our block didn’t have many businesses on it in 2020, and by the time we came up to renewal, it was more valuable. So, taxes went up, and our rent was almost double.” Saying ‘Aloha’ All Over Again I n mid-June of 2025, the couple an- nounced Swizzle’s impending closure. The news came as a surprise to many. What had been a standout example of the quirky, unexpected side of Lower Greenville was now an indication of just how little those attributes were actually in demand in real life. The next few weeks rolled out like a re- verse housewarming party, as guests cleared the bar and took home decor items (by invita- tion) from Swizzle on their farewell visits. Through it all, Jen and Marty were reminded of the support they had experienced through- out their five-year, brick-and-mortar run. “We love our landlords; they were really good to us,” says Jen. “And the media kept talk- ing about us. We felt very seen for five years.” And just as the pair bid ‘Aloha’ to one chapter, it was, well, ‘Aloha’ to the next. With a plan to return to those once-popular pop- ups, Swizzle made a cameo appearance at the State Fair of Texas last fall and now hosts regular events at Island Getaway Distillery in South Dallas. So far, so great, and the duo dreams ahead to even bigger venues and an “immersive experience” on the horizon. | CITY OF ATE | t Dish Swizzle on Lower Greenville closed in the summer of 2025. Lauren Drewes Daniels
