Thirsty Lion Gastropub & Grill, a Portland, Oregon-based scratch kitchen restaurant concept, has been expanding across the West since its launch in 2011, with eight locations in Oregon, Arizona and Colorado. Now, the fast-growing chain will be moving into Texas, with openings at two highly anticipated luxury retail developments in the Dallas/Fort Worth area: The Music Factory in Irving and Grandscape in The Colony.
“It is with much excitement that we bring Thirsty Lion into the Dallas/Fort Worth market and we are honored to be joining two world-class entertainment hubs,” says Thirsty Lion Gastropub & Grill CEO John Plew. “We’ve experienced enormous success to date in neighborhoods offering an abundance of entertainment and dining options, and we think these two developments offers similar opportunities for success.”
The launch into these two Texas developments will mark ten locations nationwide for Thirsty Lion with three additional locations planned for 2018 and four planned for 2019. Plew plans to reach 20 locations in 7 states by 2020.
In September 2017, Thirsty Lion will open its first Texas location at The Music Factory, a 250,000 square foot super-venue and lifestyle and entertainment center located in Irving. Thirsty Lion will join this new urban center of arts, food and nightlife anchored by Live Nation Pavillion, an 8,000-person indoor/outdoor amphitheater. With easy access to public transit and valet parking, Thirsty Lion will offer a convenient gathering place where friends and family can come together for good food before a night on the town. Thirsty Lion’s Music Factory location will cover 7,747 square feet with 2,124 square feet being outdoor seating.
The second Thirsty Lion Texas location will make its home in The Colony’s Grandscape, one of the largest and most unique mixed-use real estate developments in the country. Slated to open in summer 2018, Thirsty Lion will join a variety of unique restaurants, an outdoor amphitheater, a convention center, a hotel and spa, and more. When completed, Grandscape will stretch across 400 acres, and will boast 3.9 million square feet of retail, entertainment, dining and attractions. Thirsty Lion’s Grandscape location will be it’s most unique yet. The Gastropub’s first two-story location will feature a second floor bar and patio on the roof as well as 5,000 square feet of outdoor seating and an additional 2,500 square foot yard patio with lawn games.
“Dallas/Fort Worth is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the nation and we anticipate these new locations will attract millions of visitors a year,” says Plew. “We are eager to bring the Thirsty Lion brand, including our variety of eclectic cuisines with an emphasis on local ingredients and bold flavors, to the culinary enthusiasts of Texas.”
