J&J Oyster Bar is closing, but its longhorn is moo-ving to a new Fort Worth home
J&J Oyster Bar is about to close after 45 years, but its best-known guest already has a new home.
The giant longhorn bull statue that has stood outside 612 University Drive for 25 years will move to Fred’s Texas Cafe after J&J closes May 30, Fred’s boss Quincy Wallace announced.
The 12½-foot-tall bull has a tip-to-tip horn span of 7½ feet. It was one of several sculpted by artist Johnny Pate and painted by local artists in 2001 as part of a citywide project, BulLovArts, sponsored by the Southwest Public Communications Foundation.
The larger-than-life bulls were similar to sculptures installed in other cities, such as moose in Toronto, fish in New Orleans and flamingos in Miami, according to Star-Telegram archives.
“I didn’t want to see it leave Fort Worth, and I’ve always wanted one,” Wallace was quoted as saying in the Fred’s announcement.
The bull will move in the coming weeks to the flagship Fred’s location, 7101 Camp Bowie Blvd. West, he said.
“When I heard Jim [J&J owner Jim Schusler] was looking for someone to take the longhorn that has sat in front of J&J’s for as long as I can remember, it just felt right,” Wallace wrote in a message.
The bulls came to town two years after the daily Fort Worth Herd cattle drive began on East Exchange Avenue.
They were made by Mineral Wells-based Associated Fiberglass, which also made the famous cows for Chick-fil-A billboards. At least 10 of the company’s bulls were scattered across Fort Worth.
Local artist Nancy Lamb painted one downtown called “Van Cli-Bull.”
Philanthropist Therese Moncrief helped lead the effort, according to archives.
Photographer Bob Lukeman of Fort Worth was part of the organization.
“Every time I’d go by J&J, I’d recollect,” he said. “I thought they were cool.”
Fred’s, often ranked a favorite Fort Worth burger grill, opened 48 years ago on Currie Street not far from J&J. Fred’s moved to the west side in 2022.
Fred’s serves 22 different hamburgers. But it’s best known for the “Fred Burger,” hand-cut fries and buttermilk-battered chicken-fried steak, along with peach cobbler.
Other Fred’s locations are at 2730 Western Center Blvd., Fort Worth, and 101 N. Magnolia St., Crowley.
