Another Fort Worth restaurant closes for now, sues Gov. Abbott over bar shutdown
Updated to reflect that Stirr’s response that the restaurant might reopen.
Stirr Restaurant, a Crockett Row anchor known for its balcony patio overlooking University Drive, has closed for now and its future is indefinite, an official said Thursday.
Milkshake Concepts executive Imran Sheikh said Stirr is closed temporarily.
Cancellation messages sent to customers with bookings saying the restaurant has “already closed” were “poorly worded,” he said. The messages said Stirr managers are “saddened .... that we have made the decision to close.”
“Obviously it is temporary,” Sheikh said. “For the time being, it makes more sense to close operations and evaluate” depending on the business climate, he said.
Stirr is keeping its space in Crockett Row and furnishings will remain, he said.
Stirr had closed last week and removed glassware and liquor after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the shutdown of all restaurants and bars where alcohol is more than 51% of sales.
Stirr Dallas and eight other bars filed a request for a temporary restraining order Tuesday in a Dallas district court, claiming that the governor’s orders closing bars and certain other businesses have been “inconsistent, arbitrary and scientifically unfounded.” The bars argue that a Texas Supreme Court ruling in Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther’s case establishes that such orders “may not survive judicial scrutiny.”
Stirr, a Deep Ellum restaurant, opened its Fort Worth location in October. If it remains closed, it would be the 12th Dallas transplant to close in the West Seventh Street area, including recent closure Deep Ellum Brewing and past departures by AF+B, Bailey’s Prime Plus. El Bolero, Hacienda San Miguel, Kin Kin Urban Thai, Knife Burger, Patrizio’s, Terra Mediterranean Grill, Tillman’s Roadhouse and Tortaco.
Stirr’s location at 3028 Crockett St. faces the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and has a parking garage next door, giving it better access than other Crockett Row tenants. It replaced a location of Arizona-based Kona Grill.
Stirr drew customers to the upstairs deck for Sunday brunch, but has struggled in the coronavirus recession along with the rest of Crockett Row.
Stirr is at least the fifth notable Fort Worth-area restaurant to close as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, along with Bird Café in Sundance Square, Deep Ellum Brewing, a Fred’s Texas Cafe location near TCU (open in north Fort Worth and reopening in the West 7th area), the Cork & Pig Tavern on Crockett Row (open in Irving) and Buttons Restaurant (moving to Dallas).
Several smaller restaurants and chain outlets have closed permanently and other restaurants have suspended operations.
In the court filing, Stirr’s lawyers note that hotel and restaurant bars continue to operate while “stand-alone” bars are closed. They also note that gyms continue to operate but not bars or river tubing businesses.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
