By Charles Burkett
POSTED: FEB 27 2020 11:01PM CST
DENTON – The Downtown Denton square has a distinct blend of local shops, eateries, and nightlife that makes it a destination for many people when they come to town. There is a small-town feel with hospitality on the side.
Since April of 2019, there have been 19 new business and seven more that are expected to be opening soon. A couple of those business owners, ones from Ironwood Axe Throwing and Vinyl Lounge, have seen that hospitality firsthand.
Bryan Burrows, of Ironwood Axe Throwing, expressed, “I expected that we'd be on our own, running a business, opening up marketing, things like that. But what I didn't really expect was such a warm welcome from all the other business owners from the square.”
“Everybody I've met,” said Tom Martin of Vinyl Lounge, “everybody I've talked to; fellow bar owners, everybody has been extremely gracious and helpful Tom and supportive of everything and have been a resource for me.”
Being from San Diego, Jon Burrows, the other half of the brother team at Ironwood, had a different expectation when coming to Texas and said, “I thought it was all cowboy hats and boots and ye haw But it's been an eye-opening experience, been like Brian said it's been a very warm welcome. Ever since I got here. People have been super friendly, I have not met a mean person here.”
Many owners, such as Steve Severance of Steve’s Wine Bar, have been helping spread the word about the new venues that have come to the old Denton-Record Chronicle building on Russell St. just behind Industrial St. here in Denton according to Bryan Burrows.
Though the Southeast side of the square will have an unusual feel, especially with axe throwing and a 1970s style lounge.
According to Bryan Burrows, the reason that they came to the area was they were looking for, “a community of people that was growing, that were open into different experiences new things such as, Denton.”
With the opening of the Vinyl Lounge in April, Salon Indigo, Laser Loft, Vagabond Boutique and H2Oak Barbeque to expected come into the area in the near future, this area of the square is seeing a boom in business.
